The Italian Invasion of Ethiopia

The Italians were defeated at Adwa in 1898. But by 1935, they were playing for keeps. Learn more about the devastating Italian invasion of Ethiopia.

Although the Ethiopians had beaten the Italians at their own game in the 1898 Battle of Adwa, when Italian armored divisions began pouring out of Italian-controlled Eritrea in 1935, the situation seemed almost impossible to overcome. This was not 1898 when the Italians were ill-equipped and ill-advised in their undertakings. The Italians had made sure they were guaranteed the upper hand. They had the best tanks and the best aircraft they could get their hands on.

The Ethiopians had no tanks and only a handful of old planes. Their arms were also hopelessly outdated. They were not much better than the weaponry they had used back in 1898. The Italians were determined to win this time around, and few thought the Ethiopians had much of a chance.

Although Ethiopian armaments left much to be desired, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailie Selassie placed much of his hope in an international body known as the League of Nations. He ultimately had to flee his country when the Italians poured in. Selassie would continue to harangue the League of Nations from exile.

But what happened after this? And what exactly happened during the invasion itself? This book aims to explore just that. Explore why the Italians wanted Ethiopia to begin with, and discover the story of Ethiopians who were willing to fight and die for the freedom of their country.

In this book, you will learn all about the following:

The geopolitical background before the invasion

How the invasion was planned and what it entailed

The international role played by the League of Nations

The major battles fought during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War

The exile of Haile Selassie and how he continued to take a stand in exile

The Italian occupation of Ethiopia

The atrocities the Italians committed

What happened to Ethiopia

And much more!