Hearts of Iron - Australia and New Zealand - Part 4

From the desk of the NZ PM, the Right Honourable Mr Bruce.

19 February 1940

New Zealand swept south from British Somaliland towards Mogadishu before lack of supply and Italian counter attacks stopped them, and then slowly drove them back. 

Australia attacks from Kenya north east along the coast.  It is slower but a much more successful attack, and captures the southernmost port.  New Zealand found a hole in the Italian line along the coast and eventually seizes Mogadishu. 

With the Somalia coast secured and the ports offering supply, the rest of southern Italian East Africa falls more easily.

This first campaign teaches many hard lessons.  Both countries move their supply systems to make extensive use of trucks.  Australia introduces limited conscription whereas New Zealand already has extensive conscription.  New Zealand loses about 1 per cent of its entire male population within a couple of months, which brings back memories of the appalling losses in the Great War and is clearly unsustainable.  It resolves to better conserve manpower by using its armour to attack and its infantry to defend. 

The occupied south east largely comprises flat desert, which largely favours the attacker.  The remainder of Ethiopia is largely mountains, the Italians have a shorter line to defend, there are few railways and insufficient airbases. 

The next campaign promises to be much tougher for the attackers. How much tougher?  Only time will tell…