ABYSSINIAN CRISIS
Domenico and Nicola Locatelli
Essential Question:
How did the Abyssinian Crisis lead to WW2? How did it lead to a
helpless League of Nations?
VOCAB:
Abyssinia
Adowa
Stresa Front
Anglo-German naval agreement
Hoare-Laval Pact
Hailie Selassie
The Axis
Anti-Comiterm Pact
BACKGROUND
Italy attempted to conquer Abyssinia
(Known as Ethiopia) in 1896
Italy lost in the battle of Adowa.
Italians wanted revenge.
Italy, during the Great Depression in the
early 1930’s, needed resources.
Mussolini wanted to strengthen his position
and make Italy a great mediterranean power.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Italy starts war with Abyssinia the 3rd October 1935.
One of the first Italian attacks was at the town of Adowa where they
were previously defeated in 1896.
Hailie Selassie:
Emperor of Abyssinia
CONTEXT
France and Britain didn’t want Italy to join forces with Germany.
The Stresa Front was a pact between France, Britain, and Italy.
Which allowed Italy to conquer Abyssinia without the League’s
interference in exchange for Italy’s support of France and
Britain. With this pact Italy had to be against Germany.
The Anglo-German naval agreement was a pact between
Germany and Britain. This Treaty weakened the Stresa Front
Due to the Depression all countries are focused on their own
problems, therefore Britain took a decision to benefit the
country.
ACTION TAKEN BY THE LEAGUE
Britain and France wanted to support the League of Nations
because Abyssinia was part of it.
The League of Nations condemned Italy of the invasion and
imposed trade bans.
These bans were not effective because they didn’t include oil and
petrol, the only things that Italy needed to keep fighting.
In 1936, due to the Hoare- Laval Pact being leaked to the press,
bans of oil and petrol to Italy were established.
these bans weren’t effective because the war was already won
EFFECT ON THE LEAGUE
After the Abyssinian Crisis no one took the League seriously (look at
Source C page.60)
Also after the Abyssinian crisis the League was helpless for example
in the Spanish Civil War the Spanish Gov. appealed to the League but
the League did nothing.
After Abyssinia Italy turned to Hitler because Mussolini didn’t like
how France and Britain were double facing, the Stresa Front against
Germany collapsed.
The anti-Comintern pact was a pact between Germany, Italy and
Japan that was created to stop the spread of communism. Hitler saw
it as a chance to create an alliance to get ready for the war.
Italy joined the Axis, the alliance between Germany Italy and Japan.
CITATIONS:
McAleavy, Tony. Twentieth Century History: International Relations since 1919. Cambridge: Cambridge
UP, 2002. Print.
Flag of the WW2 Axis Powers. 2014. Http://i.imgur.com/5Ey2nUt.png, n.p.
Adowa bombing:
https://it.pinterest.com/pin/2322237280462301/
Callagher, M. G. "9. Reading - Spanish Civil War and The Axis." Anti-Comintern Pact. N.p., n.d.
Web. 19 Oct. 2016.
Bonniel, Marie-Aude, and Marie-Aude Bonnielauteur - Sa Biographie9 Abonnés. "Avril 1935 :
L'Angleterre, L'Italie Et La France S'accordent Pour Le Maintien De La Paix." Le Figaro. N.p., n.d.
Web. 19 Oct. 2016.