## **Italian expansion: Abyssinia (1935-1936) Events** [1c10744fa680] ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/w7j7fz60/production/1ab20cd3bc9d7d7fd7c6d3bbf00fdfb45dcdec4d-1228x844.jpg) 1. We have already mentioned the **Abyssinian crisis** on several occasions. 2. The events in Abyssinia (present day Ethiopia) during 1935-1936 marked a** critical moment for both international diplomacy and Mussolini’s strategic direction**. 3. Italy’s military campaign in **Ethiopia** significantly altered the balance of its foreign relations, **straining ties with Britain and France and gradually nudging Mussolini toward alignment with Nazi Germany.** 4. At the same time,** the League of Nations suffered another major setback.** 1. After its earlier inability to act decisively in Manchuria, its failure to prevent aggression in Abyssinia severely **damaged its credibility and influence** on the world stage, perhaps to a point of no return. ## **What were Mussolini’s aims in invading Abyssinia?** [f3a1fee2bc5f] 1. He wanted to grow his **African Empire** and take **revenge** for Italy having been defeated by Abyssinia in 1896. 2. Abyssinia was part of Mussolini’s **_spazio vitale_/ultra nationalist ideology**: Italy had** failed to get new colonies as a result of the 1919-1920 peace treaties.** 3. Part of Mussolini’s ideological project was also to restore the** glory of the ancient Roman Empire,** so getting part of North Africa felt as a natural step. 4. Regardless of which was the main motivation for Mussolini going to Abyssinia, without a doubt **he also did it because he could do it.** In particular, he was confident that **neither the League nor Britain or France would take action against him.** 5. **He had helped Austria in 1934** to prevent Anschluss, which made him look good in the eyes of the** League, Britain and France.** 6. In April 1935, **he had signed the Stresa Front** with Britain and France as a deterrence against Hitler. 1. As you know, this was a **collective security agreement **that **secured his good relations with Britain and France** and in a way conditioned any action that Britain and France could take against Mussolini. [{"_key":"054fceefe070","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"2193c8ee431e","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"There is a "},{"_key":"3f17abd5551e","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"historiographical debate "},{"_key":"6b977a5512f4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"surrounding the reasons for "},{"_key":"1185b8cc18f1","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Mussolini’s interest in Abyssinia."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"cf94f07e512d","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"fd99f00f00ed","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For "},{"_key":"de720af6fe03","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Denis Mack Smith,"},{"_key":"ea9c77782df2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" the decision to invade Abyssinia in 1935 was largely driven by "},{"_key":"097384b961ca","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"domestic economic pressures"},{"_key":"7fec6eb7a7a9","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and a desire to "},{"_key":"f534e6105c6b","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"divert attention from Italy’s internal problems"},{"_key":"ddd933fe65cf","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"level":2,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f61e905b7f93","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"f352ec5c0d17","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"He emphasizes that Mussolini needed a "},{"_key":"badb1203b858","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"victory to rally public support"},{"_key":"8b5488c1372a","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", provide a distraction from unemployment and stagnation, and offer opportunities for "},{"_key":"f1e3b45d3c43","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"new markets and raw materials"},{"_key":"d15465b39640","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"level":2,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1930273ef312","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"6259e53ba632","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"More information on this domestic economic issue can be found in "},{"_key":"0b4d7185d2d8","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Paper 2 - Topic 10: Authoritarian States."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1886ebaa081b","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"719b02ea3960","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"AJP Taylor,"},{"_key":"9dcb46c9390b","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" on the other hand, highlights "},{"_key":"6e121c02f127","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"fascist ideology and imperial ambition"},{"_key":"f45750f44b7a","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" as the core motives."}],"level":2,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"6a25cd0fd50f","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"a00bff9a7a5b","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"He suggests Mussolini aimed to build a "},{"_key":"047f1a30b65f","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"new Roman Empire"},{"_key":"97df7f041634","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", asserting "},{"_key":"2dde7c342965","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Italian power through militarism and conquest, "},{"_key":"069bb16da048","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"reflecting the "},{"_key":"49a110c70462","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"fascist ideals of strength, nationalism, and expansion."}],"level":2,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"9ee8a986666c","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"bbef20b7b609","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Again, when you’re taking notes try to find"},{"_key":"334fd7070ac5","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" evidence"},{"_key":"b6563d3f4821","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to support both points of view and "},{"_key":"40360b5f4adb","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"establish which looks stronger t"},{"_key":"88a2926a91cf","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"o get to the upper band marks in your essays."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}] **** ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/w7j7fz60/production/ce6bb3b86d10abcfd5e8bf27c46c5a450453c723-1200x800.jpg) ## **Abyssinia - The events** [6e30c4358338] 1. Mussolini had been planning the invasion at least since 1932, but the opportunity presented itself in **1934** with the **Wal Wal incident.** 2. The Wal Wal incident occurred at an oasis along the disputed border between Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia, where **Italian colonial troops and Ethiopian forces had a small clash over territorial claims.** 3. This skirmish heightened tensions between the two nations and provided **Italy with a pretex**t for its subsequent military aggression, which **culminated in the invasion of Abyssinia in early October 1935.** 4. Before the invasion, the Emperor of Abyssinia, **Haile Selassie,** appealed several times to the League of Nations for help, but they did not take action until the war actually began. 5. Against Mussolini’s prediction,** the League did sanction Italy with economic penalties** in October 1936. Mussolini completed the invasion in 1936 and Haile Selassie went into exile. ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/w7j7fz60/production/294d14e372558fd6cba505d0c861532dbd45b1ca-1500x1144.webp) [{"_key":"0d7a2f6d4055","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"508de3994bb8","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Haile Selassie"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h4"},{"_key":"edae149e9b42","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"79c77625009e","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Born in 1892"},{"_key":"cdf439e7dfc7","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" Haile Selassie was the "},{"_key":"64cb48f82448","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Emperor of Ethiopia during the Abyssinian Crisis"},{"_key":"8cd1f8546453","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"363eb6102bdd","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"b82503cdb380","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Under his leadership,"},{"_key":"890c2ff3efd8","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" Abyssinia joined the League of Nations in 1923"},{"_key":"6732fa7ee6ec","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", seeking international legitimacy and protection against imperialist threats."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"5c8ab744cd38","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"5787c9bb9888","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"After Italy’s 1935 invasion, "},{"_key":"3a7bfab48b9b","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Selassie went into exile"},{"_key":"fb23a97d06e7","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and delivered a historic appeal to the League in 1936, becoming a "},{"_key":"f45826e29b91","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"global symbol of resistance to fascism."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"24970fd13ada","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"3f7f474f41a9","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"He gained "},{"_key":"01bd2e64ab23","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"spiritual significance in Jamaica"},{"_key":"bd5b2d5e3a39","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", where the "},{"_key":"b804dbf1ae9c","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Rastafari movement"},{"_key":"304c2f60fbf3","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" hailed him as a messianic figure following his 1966 visit, which drew massive crowds and deepened his international legacy beyond politics."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"48950970afdb","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"2537b1f4335d","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Bob Marley"},{"_key":"af7deb987844","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"’s famous song, “War” takes its lyrics almost entirely from "},{"_key":"a0784314d614","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Haile Selassie’s 1963 speech to the United Nations"},{"_key":"b2140acfe233","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", where he denounced racism and called for peace and equality."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}] **** ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/w7j7fz60/production/e812470e0606c867e89e0b9371285d7ca6832387-1188x1600.webp) ## **The Invasion of Abyssinia - Responses** [05fe769f48fb] ### **The League of Nations’ Response** [180b13d4ca6b] 1. Contrary to Mussolini’s expectations, **the League voted in favor of economic sanctions on Italy. ** 1. This was mostly due to **public pressure in Britain**, where public opinion was clearly in favor of taking a strong stand against the invasion. 2. The economic sanctions included a **banning on sales of weapons and some imports to Italy and an additional ban of loans to Mussolini**. 3. Nevertheless,** the sanctions were not effective**: they were introduced in late November (when the invasion was already well underway) and they **did not include the banning on key military materials **like iron, oil, steel and coal. 4. Moreover, countries that were not part of the League, like **Japan and the US**, were not bound by the sanctions, and they** continued their trading** with Italy. 5. **Britain and France feared being at odds with Mussolin**i because that may bring Hitler and Mussolini together, and that is why they didn’t take more decisive action. 1. But at the same time, **they could not go against the claim of the population in their nations **and had to support some type of punishment. 2. But even when the response of the League was not assertive,** Mussolini was angered by the sanctions.** 6. In December 1935 Sir Samuel **Hoare** (British foreign minister) and Pierre **Laval** (Prime Minister of France) reached a **secret agreement** in Paris that two thirds of Abyssinia should be offered to Italy, and the Emperor Haile Selassie be compensated with land elsewhere instead. 7. **But the news was leaked out in the press and the agreement didn’t go through.** [{"_key":"238808d016d7","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"cc3045bb6fde","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The press had a crucial role in the development of the scandal of the Hoare-Laval pact."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h4"},{"_key":"6679add28ef0","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"7aea03721b85","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The "},{"_key":"881864963899","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"British press played a critical role"},{"_key":"b5e114b3a68e","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" in exposing and condemning the Hoare–Laval Pact. "}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d9309cbf2780","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"1612076f8f8f","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"When details of the secret plan were leaked to the French newspaper "},{"_key":"cb1fa44602c7","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Le Journal"},{"_key":"0b5ef1414dad","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" in mid-December 1935, it quickly became headline news across Europe."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"2fa8fc53336f","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"6d37cb789e7f","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"British newspapers"},{"_key":"9883043a9e78","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", such as "},{"_key":"b2e9202141da","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The Times"},{"_key":"55016238ecab","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and the "},{"_key":"891c43138355","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Daily Mail"},{"_key":"d340534689d4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", reacted with outrage, accusing the government of hypocrisy for undermining the League of Nations while publicly claiming to support Abyssinia."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"2952510866b8","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"36a8212d930c","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The press backlash fueled public protest and forced "},{"_key":"41e3224db781","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Hoare’s resignation"},{"_key":"837dc91b5e46","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", demonstrating the growing power of public opinion and media in shaping foreign policy. "}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"eea90b7bdacd","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"794d37d547ae","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For Laval, the scandal "},{"_key":"b209c3df8369","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"badly damaged his credibility"},{"_key":"e5d1779fc06b","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", and in January 1936 he was "},{"_key":"ae113964decb","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"dismissed by French President Albert Lebrun"},{"_key":"670dc677255f","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" due to mounting political pressure and a broader government crisis."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}] [{"_key":"dde987bf8804","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"7f57445931ca","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If you are looking for an "},{"_key":"9574013c539a","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Internal Assessment"},{"_key":"f641acc36841","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" topic, the role that the press can have in historical events can work as a starting point. "}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"67d94c6efe75","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"e82ce90eb97d","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"It is not difficult to find primary sources, and it also works as a very significant and current theme."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}] **** ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/w7j7fz60/production/0be4d6727416c41b9ce777cff68cd70dd0e3ccc4-1200x846.webp) ### **Political Responses** [7a1e7d0943bb] 1. As a consequence of the invasion of Abyssinia, **the Stresa Pact waned and was discarded.** 2. Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia **strengthened Mussolini’s willingness to challenge international norms**, and contributed to **Hitler’s reoccupation of the Rhineland** while global focus was elsewhere. 3. **Mussolini began aligning more closely with Hitler:** in late 1936, Germany and Italy formalized their partnership through the **Rome-Berlin Axis.** 4. The alliance between Hitler and Mussolini was fostered by their intervention in the **Spanish Civil War (1936-9) **in support of Franco. Mussolini’s contribution was mostly in the form of infantry, sending 70,000 troops to Spain. 5. It is worth noting that the **Italians performed poorly in Spain**, and suffered a humiliating defeat in Guadalajara (1937). 1. Nevertheless, the tighter bonds with Hitler prompted **Mussolini to join the Anti Comintern Pact in 1936 and to leave the League of Nations in late 1937.** [{"_key":"ad98d8e5d4a0","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"4f7891fda5df","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Why was there a "},{"_key":"b304dbe367c4","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"rapprochement between Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany"},{"_key":"c9b8cd8d6761","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"?"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"5d206fc604d6","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"7ab17a0735f6","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For the "},{"_key":"84e858a6a26b","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"intentionalist"},{"_key":"77c0f5f4e35b","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" school, "},{"_key":"fc3bd16e3f32","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Mussolini’s alliance with Hitler was ideologically driven"},{"_key":"f9a0b35e678c","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and long in the making."}],"level":2,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1ce4d1e0df4c","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"0218bb52883d","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Both regimes "},{"_key":"ee07aa9b8671","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"shared militaristic, revolutionary aims"},{"_key":"df344e046d15","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and were disillusioned with the Versailles system."}],"level":2,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1c867fc30049","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"b732f9f046de","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For the "},{"_key":"ac6f8c22ff41","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"structuralist"},{"_key":"8d59700c4406","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" perspective, Italo-German alliance was a "},{"_key":"271cda0273fd","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"result of political isolation"},{"_key":"882f84680af7","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and short-term strategic interests."}],"level":2,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"243ec125b9ac","_type":"block","asset":null,"children":[{"_key":"9e1e3660ae89","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The evidence for this would be that Mussolini turned to Hitler primarily "},{"_key":"4e1b376d55c8","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"after the Abyssinian Crisis"},{"_key":"c370b99ea728","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", when Britain and France condemned Italy's actions and imposed sanctions."}],"level":2,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}] ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/w7j7fz60/production/93507a7ad2b1256e737c9847efa3cd8028901a8c-1500x1607.webp)