The Abyssinian Crisis

1934-36

Context/Background

• Between Italy and Abyssinia (Ethiopia)• Both Countries signed Treaty of Friendship

(1928) & Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)• Mussolini desired an Italian Empire over the

Mediterranean and Africa• Imperialistic aims incorporated desire for

revenge against the Abyssinians

Walwal Incident• 1930: Italian breached Treaty of Friendship,

when they built a fort at Walwal which meant Italy was encroaching upon Ethiopian territory

• 1934: Anglo-Ethiopian commission arrives at Walwal but halted by Italian garrison

• British withdrew to avoid International incident but Ethiopians remained

• Skirmish between Ethiopians and Somalis (under Italian control), but according to Italians, Ethiopians attacked first

1935- Build-up to Invasion• Ethiopia appealed to League of Nations after

Italy demanded not only an apology but financial & strategic compensation

• ‘Franco-Italian Agreement’ between Laval and Mussolini gave Italy freedom to deal with Ethiopia in return for their support for France against Germany

• League exonerated both Countries as both protested Walwal was their territory

• October 3rd- Italy invaded Ethiopia without a declaration of war

1936-Invasion

• 500,000 Italian Troops invaded Abyssinia• Little resistance• Italian modern weaponry such as use of tanks,

aircraft and most of all chemical weapons (mustard gas) left Ethiopians hopeless

• Italian capture of capital, Addis Ababa• Ethiopia merged with other Italian colonies to

become AOI (Africa Orientale Italia)

League of Nations• League dubbed Italy the aggressor, imposing

sanctions on them• However the sanctions were half-hearted and

slow• Oil and vital Materials excluded in sanctions,

and the use of the Suez Canal (by the British)• UK and France still wanted to maintain Italian

support against Germany so sanctioned lightly• Germany ignored sanctions and became an

essential provider of raw materials

Hoare-Laval Pact• Proposed by British Foreign Secretary Samuel Hoare

and French Prime Minister Pierre Laval• Secret Pact offered Italy 2/3 of Abyssinia, which

Mussolini was going to accept• French Newspaper leaked this, denouncing it a ‘sell-

out’ of the Abyssinians • British government disassociated itself with the Pact• GB & France wanted Italy to rejoin Stresa Front• Changed Germany into supporting Italy• Historians such as A.J.P Taylor argue that the Pact

effectively was the event that ‘killed the League of Nations’

Map of Hoare-Laval PactShows the territory being planned to be given to Italy

Bibliography

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abyssinia_Crisis#International_response_and_subsequent_actions

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Italo–Abyssinian_War#Italian_invasion

• http://www.wo2militaryranks.nl/images/Images_flags/Italian_war_flag.JPG