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Ethiopia
At War
Haile Selassie continued
Menelik's modernisation efforts but, like him, was to
become best-known as a warrior king. It was Ethiopia's
role in the Second World War that defined the nation's
identity internationally for the second half of the
twentieth century. Italy had never forgotten her
humiliating defeat at Adwa. Seeking to expand beyond its
Somalian dominions, Fascist Italy had coveted Ethiopian
lands for some years, provoking a border dispute which the
emperor sought to resolve peacefully. Despite the
disagreement, relations with Italy seemed cordial, and in
1930 Haile Selassie
accepted
the Order of the Annunciation from King Victor Emmanuel
III.
Unfortunately, the
establishment of a vast colonial empire was integral to
Fascist foreign policy, and the Italians invaded Ethiopia
on 3 October 1935, with no declaration of war. (Thus the
precise terms of the Pact of Paris, or Kellogg-Briand
Pact, were not actually violated.) Despite heroic efforts
which significantly delayed the enemy advance, the
Imperial troops were overwhelmed by the Italians, who made
early use, even against the civilian population, of poison
gas, flame throwers and other weapons outlawed by
international treaty. Just prior to the fall of Addis
Ababa in early May, the emperor, his staff, and part of
what remained of his army, retreated into exile. Stopping
briefly to pray at one of Ethiopia's famous rock churches,
Haile Selassie vowed to return, but whether he could make
good on his promise remained to be seen.
Italy-Ethiopian
Wars
With the opening of the
Suez Canal in 1869, the Red Sea coast had become
increasingly attractive to the European powers as an
object for colonization. Italy focused its attention on
Ethiopia, seizing Aseb in 1872 and Massawa in 1885. In
1889 Menelik and the Italians signed the Treaty of Wichale
(Ucciali). The treaty was one of friendship and
cooperation, but the Amharic and Italian versions of it
differed, and the Italians claimed that it made all of
Ethiopia their protectorate. As a result, war broke out
between Italy and Ethiopia in 1895, and Italian forces
were decisively defeated at Adwa (Aduwa) the following
year. Italy was forced to recognize the independence of
Ethiopia, and Menelik’s present-day boundaries. The
successor of Menelik, Emperor Lij Iyasu (reigned
1913-1916), was deposed in favor of his aunt, crowned
Empress Zauditu. Tafari Makonnen, her cousin, was selected
as heir apparent; he succeeded to the throne as Haile
Selassie I. In 1931 he granted Ethiopia its first
constitution.
With the rise of the dictator Benito Mussolini, Italian
designs toward Ethiopia were revived, and in October 1935
Italy invaded the country (see Italy: The
Ethiopian Campaign). An attempt by the League of
Nations to halt the conquest failed. Addis Ababa fell to
the invaders, and in May 1936 Mussolini proclaimed Italy's
King Victor Emmanuel III emperor of Ethiopia. Haile
Selassie was forced to flee the country and take refuge in
England, but he was restored to the throne by British and
Ethiopian forces in 1941.
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