Chapter 513: A Choice
In supporting the Russians this time, East Africa wasn't stingy—it steadily sent enough weapons to arm 30,000 men in Afghanistan. That was no small number, considering Britain only had about 30,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan at the moment. Originally, the number was higher, but many had been withdrawn after Afghanistan surrendered.
That number didn't include Indian auxiliary forces, who were considered the British Army's "favored sons." Though treated poorly at home, Britain was never stingy with its own forces abroad.
The British Army often looked pitiful in peacetime, especially when compared to the Royal Navy, which took the lion's share of funding. But compared to most armies around the world, Britain's military still stood tall. Its equipment was on par with top-tier powers. So when the British Army pretended to be poor, it was really just the spoiled son of a rich landlord. Other armies might actually have worse conditions.
People often mocked the British Army as ineffective, but it was still capable—especially when paired with France, as seen in Crimea, where they held their own against Russia. The key was not leading the operation. Just like in the Boer War and Afghan conflicts, when Britain took the lead, it tended to embarrass itself.
Because of East Africa's rise, the First Boer War never happened. Ernst wasn't sure if the British and Boers would still clash later on. For now, the recently annexed Orange Free State was still in its honeymoon phase with Britain—there wasn't much East Africa could do.
Still, Ernst believed the Boer War would happen eventually. Britain might speak sweet words, but its hand was already deep in Boer pockets—like a seasoned playboy seducing an innocent girl with no intention of staying faithful.
And with many Boers who fled the Transvaal now returning to Orange, the Free State's strength was once again growing. The Boer population in Cape Town was large, and Ernst's earlier expulsion of Boers from the Transvaal had basically planted a time bomb for the British in Cape.
…
Ilya, the Russian military advisor, looked at the now suddenly "well-equipped" Afghan resistance and felt mixed emotions. On one hand, they finally had enough weapons—even if outdated. On the other hand, there was barely any ammunition.
Seeing Ilya's gloomy face, Mullah Murtaza asked, "Mr. Ilya, now that we have enough weapons, why do you still seem dissatisfied?"
Ilya shared his concerns: "We have weapons, but what about ammunition? We can't win a war with just one battle. If we run out of ammo, the British will come back stronger."
Murtaza wasn't too worried. He replied, "We can seize supplies. And we can make gunpowder ourselves. If we aim well, we can conserve bullets too."
Compared to the spoiled Russian army, the Afghans were used to hardship. Making gunpowder the old-fashioned way wasn't an issue. They were even repairing many of the East African guns by hand.
Since the weapons were a free donation, East Africa hadn't bothered to inspect or fix them—even though it could have. Ernst believed the Afghans didn't need anything fancy.
As for seizing weapons, Ilya thought that was plausible too. East Africa had provided plenty of Enfields—standard issue for the British. Ammunition wouldn't be a problem if they could steal British supply lines.
"Plus," Murtaza added, "we can make our own weapons. The British can't. Their supplies all come from afar. If we hit their convoys, we can survive."
Ilya thought this was an excellent idea. Britain's advance into Afghanistan was no walk in the park—through Khyber, Ghulam, and Bolan Pass. The terrain was brutal. Supplying British troops from India was logistically expensive and dangerous.
Thinking about Afghanistan's nightmare terrain, Ilya got excited. "Murtaza, you're a genius! If we ambush their supply lines, we can deal them a heavy blow. This will help liberate Afghanistan!"
But Murtaza had a different view: "No. Our primary objective is Kabul. Only when fighting erupts in the capital will other resistance groups rise up. Small ambushes won't hurt Britain much."
Ilya objected, "Are you sure? Kabul isn't easy to take. We've just trained these firearm units. If they're wiped out, what then?"
"But we want to drive out the British as soon as possible!" Murtaza replied firmly.
What really worried Murtaza wasn't Britain—it was Russia.
Sure, Britain was the invader, but Murtaza didn't trust Russia either. The Russians had only given token support. Without the "patriotic" merchant's help, the resistance wouldn't even be armed. Russia had only sent a few officers and wanted Afghanistan to do the heavy lifting—then swoop in and take credit when both sides were exhausted. With Russia next door, Murtaza had to be cautious.
Still, to avoid offending Ilya, Murtaza added, "Of course, while we focus on Kabul, we can have our southern allies harass British supply lines."
Actually, Murtaza didn't need to worry. Upon hearing the plan to attack Kabul, Ilya was delighted.
Not because it was a smart military move, but because it was good for his career. His orders were to cause trouble for Britain—not necessarily help Afghanistan win. Russia didn't believe the Afghans could defeat Britain anyway, especially with its own army still bogged down against the Ottomans.
Causing trouble for Britain was the goal. And if chaos erupted in Kabul, the capital, the world would notice. As the Russian advisor in that region, Ilya's resume would shine—he might even get a promotion.
Harassing supply lines might be safer, but it wouldn't make headlines. If Kabul fell into rebellion, it would be the biggest story of the war.
So Ilya immediately changed his tune: "You're right, Murtaza. Kabul is the heart of Afghanistan. Retaking it will inspire the people. We must make that our top priority."
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