Black Empire by George S. Schuyler

Author:George S. Schuyler [Schuyler, George S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2023-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

* * * * *

About seven-thirty on August 2nd, the terrible reports began to trickle in from the Congo. The wing section under Juan Torlier, which had spread fire and devastation and death from Monrovia to Lagos, refueled at the latter place from British supplies of gasoline which natives had taken over, and proceeded farther south, bombing as they went. Reaching the Belgian Congo, they bombed Banana, Leopoldville, Stanleyville and other settlements. But it was the natives who did the most destructive work.

Not only did they in a few hours destroy what the Belgians had laboriously and cruelly erected in almost fifty years of colonial exploitation, but they slaughtered white men, women and children with great ferocity. You have no idea of the blood-chilling effect of the laconic report from the head of the Black Internationale cell there which read: “Belgian Congo belongs to us. No white person is alive.” Later in the day we learned that in many of the principal cities the whites had been beheaded, their hands and feet cut off to be dried as charms, and their bodies thrown to crocodiles. The Belgian Congo was a shambles indeed, but nothing else could be expected in view of the long series of Belgian atrocities.

At noon we received the report that Cape Town was in flames, fired by the Zulus and other oppressed tribesmen. Surrounded, the white soldiers and native police had fought until lack of ammunition and great clouds of smoke forced them to surrender and plead for their lives. They were promptly murdered, in accordance with Dr. Belsidus’s orders that no prisoners were to be taken. At three o’clock came the report that the Boer farmers at Pretoria had been slaughtered.

Sleepless and haggard, Dr. Belsidus was finally induced to retire for a few hours. He took one last look at the great wall map which indicated that only Ethiopia, Eritrea, and French, British and Italian Somaliland remained. He turned and smiled that old enigmatic smile then walked unsteadily to the door.

“Slater, take care of things,” he said, “while I snatch forty winks. Order the air forces to remain where they are at Dakar, Stanleyville and Gore until I order them to move.”

Just then a message came in from Europe. It was from Martha. It read: “Mussolini conciliatory, realizing he is not prepared. British and French may postpone war. We must strike now.”

Dr. Belsidus handed the message to me. “Well,” he remarked as he passed out the door to his room, “I think Miss Givens will take care of that.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.