IB History Italian Expansion: Abyssinia Notes

Mussolini's Aims and the Italian Empire

1. Mussolini wanted to create an empire to make Italy a Great Power like Britain and France. "There were economic reasons why empire was needed as well, but Mussolini did not emphasize these in his public statements." Empire-building was central to fascist ideology and the Roman revival narrative.
2. Italy's existing colonial empire (Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia) "were not particularly important and were somewhat of an embarrassment because of their poverty." Italy had seized Libya from the Ottoman Empire before WWI, but "this territory had few people and few resources, and oil had yet to be discovered."
3. "The creation of an Italian Empire was not Mussolini's idea; it had been Italian policy for decades." Italy had long sought to expand in Africa but lacked the resources. "When reviewing the world map for suitable territory to conquer in nearby Africa, there remained only Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Liberia."
4. Abyssinia was "conveniently located beside the Italian colonies of Somaliland and Eritrea, and its borders were loosely defined." Mussolini was "completely uninterested in its economic potential" and "also disregarded the state of the Italian economy, which was totally unprepared to finance a war for any purpose."

The Wal-Wal Incident and the Road to Invasion

1. In December 1934, a clash occurred between Italian and Abyssinian troops at the small oasis of Wal-Wal, "80 km (50 miles) on the Abyssinian side of the border with Italian Somaliland, leaving at least two Italian soldiers and over 100 Abyssinian troops dead."
2. Italy demanded $100,000 and an official apology. Abyssinia appealed to the League of Nations. An arbitration committee announced in September 1935 that the incident "was minor and that neither country was at fault."
3. "Mussolini, however, had already directed the Italian army in December 1934 to prepare for the invasion. Armies also prepared to invade from neighbouring Italian colonies." The Wal-Wal Incident was a pretext, not a cause. Mussolini had decided on war regardless of the arbitration outcome.
4. "Britain and France were very aware of Italy's plans, but were unwilling to jeopardize their relationship with Italy." A British Foreign Office memo by Sir Robert Vansittart stated bluntly: "Italy will have to be bought off... or Abyssinia will eventually perish."
5. In January 1935, French FM Pierre Laval met Mussolini and "verbally promised Mussolini that France would not interfere with Italy's actions in Abyssinia; France's main concern was Germany." The Stresa Front (April 1935) focused only on European issues, and Mussolini interpreted the silence on Africa as consent.

The Invasion and Its Brutality

1. "October 1935 saw the long-expected invasion of Abyssinia." Italian forces attacked from both Eritrea in the north and Somalia in the south. "The relatively modern Italian forces annihilated the Abyssinian armies sent against them that used a variety of antique weapons."
2. "Aerial bombing by the Italians and the liberal use of poison gas over large areas led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of men, women, children and livestock, poisoning water and destroying crops." Italy's use of mustard gas violated the 1925 Geneva Protocol which Italy had signed.