The Abyssinian Crisis

1
The Abyssinian Crisis

• Italy and the League of Nations
• 1934 to 36

2
Aims of the lesson

• By the end of this lesson you will learn about
• The ambitions of Mussolini
• How the League of Nations failed to stop Italian
  aggression in Abyssinia

3
Background

• The League of Nations was a good idea but in
  practise it was a failure
• Difficult to make decisions too much self
  interest
• USA, Germany and USSR were not members
• In Manchuria the Japanese (a member of the
  council) was allowed to get away with an
  aggressive invasion LoN did nothing

4
Mussolini

• Fascist ruler of Italy since 1922
• Wanted to build an empire in Africa already
  controlled Libya, Somaliland and Eritrea
• Had tried to conquer Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1896
  and failed
• Humiliating wanted revenge
• December 1934 30 soldiers killed in a border
  clash. Gave Italy the excuse to invade

5
The invasion

• Very successful Abyssinian army had spears and
  Italians machine guns
• Britain and France did not want to upset Italy in
  case it made her friendly with Hitler
• April 1935 Stresa Front. Britain, Italy and
  France agreed to join together against Germany.

6
LoN inaction

• Most British people wanted her to stop the
  invasion Government not keen
• September 1935 Samuel Hoare (GB Foreign
  Secretary) called for collective action against
  Italy
• Tough talk in public but sucking up to the
  Italians in private
• October 1935 invasion succeeded

7
Haile Selassie

• Emperor of Abyssinia
• Appealed for help to LoN
• LoN imposed economic sanctions no country
  allowed to trade with her
• Just bought from USA
• Britain and France allowed Mussolini to use the
  Suez Canal breaking own sanctions

8
Treachery

• Hoare and Laval (French Foreign Minister) devised
  a plan to divide Abyssinia in two
• Italy to be given two thirds and rest to Haile
  Selassie if Mussolini stopped fighting
• Hoare-Laval Pact details leaked in December
  1935
• Uproar looked like Britain and France were
  putting self interest above Abyssinia and the
  League of Nations

9
The consequences

• By May 1936 the Italian had conquered the whole
  of Abyssinia
• Selaisse fled the country and went to Geneva to
  address the League
• Too late LoN was totally discredited
• Backfired in October 1936 Mussolini signed the
  Berlin-Rome Axis pact with Hitler.