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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 Pact Shows the territory being planned to be given to Italy Bibliography • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abyssinia_Crisis# International_response_and_subsequent_acti ons • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Italo– Abyssinian_War#Italian_invasion • http://www.wo2militaryranks.nl/images/Imag es_flags/Italian_war_flag.JPG