Italian invasion of Abyssinia, 1935
1. What happened?
2. Who was involved?
3. When did it happen?
4. Where did it happen?
5. Why did Italy invade?
League of Nations’ Response
What did the League do well?
How did the League fall short?
- In October 1935, Italy invaded Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia), an independent African nation.
- Italian forces used modern weapons, tanks, and poison gas to overwhelm Abyssinian resistance.
- By May 1936, Italy had conquered the capital, Addis Ababa, and annexed Abyssinia into its empire.
2. Who was involved?
- Italy: Led by Benito Mussolini, aiming to expand Italian territory and prestige.
- Abyssinia: Ruled by Emperor Haile Selassie, appealed to the League for help.
- League of Nations: Tasked with collective security but failed to stop Italian aggression.
- Britain & France: Key League members, hesitant to act strongly against Italy.
3. When did it happen?
- Initial dispute originated over the Wal-Wal Oaisis in December 1934
- Invasion began: October 1935.
- Conquest completed: May 1936.
- Key League discussions and sanctions occurred between 1935-1936.
4. Where did it happen?
- Abyssinia, located in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Italian colonies Eritrea and Somaliland.
- Strategically important for Italy’s African empire.
5. Why did Italy invade?
- Revenge: Italy sought revenge for its defeat at the Battle of Adowa (1896).
- Imperial Ambition: Mussolini aimed to build a new Roman Empire.
- Distraction from domestic issues: Boost Mussolini’s popularity and distract from economic problems.
- Perceived weakness of the League: Success in Manchuria suggested that aggression would go unpunished.
- Italian troops invaded from Eritrea and Somaliland, using modern military force.
- Abyssinian army, poorly equipped, resisted bravely but was overwhelmed.
- Italy used poison gas and aerial bombing, violating international law.
- The conquest ended with the fall of Addis Ababa in May 1936.
League of Nations’ Response
What did the League do well?
- Condemned Italy’s aggression as a breach of the League’s Covenant.
- Imposed economic sanctions on Italy (arms embargo, banning loans, exports of rubber, metals).
- Showed willingness to act (at least in principle) to uphold international peace.
How did the League fall short?
- Sanctions were weak: Oil, coal, iron — vital war materials — were not sanctioned.Suez Canal left open: Britain & France did not block Italy’s supply routes.
- Hoare-Laval Pact (1935): A secret deal by Britain & France to give Italy large parts of Abyssinia (leaked, caused scandal, undermined League credibility).
- Slow and indecisive: Delays in sanctions gave Italy time to secure victory.
- Fear of pushing Italy towards Hitler: Britain & France prioritized maintaining good relations with Mussolini.
- Ultimately, Abyssinia was conquered, and the League’s authority was severely damaged.
