MUSSOLINI INVADES AFRICA

In 1934, Italian soldiers attacked a party of British and Abyssinians at the oasis at Wal-Wal, in Abyssinia. The Italian army got ready to invade. Haile Selassie, the emperor of Abyssinia, asked the League of nations   to help. In July, the League banned arms sales to either side (this hurt Abyssinia much more than the Italians, who were ready to attack).

In September, the League tried to arbitrate. It suggested that Italy should get some land in Abyssinia. Instead, in October 1935, Italy’s 100,000 strong army invaded. It used tanks and flame-throwers. The Abyssinians had camels, war drums and 12 planes. They were massacred.

hill

The League did agree to some sanctions (on rubber and metals), but it did not stop oil sales. But, in December 1935, news leaked out of the Hoare-Laval Pact, a secret plan made by Britain and France to give two-thirds of Abyssinia to Italy, without telling the League.



Italian troops used poison gas and attacked Red Cross hospitals, but even then the League could not agree on what to do. By May 1936, Italy had conquered Abyssinia