- Italian troops ⇒ tried to invade Abyssinia ⇒ Defeated by poorly equipped army of tribesmen
- Mussolini wanted revenge for humiliating defeat
- Also wanted fertile lands and mineral wealth of Abyssinia
- wanted glory and conquest
There was dispute between Abyssinian and Italian soldiers at the Wal Wal oasis in Abyssinia
- used this as an excuse to claim oasis as Italian territory
- demanded apology from Abyssinia
- began to prepare Italian army to invade it
Abyssinian Emperor ⇒ asked league for help ⇒ unsuccessful Britain ⇒ had influence and resources to act decisively on Abyssinia’s behalf
location of Britain and France’s colonies ⇒ meant they could send troops to Defend Abyssinia
- chose not to do so
| 1. Mussolini ⇒ agreed to negotiate with League over Abyssinia → same time he began moving armed forces into Italian Bases in Eritrea (Africa) ⇒ next to Abyssinia | 2. Tensions between Italy and Abyssinia were escalating - Britain, France and US ⇒ signed agreement ⇒ Stresa Front → coalition formed to oppose Hitler’s announced intention to rearm Germany ⇒ which was against terms of TOV |
| 3. Public outcry in Britain against Mussolini under pressure ⇒ British Foreign secretary ⇒ Samuel Hoare ⇒ made speech to league ⇒ supporting collective security + rights of small nations | 4. Britain and France ⇒ anxious to not upset Mussolini ⇒ as he was a potential ally against Hitler’s Germany. ⇒ result ⇒ there was no action taken by the 2 powers or the LON ⇒ against Mussolini ⇒ league put forward plan: - Give Mussolini a few parts of Abyssinia - he rejected it |
| 5. Did not want to drive Italy into arms of Germany → foreign ministers of Britain and France (Samuel Hoare and Pierre Laval) ⇒ secretly discussed Hoare-Laval Pact with Mussolini → wanted to give 2/3 of Abyssinia to Mussolini ⇒ and he would call off invasion → plan was made while league was discussing sanctions against Italy ⇒ when details of plan was leaked to French press: - people of britain and France viewed it as treachery against league → both Hoare and Laval sacked ⇒ plan was dropped. | 6. October 1934 ⇒ Mussolini army → ready → launched a full scale invasion → of Abyssinia. ⇒ Abyssinian soldiers were brave → no match for modern Italian army ⇒ equipped with tanks, airplanes and poison gas |
| 7.League immediately set up a committee to discuss what sanctions to impose against Mussolini Sanctions would only work ⇒ if they were imposed quickly + decisively. each delay ⇒ would allow Mussolini ⇒ to build up his stockpile of raw materials. | 8. League ⇒ banned arms sales + all loans → also banned exports of rubber tin and metals ⇒ banned all imports from Italy |
| 9. League ⇒ concluded that stopping of sales to Italy would exhaust its supply in 2months However ⇒ leagues delay in committing to decision ⇒ meant it was already too late. ⇒ US refused to support ban of oil sales. → instead increased its supplies of oils to Italy | 10. Suez Canal ⇒ owned by Britain and France ⇒ remained open to Italy’s supply ships |
| 11. Both Britain and France ⇒ afraid ⇒ closing the canal would cause war with Italy. ⇒ failure was fatal for Abyssinia 6 countries officially protested against Mussolini’s actions → May 1936 ⇒ Italy conquered Abyssinia ⇒ Abyssinian Emperor ⇒ Haile Selassie ⇒ went into exhile |