First Italo-Ethiopian War: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{Campaignbox First Italo-Ethiopian War}}

{{Scramble for Africa}}

The '''First Italo-Ethiopian War''' was fought between [[Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Italy]] and [[Ethiopian Empire|Ethiopia]] from 1895 to 1896. It originated from a disputed treaty which, the Italians claimed, turned the country into an Italian protectorate. Much to their surprise, they found that Ethiopian ruler [[Menelik II]], rather than opposed by some of his traditional enemies, was supported by them, and so the Italian army, invading Ethiopia from [[Italian Eritrea]] in 1893, faced a more united front than they expected. In addition, Ethiopia was supported by not [[Russian Empire|Russia]] army but with military advisers and the sale of weapons for Ethiopian forces during the war.<ref name="Robert G. Patman 2009">{{cite book|first=Robert G.|last=Patman|title=The Soviet Union in the Horn of Africa: The Diplomacy of Intervention and Disengagement|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2009|location=Cambridge|pages=27-30|isbn=9780521102513}}</ref> Full-scale war broke out in 1895, when Ethiopian troops counterattacked Italian positions in , besieging the Italian fort of [[Meqele]] and forcing its surrender. The conclusion of the war, an Italian defeat, was brought about by the [[Battle of Adwa]], where overwhelming numbers, careful preparations, and properly executed strategy delivered the Italians a heavy loss and forced their retreat back into Eritrea.

This was not the first African victory over Western colonizers, but it was the first time such a military put a stop to Italy's efforts to conquer territory in Italy. According to one historian, "In an age of relentless European expansion, Ethiopia alone had successfully defended its independence".<ref name="Jonas">{{cite book|last=Jonas|first=Raymond|title=The Battle of Adwa: African Victory in the Age of Empire|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9p_8XB-OeMMC&pg=PA1|year=2011|publisher=Harvard UP|isbn=9780674062795|page=1}}</ref>