Post by wadad on Dec 19, 2005 19:44:42 GMT -5
Of all the African powers, only the ancient kingdom of Abyssinia remained completely free from European domination by the end of the 19th century. This was no accident of history; Ethiopia secured its sovereignty by inflicting a decisive and humiliating defeat upon the Italian invaders at Adowa (or Adwa) on March 1, 1896. The battle at Adowa was, at the time, the greatest defeat inflicted upon a European army by an African army since the time of Hannibal.
As for the instigator of the war...the deception by Italy in her treaty with the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik, specifically article XVII of the treaty, concerning Ethiopia's diplomatic representation outside of Africa, had been presented for signing as two documents, one written in Italian and one written in Amharic. The Italian version of Article XVII stated, "The Emperor consents to use the Italian government for all the business he does with all the other Powers or Governments." Article XVII of the Amharic version read somewhat differently: "The Emperor has the option to communicate with the help of the Italian government for all matters that he wants with the kings of Europe." Needless to say, the Italian negotiators failed to inform the Ethiopian court of the none-too-subtle differences between the two versions of the treaty.
In Italy itself, inspired by Crispi's description of the Ethiopians as "barbarians whose material progress and spiritual salvation cried out for the high ministry of Roman civilization," Baratieri promised to bring Menelik back in a cage.
In the Ethiopian camp, from the crests of hills and ridges and from out of the narrow passes, Menelik's warriors came on in waves, a sea of green, orange and red standards, copper and gold crucifixes, burnished metal helmets, dyed-cloth headdresses and lion's-mane-adorned shields. Menelik's force consisted of 82,000 rifle- and sword-armed infantry, 20,000 spearmen and 8,000 cavalry--the fierce Oromo horsemen roaring their war cry "Ebalgume! Ebalgume!" (Reap! Reap!).
To European eyes, their attacks resembled "a flood of men following a giddy course." Impassioned by patriotic zeal and a great deal of religious fervor, the Ethiopian warriors came on, in the words of one Italian officer who had survived the fight at Dogali in 1887, "like madmen." Traditional tactics revolved around exploiting the enemy's flank and enveloping him when the opportunity arose. The isolated Italian brigades presented excellent targets for just such tactics.
Caught amid a sea of screaming enemy warriors and subjected to a storm of shot and occasional shell, the Italians continued to resist for about an hour and a half. Then, with their position becoming more precarious with each passing minute, Baratieri ordered a retreat. Arimondi and Galliano were among the thousands who did not survive.
Withdrawal in the face of a relentless enemy is a dangerous maneuver, thus it was no surprise that within minutes the central brigade had dissolved into a rabble that fled back toward Sauria, abandoning its wounded, artillery and most weapons.
The Oromo horsemen of Ras Mikail swept in and through the ranks of Italians, slashing and stabbing at the soldiers, while wave after wave of foot warriors rushed forward. Dabormida, wounded and by then no doubt realizing the disaster that had befallen his command, dragged himself to a small village and asked a local woman for a drink of water. No record exists of where and how the general met his death, but months later his remains were found lying among those of thousands of his soldiers scattered along the valley
On October 26, 1896, Rome signed the Treaty of Addis Ababa, sensibly accepting Menelik's liberal terms to end the war.
Four decades later, as Benito Mussolini's legions overran Ethiopia, fascist propaganda justified the aggression as an opportunity to erase the lingering humiliation of Italy's defeat at Menelik's hands. The rout of General Baratieri's army did indeed have far-reaching consequences. Adowa saved Ethiopia from Italian colonization and raised its status from that of an isolated nation whose institutions, heritage and people where held in contempt to that of an equal partner in the world community of nations
caption:Italian soldiers displaying the dismembered body of an Ethiopian partisan. This was frequently done to pacify the Ethiopian population. On the contrary it encouraged more partisan activities.
Musssolini's planned invasion of Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) was a copy-cat of Italy's previous campaign (where the Italians forged the Italian translation of the treaty they signed with Emperor Menelik)...as was the end result, defeat for the Italians. The battle of Adowa singlehandedly humiliated a whole nation who thought superior arms could overcome the resolve and fortitude of the Ethiopians.
Mussolini the facist though, would not budge...when asked what he will do if the League of Nations votes against his Ethiopian cause...he threatened to leave.
Italians thought they deserved conquering Ethiopia, as Mussolini claimed "Our cause in Ethiopia is a just one. In a few days it will be laid before the League's counsel. It will be laid before the whole world—proof that the Ethiopians are a barbaric people, sunk in the practice of slavery.
"Before any other nation talks of penalties against Italy, let it think well upon the consequences of such folly."
As for the instigator of the war...the deception by Italy in her treaty with the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik, specifically article XVII of the treaty, concerning Ethiopia's diplomatic representation outside of Africa, had been presented for signing as two documents, one written in Italian and one written in Amharic. The Italian version of Article XVII stated, "The Emperor consents to use the Italian government for all the business he does with all the other Powers or Governments." Article XVII of the Amharic version read somewhat differently: "The Emperor has the option to communicate with the help of the Italian government for all matters that he wants with the kings of Europe." Needless to say, the Italian negotiators failed to inform the Ethiopian court of the none-too-subtle differences between the two versions of the treaty.
In Italy itself, inspired by Crispi's description of the Ethiopians as "barbarians whose material progress and spiritual salvation cried out for the high ministry of Roman civilization," Baratieri promised to bring Menelik back in a cage.
In the Ethiopian camp, from the crests of hills and ridges and from out of the narrow passes, Menelik's warriors came on in waves, a sea of green, orange and red standards, copper and gold crucifixes, burnished metal helmets, dyed-cloth headdresses and lion's-mane-adorned shields. Menelik's force consisted of 82,000 rifle- and sword-armed infantry, 20,000 spearmen and 8,000 cavalry--the fierce Oromo horsemen roaring their war cry "Ebalgume! Ebalgume!" (Reap! Reap!).
To European eyes, their attacks resembled "a flood of men following a giddy course." Impassioned by patriotic zeal and a great deal of religious fervor, the Ethiopian warriors came on, in the words of one Italian officer who had survived the fight at Dogali in 1887, "like madmen." Traditional tactics revolved around exploiting the enemy's flank and enveloping him when the opportunity arose. The isolated Italian brigades presented excellent targets for just such tactics.
Caught amid a sea of screaming enemy warriors and subjected to a storm of shot and occasional shell, the Italians continued to resist for about an hour and a half. Then, with their position becoming more precarious with each passing minute, Baratieri ordered a retreat. Arimondi and Galliano were among the thousands who did not survive.
Withdrawal in the face of a relentless enemy is a dangerous maneuver, thus it was no surprise that within minutes the central brigade had dissolved into a rabble that fled back toward Sauria, abandoning its wounded, artillery and most weapons.
The Oromo horsemen of Ras Mikail swept in and through the ranks of Italians, slashing and stabbing at the soldiers, while wave after wave of foot warriors rushed forward. Dabormida, wounded and by then no doubt realizing the disaster that had befallen his command, dragged himself to a small village and asked a local woman for a drink of water. No record exists of where and how the general met his death, but months later his remains were found lying among those of thousands of his soldiers scattered along the valley
On October 26, 1896, Rome signed the Treaty of Addis Ababa, sensibly accepting Menelik's liberal terms to end the war.
Four decades later, as Benito Mussolini's legions overran Ethiopia, fascist propaganda justified the aggression as an opportunity to erase the lingering humiliation of Italy's defeat at Menelik's hands. The rout of General Baratieri's army did indeed have far-reaching consequences. Adowa saved Ethiopia from Italian colonization and raised its status from that of an isolated nation whose institutions, heritage and people where held in contempt to that of an equal partner in the world community of nations
caption:Italian soldiers displaying the dismembered body of an Ethiopian partisan. This was frequently done to pacify the Ethiopian population. On the contrary it encouraged more partisan activities.
Musssolini's planned invasion of Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) was a copy-cat of Italy's previous campaign (where the Italians forged the Italian translation of the treaty they signed with Emperor Menelik)...as was the end result, defeat for the Italians. The battle of Adowa singlehandedly humiliated a whole nation who thought superior arms could overcome the resolve and fortitude of the Ethiopians.
Mussolini the facist though, would not budge...when asked what he will do if the League of Nations votes against his Ethiopian cause...he threatened to leave.
Italians thought they deserved conquering Ethiopia, as Mussolini claimed "Our cause in Ethiopia is a just one. In a few days it will be laid before the League's counsel. It will be laid before the whole world—proof that the Ethiopians are a barbaric people, sunk in the practice of slavery.
"Before any other nation talks of penalties against Italy, let it think well upon the consequences of such folly."
