Ethiopia had successfully resisted Italian rule for many years, but the occupation between 1935 and 1941 was fraught with trouble from the beginning. For starters, the war was not condoned by the League of Nations, who left Ethiopia wide open to the illegal takeover. As a result, the second colonial war between Fascist Italy and the African country (formerly Abyssinia) ended badly for the Ethiopians as Italy quickly invaded and assumed control.

Benito Mussolini, Italian dictator, had a burning desire to expand the Italian Empire as the ancient Romans once did. He dreamed of ruling over North Africa as well as the Mediterranean, and told the people they would once again have “a place in the sun” like the Brits and French. Ethiopia was prime land, as it was fiercely independent and represented a challenge to the dictator. Mussolini also desired the rich resources of the country and wanted to unite his holdings in Africa.

Outbreak: Italian Forces March In

December of 1934 was a catalyst for the tensions building between Italian troops and the Ethiopians. By the end of the month, about 150 Ethiopians and 50 Italians had died in the skirmishes. Leaders of both countries were gearing up for a full-on war.

Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia pulled together half a million soldiers, but the weapons were paltry, outdated, or downright primitive at best. Even worse, the Imperial Guardsmen, Ethiopia’s best soldiers, wore distinctive green uniforms that were a perfect target for Italian gunmen.

While Ethiopia was a member of the League of Nations and should have been granted assistance with ousting the Italian invaders, the UK and France were nervous about burning bridges with Italy. Germany was becoming increasingly hostile, and the other European countries knew they would soon need Italy’s help. Unfettered by the League, Italy quickly took over the African country within a matter of months.

Italian Fighting Techniques

The Italians didn’t fight fair. They routinely gassed villages and Red Cross sites. They created labor camps and gallows. Hostages were beaten, mutilated, and viciously killed. Besides their sophisticated weaponry, troops also made extensive use of mustard gas, releasing hundreds of tons of the outlawed poison on civilians and soldiers.

The Year of the Takeover

October 3, 1935 was the unofficial date of war between the two countries. Led by Marshal Emilio De Bono, 100,000 Italian troops steadily marched into Ethiopia. Three days later, the city of Adowa had fallen. A week later, Axum followed. By February, the Second Battle of Tembien had resulted in Italy’s gain of Worq Amba.

The Battle of Maychew was the final straw for Ethiopia, as Haile Selassie retreated into exile and Addis Ababa was captured in May of 1936. On May 7, Ethiopia was under the control of Italian king Victor Emmanuel III. Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Eritrea were proclaimed “Italian East Africa.” Alas, Ethiopia was not to remain a part of Italy’s empire. The country once again gained its independence just five years later with the Allies’ assistance.