Chapter 788: African Legion in Progress (First Update, Please Subscribe)
The French are having a hard time right now.
After the Ming Dynasty stripped the British Empire of its "powerful and inviolable" image in Japan and East Africa, France immediately became eager to try after seeing the Ming Dynasty's demonstration.
Napoleon IV, who had been on the throne for two years, used the excuse that herdsmen on the French Algerian border were robbed by Libyan bandits on May 13 to attack Tripoli of the Ottoman Empire.
They took the city of Tripoli with only 1,500 advance troops, making a good start. The smooth offensive boosted the morale of the French army, and they marched straight into the city and captured the stronghold, hoping to use these to take over Libya.
Faced with the French invasion, the Turkish troops stationed in Libya were unprepared and hastily organized local Arabs and Bedouins to resist. They were quickly defeated by the French army and had no choice but to ask for help from home.
At this time, the Ottoman Empire was overwhelmed by internal problems and did not want to go to war. The Ottoman Empire sent a large number of officials to Europe to lobby Britain, Italy and other countries to dissuade France, especially to persuade Britain to stop the French attack - just like Britain stopped France's ambitions in Libya in 1871.
However, unlike in 1871, France now had the protection of the "Four Emperors' Alliance". Faced with the British obstruction, it not only did not take it seriously, but instead ordered the army to continue the attack.
A month later, the Ottoman Empire had to send nearly 10,000 regular troops to Libya, and joined forces with 20,000 local Arab cavalry to block the French attack. This blockade was quite successful, causing the complacent French army to suffer a defeat in Libya, and nearly 1,000 French troops were annihilated.
Faced with such a situation, Nahoron IV had no choice but to continue to send more troops to Libya. Now the French army not only has reached 50,000 troops, but also uses new "weapons" such as armored vehicles and airships. However, the war has not ended until now.
The "Franco-Turkish War" also led to tensions between Britain and France. Although Britain backed down after weighing the pros and cons in the face of the "Four Emperors' Alliance", it did not prevent Britain from turning its attention to the Mediterranean and even sending a fleet to Egypt.
Just as the British fleet’s arrival in Alexandria made the world’s headlines and the world was paying attention to the war in North Africa, a fleet arrived at the Bay of Walvis on the coast of West Africa, which is located in Namibia.
The gentle sea breeze gently caressed the deck of the Qinglong. The wooden deck that had just been scrubbed had long been dried by the scorching sun of Africa. On the stern corridor, Li Zhanmin looked at the bay - Walvis Bay, which was a rare natural harbor in West Africa and also their landing place.
The brim of the hat blocked the glaring sunlight, allowing him to see the flocks of flamingos in the distance in the bay. It was a sea of red and the scenery looked very beautiful. After getting ashore, he could take a few photos there.
However, he did not intend to go ashore now. In the cold box on the rattan low table next to him, a few bottles of Coke were gently colliding between the ice water and ice cubes as the boat swayed. The fishing rods on the veranda railings also rose and fell with the waves.
Although he was the captain, Li Zhanmin had no sense of being on the "front line". He just sat on a cloth chair and fished. If we ignore the thousands of soldiers landing on the coast, this really looks like a normal naval cruise. After entering the port, the captain fished to relax.
"Captain, if those guys in the Army see you fishing here, they will definitely regret applying to the Army Academy."
The person who came over was the first mate Song Pengcheng. Although he was one level lower than Li Zhanmin, the two of them were very familiar with each other - their dormitories were next to each other when they were in the Military Academy. They were admitted to the Naval Academy one after another and served on ships one after another. After several twists and turns, Li Zhanmin became the first captain among the graduates of the Military Academy, and Song Pengcheng was his first mate.
He took a bottle of Coke directly from the bottle, opened it with a bottle opener and took a sip:
"If they are envious, they should envy this first. Not only can we drink Coke on the ship, but we can also drink it cold. The army...you always have to endure some hardships!"
The army is bound to suffer some hardships, which is a well-known fact throughout the world. After all, this is an era of sea power.
"kindness……"
Song Pengcheng nodded. It was normal for the navy, the nobles in the army, to eat better.
Of course, the treatment will be better.
"Otherwise, why not send them some Coke? Even though they are all Japanese...Japanese soldiers, they are also Ming's "African Legion."
Well, the African Legion is also a group of soldiers serving the Ming Dynasty. We can't treat them too badly, otherwise how can they be willing to serve the Ming Dynasty?
"kindness……"
Nodding, Li Zhanmin said.
"Send them some Coke and some other things. Don't let them say our navy is watching. Oh, and ask again, did they find any water?"
Walvis Bay is a natural harbor, but what is the only problem here?
It's water!
After landing, almost everything they saw was desert. This place was not a good place! But since they chose this place as the landing point, they not only had to land here, but also built a city here.
"Oh, this is not a good place!"
Standing on the edge of the desert, under the scorching sun, Li Tiansong pursed his cracked lips. Now he is no longer an ordinary soldier, but a sergeant, only one step away from warrant officer. In the foreign legion, lieutenant is the highest rank they can be promoted to.
However, as Japan was incorporated into the Ming Dynasty, their status also changed. They had the opportunity to be promoted to higher military ranks. Not to mention colonel-level officers, even generals were possible, and there was even the possibility of becoming marshals.
"What is not a good place".
Tian Zhong said,
"This is the place chosen by His Majesty himself. As long as we cross this desert and go inland, we will find an endless plain. The land there is extremely fertile, not inferior to that of the Ming Dynasty."
"Haha, Captain Tian, how do you know all this!"
Li Tiansong laughed.
"You talk as if you've been here."
"I have never been here, but the captain heard the briefing at the meeting. From here to East Africa, it is all fertile grasslands! We are the African advance corps of the Ming Dynasty. In the next one or two months, more and more Japanese people will join the African Corps."
"Oh, I didn't expect so many people from my hometown to come. I don't know if they can speak Chinese, if not!"
"Then let the servants of Nakuru teach them the rules first."
When the word "Nakuru" was mentioned, everyone immediately burst into laughter. "Nakuru" means slapping the mouth. If you can't speak Chinese, just slap the mouth. You will learn it by doing it.
They are not at all lenient towards their fellow countrymen. In their opinion, being lenient towards them would definitely be indulgence and sheltering.
If that were the case, how could they be worthy of the trust that Your Majesty has placed in them?
In order to live up to the trust placed in them by His Majesty the Emperor, they must of course be strict with their fellow countrymen. This is their duty.
"We are all from noble families, how can we not speak Chinese? Even if we are not fluent, we can speak some. I am more concerned about who will be the commander of the African Corps. Tell me, will Lord Saigo be appointed?"
(End of this chapter)
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