Chapter 578: The String of Pearls on the Indian Ocean
A large number of weapons from China were sent to Abyssinia, including a large amount of arms and penicillin and other medicines, which are very important for the Abyssinian army, which is in short supply of supplies. Zhang Xueliang was especially excited about the rocket launchers sent. Now Abyssinia
Although the army also has heavy artillery, most of them were captured from the Italians, and the ammunition supply is very unstable.
Moreover, the Italians have become smarter in recent years, actively building fortifications, and constantly hammering nails into Abyssinia. With the 107 rocket launcher, they can just deal with these strongholds, and the entire counterattack plan is bound to become more sophisticated.
powerful.
In addition, the UK also attaches great importance to East Africa. Although the UK still firmly guards the Suez Canal, once the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the exit of the Red Sea is completely controlled by Italy, the UK's road to Asia will also be cut off, so it can be driven away
Italy is what Britain wants.
It's just that China once again took the lead, making the United Kingdom feel extremely uncomfortable. However, it had no choice but to cooperate as much as possible and sent Egypt to mobilize a batch of arms to be handed over to the Afghan army. After receiving arms support from the two countries, the Afghan army
The power of the army has grown greatly, and Zhang Xueliang is also full of confidence.
Emperor Selassie of Abyssinia has established a deep friendship with his Chinese advisors. Over the years, they have helped him plan and operate. The Abyssinian army has continued to grow, its equipment has become more advanced, and its tactical level has also continued to improve. After
Tested by the flames of war, the Afghan army has become a powerful force on African soil.
China's attitude towards Selassie is different from that of the small neighboring countries. The small neighboring countries will eventually be integrated into China's territory. The original elite groups have become the focus of China's attack. Africa is too far away and China does not have the ability to occupy it.
So make friends and let Abyssinia automatically tie itself to the chariot.
After the first batch of weapons arrived in Abyssinia, they immediately began to arm the elite troops of the Abyssinian army. Zhang Xueliang and Selassie personally inspected the grassroots troops and provided guidance to them.
Over the past few years, the scorching sunshine on the East African Plateau has given Zhang Xueliang a tan, which is not much different from that of the black soldiers. After seeing them coming, the soldiers were very excited and took the initiative to say hello. Some soldiers even said
Jumping and dancing, they sang folk songs.
Africans have a strong talent for music and dance, which is also a way for them to vent their emotions. The soldiers sincerely support His Majesty the Emperor who leads them to fight against the Italians, and the Chinese advisers who help them win one victory after another
He even gained their respect from the bottom of his heart.
They welcomed Zhang Xueliang and his party in the warmest way. Even Emperor Selassie became a foil. In fact, this is also the result of China's management over the years.
After Zhang Xueliang arrived in Abyssinia, he promoted literacy education among soldiers and established literacy classes at the grassroots level. The illiteracy rate among the Abyssinian army was even more shocking than that of the original Chinese army. Many senior officers were illiterate.
, not many documents in the military can be understood.
As for tactics, doctrine and the like, I know nothing about it. Such an army cannot be called an army at all. Even the militiamen are very reluctant. It is extremely difficult to expect them to learn new tactics and operate new weapons.
Zhang Xueliang and others are also doing these things hard. The official language of Abyssinia is Amharic. Chinese consultants have set standards. Each soldier must write back at least 500 common words and be able to understand simple words.
For combat instructions, you need to know the map.
In order to set an example, Zhang Xueliang and others also took the initiative to learn Amharic. After more than a year, people like Zhang Xueliang are basically able to use Amharic proficiently, whether in daily communication or writing documents. As for
Less than 20% of Afghan soldiers can master 500 words, and the gap in learning ability is obvious.
However, the quality of the Afghan army has improved a lot than before. Especially if you want to be promoted to become an officer, you must first pass the cultural knowledge test. If you cannot pass it, you will not have any chance. Even the children of the rich and powerful are the same. There is no back door.
This is undoubtedly a subversion for the Afghan army. In the past, nobles and ordinary people were two distinct groups. Officers could only be held by the powerful, while the people at the bottom could only serve as top soldiers. But now they have become meritocratic.
Yes, as long as they are capable, willing to study, and have excellent grades, lower-level soldiers can be promoted faster than nobles. If they make military exploits, they can be personally praised by the emperor.
This is undoubtedly a good incentive system. The appearance of the Afghan army has undergone earth-shaking changes. Soldiers are no longer afraid of war. Instead, they regard war as a way to change their destiny. Most of them are working hard to study and improve in their free time.
my ability.
Of course, China’s great efforts to promote culture and education also have other calculations. Most of Africa is a colony of Britain and France, and the official languages are French and English. As a result, after independence, these colonies will have to accept the control of Britain and France, and Abiy
Xenia is a special case.
China is now promoting culture and education, and Abyssinia’s own book talents are also limited. If you want to further develop, you must study foreign works and absorb nutrients. In this way, you must learn foreign languages. Thanks to the help of Chinese consultants,
Professor, their next natural step is to learn Chinese, read Chinese books, and then learn Chinese thought and culture.
In fact, just two years ago, Qiao Yu officially sent five university professors into the guerrilla zone in Abyssinia and established the first overseas Confucius Institute, responsible for spreading Chinese thought and culture. Whose culture can you learn from?
Who will you get close to?
What China wants to do is to create a Chinese cultural circle in Africa, so that it can better influence the continent. Now it is just sowing some seeds. As for how much it will harvest, it will take decades to see, but
Qiao Yu knows very well that this is definitely the investment with the most generous returns.
Zhang Xueliang and Selassie looked at the soldiers' equipment, and then went to the martial arts field. Some Chinese soldiers were teaching the Afghan army how to use rocket launchers. There were many soldiers around who were listening carefully. These people were all Afghan soldiers.
The elite among them, the ones with the strongest learning ability.
In fact, it is easy to distinguish the combat effectiveness of the Afghan army. Which unit has the highest level of Chinese, which unit is the elite. A high level of Chinese means that they can learn more advanced knowledge and operate more complex weapons. Naturally, they are the first to change.
Dressed troops.
When Zhang Xueliang first saw some black people reciting Tang poetry, he also felt the feeling of thunder rolling from the sky, but now they are used to it. The operation of the 107 rocket launcher is very simple. After the explanation, some people quickly learned it and started to practice it.
operate.
Zhang Xueliang and Selassie were watching. An Afghan soldier fired the first rocket, which landed on a pile of pebbles a kilometer away. The rocks cracked and debris flew all over the sky. It looked like it was very powerful.
Pretty good.
Selassie was also very happy to see it. With this weapon, the strongholds and bunkers set up by the Italians on the mountain roads were no longer a problem. The Afghan army could eat them all one by one. Selassie could even see the Italians being
The scene of the disgraced expulsion from Abyssinia.
"Zhang, thank you for the support of the Chinese government. Your weapons are always the best. The friendship between Abyssinia and China is rock-solid and we are brothers forever!"
Selassie was also an enthusiastic and unrestrained person. When he said this, he jumped for joy, as did many Afghan soldiers. They sang and danced together.
Just after the Chinese weapons were in place, the Afghan army launched a long-awaited offensive. In an instant, the entire land of East Africa was filled with guerrillas. A large number of militiamen were dispatched to destroy kilometers of railways and harass Italian strongholds. It was like
It was like a pot of porridge, and the airports and ports were all within the attack range. The Italian Air Force's combat capabilities were seriously weakened. Without the protection of the Air Force, the Italian Army could only huddle in the city and would never dare to dispatch easily.
And Selassie and the Chinese advisory team personally directed the elites of the Afghan army to clear out strongholds one after another in an orderly manner. After more than two months of combat operations, most of them except the capital Addis Ababa
All areas were recovered.
In addition, 80% of the land in Somalia fell into the hands of the guerrillas, and the situation was ripe for a decisive battle against Italy. The guerrillas also successfully captured Mogadishu, which was later to be the capital of Somalia and one of the important ports in Africa.
With this good port, it will be easier for China's domestic supplies to be transported to Abyssinia. After Selassie occupied Mogadishu, he immediately announced that it would lease it to China, becoming China's largest presence on the land of Africa.
The first important support point.
And Qiao Yu's layout in the Indian Ocean is gradually revealed. Starting from the Kra Canal, heading west to capture the Kalimantan Islands, and then adding Mogadishu, China has initially built a chain of pearls. This chain will
India is locked inside, and at the same time, this is a maritime blood vessel that can continuously transport the rich resources of the African continent and the oil from the Gulf to China, supporting China's industrialization process.
Of course, these strings of pearls are not yet complete. There are still two links in Sri Lanka and the Maldives that need to be controlled. In addition, Qiao Yu has set his sights on the Diego Garcia Islands, which are more than 1,900 kilometers away from the southernmost tip of the South Asian subcontinent.
Located at the meeting point of many routes between the Cape of Good Hope, Singapore, the Red Sea, and Australia, its strategic position is very important. It is still in the hands of the United Kingdom, but in later generations it became the most important base of the United States in the Indian Ocean, capable of docking aircraft carriers and
Nuclear submarines can also take off large strategic bombers. They are an important support for the United States to intervene in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. They can also threaten China's southwest region. They can be said to be a nail in the Indian Ocean and a serious concern.
With Qiao Yu's strategic vision, he naturally understands the importance of this place. In this time and space, the United States is absolutely not allowed to come here to take advantage. China must get here to complete its absolute control of the Indian Ocean. (To be continued. If
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