7. Abyssinian Crisis

 Why Italy wanted to invade Abyssinia
 What action the League took?
 What was Britain and France’s reaction to the incident?
 What the consequences of the Abyssinian crisis were.

In December 1934 a group of Abyssinian and Italian soldiers clashed at the Wal Wal water hole in the
Abyssinian desert.
Mussolini demanded compensation for the death of 32
Italian soldiers and also that Abyssinian troops salute the
Italian flag at Wal Wal knowing full well that such a proud people would never accept this.
To resolve the issue the Abyssinian Emperor, Haile
Selassie turned to the League of Nations to arbitrate.
However, despite League arbitration Mussolini invaded on
3 rd October 1935.

1. Why would Mussolini want to invade
Abyssinia?
2. What date did Italy invade?
3.
What was the League’s reaction to the invasion?
4. What was the Hoare-Laval Pact?
5. What was the reaction to this Pact?

At Adowa in
1896 the
Abyssinians defeated the
Italians
Revenge
“A day in the battlefield is worth a thousand years of peace”
A place for
Italy’s surplus population
Why did Mussolini invade Abyssinia?
Mussolini had sworn to restore the glories of the
Possibly a good market for Italian goods large colonial empire, the outward sign of great power
Distract public attention from problems in the economy
“Italy received but a few crumbs from the rich colonial booty”

Limited sanction imposed by League on 7 th October
- all loans to Italy forbidden
- sale of war materials stopped
- ban on importing goods from Italy
Succeeded in damaging Italian economy leading to devaluation of lira, but not enough to force Mussolini to seek peace.
Extension of sanctions to include oil would, by Mussolini’s admission, have had more serious effect and may have succeeded in ending the war. Neither Britain nor especially France were willing to consider this. Issue discussed in February 1936, but no decision taken

Some action had be taken because:
•
Italian invasion was clearly unprovoked and in violation of the League Covenant.
Immediately condemned by League of Nations.
•
British public opinion, as seen in the Peace Ballot of June 1935, overwhelmingly favoured the use of economic sanctions.
However, both Britain and France were reluctant to take strong action because:
• Neither country had any liking for Abyssinia and saw their relationship with Italy as more important.
• They did not want to antagonise Mussolini and risk him becoming closer to fellow fascist, Hitler.
•
They were concerned about German rearmament and wished to preserve the recently established “Stresa Front” (April 1935)
•
Military action against Mussolini would have overstretched British military resources, given her imperial commitments.
Note: Evidence of this desire to accommodate and appease Mussolini had already been seen in the months before the invasion (See above) and is clearly shown in the limited nature of sanctions and in the Hoare-Laval Pact (below).

1.
2.
3.
Details
Plan devised by Sir Samuel Hoare, British Foreign Secretary and Pierre Laval, French Prime
Minister
It suggested:
:the handover of some 60,000 sq miles of Abyssinia to Italy (the province of Tigre and the
Ogaden desert)
: extensive economic rights for Italy over the bulk of southern Abyssinia
:a small area of Italian territory to go to Abyssinia to give them access to the sea
Reaction to Pact
It provoked an outcry in both Britain and France. Public opinion saw it as rewarding an aggressor and as going against the spirit of the League and collective security.
Defence of Pact
According to Hoare, a negotiated settlement was the only realistic option as the ideas of extending economic sanctions or of taking military sanctions, were both unacceptable. To have any chance of success, such a settlement would require substantial concessions to Italy.

In May 1936 the Italian conquest was complete.
In July 1936 the League lifted sanctions.
They had earlier refused to consider the nonrecognition of Mussolini’s control.

League of Nations weakened by half-hearted use of sanctions and Hoare-Laval Pact. Played no real part in any future dispute.
A fascist power had successfully followed an aggressive foreign policy with little done by the democratic powers to stop it.
The Stresa Front collapsed.
The hope of keeping Mussolini away from Hitler had failed. The Rome-Berlin Axis agreement was signed in October 1936