To what extent did Germany play a role in the events leading to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia from December 1934 to February 1935?

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History of the Americas HL - Internal Assessment

Samuel Workanah

Candidate Number: 001433-028

Word Count: 1,815

To what extent did Germany play a role in the events leading to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia from December 1934 to February 1935?

Plan of the Investigation

This investigation will analyze the events leading to the invasion of Ethiopia by Italy from December of 1934 to February 1935.  In order to investigate Germany’s role, various communications between German officials will be used to determine internal plans.  These few months were crucial to the development of the conflict because of major events such as the Wal-Wal incident, and major German communications.  Italy ultimately invaded Ethiopia in October of 1935.  Germany had an economic interest in Ethiopia, as well as an opportunity to limit the power of the Italians by allowing Ethiopia to offer the greatest resistance possible against attack.  German officials felt the Italo-Abyssinian War was important to the European political situation, and that it should have been closely monitored.  Germany ultimately permitted Italy to invade for its own gain.  Two sources that will be used in the essay include Documents on German Foreign Policy, taken from German internal communications, and Ethiopia at Bay by John H. Spencer, which included a personal account of the conflict.  These two sources will be evaluated for their origin, value, purpose, and limitation.

Summary of Evidence

As early as 1925, Benito Mussolini had given orders for military preparation with an interest to waging war with Ethiopia, but it wasn’t until 1934 that his plans for the conquest of the African nation received his full attention.  Mussolini was convinced that Britain and France would not oppose Italian expansion in Ethiopia.  Mussolini’s decision to go ahead with the December 30, 1934 military plan against Ethiopia derived first from the 1935 Mussolini-Laval Agreements.  He estimated that Germany was too weak to endanger the peace of Europe at the time Italy would be engaged in Africa, but Italy would be militarily strong enough by 1937 when it would be able to contain any threats from Germany.  It has been suggested that he invaded Ethiopia to distract attention from economic problems and Fascism’s failure to introduce social reforms.[1]  In December 1934, the famous Wal-Wal incident occurred on the Ethio-Somali border.  In this incident, Italian and Ethiopian troops clashed after the Italians started to become belligerent, and high tensions would lead to the battle.  According to Mussolini’s new policy, this served as a pretext to escalate the conflict, and Ethiopians became aware that war was coming.  Mussolini knew that he had to be more aggressive, to display some strength, and to show the seriousness of the situation.  Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, hoping for help from the League of Nations, took the precautions necessary to keep his ammunition dry, or unused.[2]  Pierre Laval of France signed a treaty with Italy that would allow Italy to invade Ethiopia freely in exchange for Italian support against German aggression.[3]  Mussolini was to support Great Britain and France in an effort to secure Germany’s adhesion to the Eastern Locarno Pact, which was intended to pledge Germany to permit no military aggression across Germany’s eastern frontiers.[4]  Italy’s assistance in helping France against German aggression in the East Locarno Pact, and in compelling Germany toward the League of Nations explains why the League did little to stop his invasion.  Ethiopia appealed to the League of Nations on January 3, 1935, complaining of Italian aggression, and it appealed for the application of Article 11 of the Covenant to the dispute, which would allow the League to settle disputes.  All attempts for arbitration would eventually fall through.[5]  Mussolini also agreed to lend his aid toward causing Germany to re-enter the League of Nations and stop its efforts to interfere in Austrian affairs.[6]

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Germany played a role in the Abyssinian war as “watchers in the wings,” meaning that at any time they might make a decisive and malicious intervention.  Since coming to power, Hitler’s re-armament of Germany grew larger and larger.  This German re-armament became the “catalyst of European politics.”  After March 1935, Hitler tried to be on his best diplomatic behavior.  His attitude was one of “neutrality on the surface.”[7]  Hitler felt in 1936 that the situation in Ethiopia was very bad, possibly to become tragic soon, for Italy.[8]  Hitler was now poised to succeed, and Europe was to prepare for ...

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