Do you know while the rest of Africa was under colonial rule following the infamous partition by European powers at the Berlin Conference of 1884,
Ethiopia was a sovereign nation with a formidable army and a strong monarchy;
However, on March 1, 1896, Italy, which had obtained Eritrea and Italian Somalia as its territories, decided to “add” Ethiopia, but realized defeat during the Battle of Adwa (aka the First Italo-Abyssinian War);
That battle fought in the Tigray Region was the first victory by an African country over a colonial power; and
In turn, Benito Mussolini declared the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, which raged for seven months?
However, strong resistance under the leadership of Emperor Haile Selassie I resulted in more than 30,000 sympathetic protestors in Harlem and Chicago taking to the streets to demonstrate against Mussolini’s decision on August 3, 1935.
Apart from protesting, thousands signed up to fight for Ethiopia, including John C. Robinson, the Ethiopian government’s recruit to lead its air force. Robinson trained pilots and mechanics before returning (1936) to a hero’s welcome and later became known as the Father of the Tuskegee Airmen.
The Second Italo-Abyssinian War ended on June 1, 1936, with Italy officially annexing Ethiopia into Eritrea and Italian Somaliland, and the resulting new state being known as Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian East Africa).
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I made Addis Ababa the major center for the Organization of African Unity (now African Union), and brought Ethiopia into the League of Nations and the United Nations.
Ethiopia regained its independence in 1941, but the process was complicated. After initial liberation by Allied Forces during World War II, Emperor Haile Selassie was returned to the throne and British troops took control of the country.
The Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement confirmed its status as a sovereign state, and Ethiopia regained full sovereignty in 1944. Despite Italy recognizing its independence and renouncing all claims to influence in 1947, the British continued to control Ogaden until 1955.
Thank you for continuing to expand our knowledge. 🙏🏻
Wow! I didn’t know this. Thanks for sharing, Elyse.