Abyssinian Crisis

Abyssinian Crisis 1935 Summary

The Abyssinian Crisis of 1935 was a mixture of Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini's imperial ambitions and the League of Nations' failure to respond to the global crises of the 1930s.

After a decade of Mussolini's Fascist leadership, it was decided that it was time to avenge the Italian defeat in Abyssinia in the First Italo-Abyssinian War of 1895-86. Revenge was not the only reason. Italy was aware that the European colonial campaigns in Africa had benefited countries such as Britain and France. With significantly less territory in Africa than these other European states, Italy sought to claim the entire territory of Abyssinia.

Fig. 1: Benito Mussolini

In 1934, Italy invaded Abyssinia via its colony, the Italian Somaliland. The Abyssinians stood no chance. Their unorganised armies and outdated technology were no match for Italian flamethrowers and over 500 fighter aeroplanes. In most cases, the Abyssinian soldiers fought with spears and bows or obsolete black powder weapons.

Meanwhile, the League of Nations condemned the Italian campaign and imposed economic sanctions on Italy. These were sanctions in name only, as they were never fully applied and did nothing to harm the Italian war effort, and Abyssinia was occupied by Italy.

Causes of the Abyssinian Crisis

First Italo-Abyssinian War

Looking at Britain and France, Italy too developed an appetite for colonialism. Italy had initially targeted the Horn of Africa and during the Scramble for Africa, had occupied Somaliland and Eritrea in 1889-90. Though this was not enough. Italy wanted more. Abyssinia was next. By occupying Abyssinia, Italy would be the dominant force in East Africa.

The plan was set. Italy was to occupy Abyssinia. Italy began its invasion of Abyssinia in January 1895. The First Italo-Abyssinian War continued for almost two years. Despite their technological superiority, the Italian armies were vastly outnumbered by about 1 to 6. The Italian army was up to 30,000 men strong, while the Abyssinians had mustered over 190,000 men. The war ended in 1896, following the decisive Abyssinian victory in the Battle of Adwa.

Humiliation in Africa stayed with the Italians. While their contemporaries, Britain and France were colonising the majority of Africa, Italy was the only colonial power to suffer such a humiliating defeat.

Fig. 2: Battle of Adwa, Abyssinians defeating the Italians

Mussolini and Italian Conquests

At the dawn of the 20th century, Italy laid claim to Libya, which belonged to the Ottoman Empire. Italy's argument? As the purported successor to the Roman Empire, Italy felt entitled to all territories that formerly made up Rome. Italy and the Ottoman Empire went to war in 1911 and Italy came out victorious. It took Libya and the Dodecanese Islands in the Aegean Sea as a bonus.

By the time Mussolini came to power, Italy had already begun taking back some of the territories that once were territories of the Roman Empire. All Mussolini had to do was continue adding to Italy's successful campaigns.

In 1923, an Italian general, Enrico Tellini alongside his staff was killed while in Greece, trying to resolve a border dispute with Albania. Italy responded with an ultimatum which Greece refused.

Fig. 3: General Enrico Tellini, the martyr that caused the Corfu Incident

The refusal to accept the terms of the ultimatum urged Mussolini to launch an attack on the island of Corfu. Italy eventually bombarded and later occupied the island. The League of Nations condemned the bombing of Corfu as an atrocity and demanded Italy pull back. Mussolini did not listen and the League of Nations failed to punish Italy.

Fig. 4: The island of Corfu (in red)

The Corfu incident was a relatively small-scale crisis that did not necessarily test the League of Nations. A new crisis would emerge that assured Mussolini that the League of Nations was truly impotent.

Japan invaded the Chinese region of Manchuria in 1931. A member of the League of Nations had invaded another, and still, the League did not act. This provided Mussolini with an idea that if the League, which mostly operated on European bureaucracy, did not take an interest in far Asian politics, why would they interfere in a war with Abyssinia?

Second Italo-Abyssinian War

On 5 December 1935, Italian armies invaded Abyssinia and instigated the Second Italo-Abyssinia War. The war continued for over a year and witnessed an almost complete decimation of the Ethiopian army. Unlike in the first Italo-Abyssinian war, the Ethiopians were no match for the technological superiority of the Italians. Against almost 600 military aircraft, up to 800 tanks and fully-equipped Italian soldiers, Ethiopians could do little, with only a portion of their army supplied with firearms.

Fig. 5: Abyssinian soldier running from mustard gas

Furthermore, Italians committed atrocities while invading Abyssinia including beheadings, torture, summary executions and the use of mustard gas.

When the war was over, the Emperor of Abyssinia Haile Selassie went into exile, while Italy added Abyssinia to Italian East Africa, part of the Italian Empire. Mussolini had avenged Italy's defeat in 1896.

Fig. 6: A unit of the Italian artillery in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War

Abyssinian Crisis League of Nations

The League of Nations condemned Mussolini's action, but that was all. Italy was sanctioned by the League of Nations and primarily by Britain and France, but these sanctions were futile and impractical. Despite calling it an economic sanction, Italy was never sanctioned on coal, iron, steel or oil: all essential war materials.

Two of the key players in the League of Nations, Britain and France, did not wish to make an enemy out of Italy, an emerging economy and military power. In addition, by using the Suez Canal, Britain and France would have to pass via Italian East Africa. Yet, due to their sanctions and condemnation Italy left the League of Nations anyway on 17 December 1937, exactly two years after the invasion of Abyssinia.

Consequences of the Abyssinian Crisis

One consequence of the Abyssinian Crisis was Mussolini's further inflated confidence. By dominating Abyssinia and defying the League of Nations, it looked as if Mussolini was unstoppable.

More importantly, Abyssinia proved a point about the League of Nations to every country in the world, that the League was either incapable or unwilling to uphold its code of protecting less-powerful countries. Very soon, the Second World War began and the Abyssinian Crisis was overshadowed.