Italo-Ethiopian Conflict and Position of Great Powers (January – March 1935)
https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2025-14-6-503-519
Abstract
This article analyzes the diplomatic struggle during the early stages of the Italo-Ethiopian conflict in early 1935. It is noted that the Ethiopian government at this time sought to elevate the resolution of the conflict to an international level within the League of Nations; however, Britain and France effectively supported Italy in its desire to keep discussions at the level of bilateral negotiations. The outcome of these negotiations was the signing of the Addis Ababa Agreement on March 4, 1935, which aimed to establish a neutral zone in the disputed Ogaden region, ultimately never coming into force. It is demonstrated that Italy primarily aimed to buy time to assemble a military force in East Africa sufficient to initiate war against Ethiopia, with negotiations serving this purpose from the Italian perspective. The article argues that Italy actively opposed the internationalization of the conflict and successfully delayed Ethiopia's appeal to the League of Nations by two months. It reveals that during this period, Italy consistently built up its military presence in Eritrea and Somalia, anticipating a forthcoming war against Ethiopia. It is shown that at this stage, Italy achieved its objective by creating conditions conducive to planning an invasion of Ethiopia.
About the Author
T. P. Nesterova
Ural Federal University named after the First President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Tatiana P. Nesterova, PhD in History, associate professor, Department of Foreign Regional Studies
Yekaterinburg
References
1. Del Boca, A. (2005). Italiani, brava gente? Un mito duro a morire. I colibri. Vicenza: N. Pozza. 318 р. ISBN 978-88-545-0013-6. (In Ital.).
2. Del Boca, A. (2009). Gli italiani in Africa Orientale — II. La conquista dell’Impero. Milan: Mondadori. 784 р. ISBN 978-88-04-46947-6. (In Ital.).
3. Del Boca, A., Rochat, G. (1996). I gas di Mussolini: il fascismo e la guerra d’Etiopia. Primo piano. Roma: Editori Riuniti. 190 p. ISBN 978-88-359-4091-3. (In Ital.).
4. Duroselle, L. B. (1985). La decadence, 1932—1939. Paris: Lagard ed. 568 p. (In Frenc.).
5. Ivanov, A. G. (2021). The Italo-Ethiopian war of 1935—1936, the League of Nations and the Western Powers. Modern scientific thought, 3: 60—70. DOI: 10.24412/2308-264X-2021-3-60-70. (In Russ.).
6. Khodnev, A. S. (2024). The Italo-Ethiopian conflict, the League of Nations and the USA. American Yearbook. 121—134. (In Russ.).
7. Kuzmin, D. I. (2020). Plans and prospects of rapprochement with France in the policy of fascist Italy in early 1935. Bulletin of the Moscow University. Episode 8: The Story, 4: 75—87. (In Russ.).
8. Kuzmin, D. I. (2021). Goals and objectives of Italy in the Ethiopian War of 1935—1936: position in the League of Nations and propaganda. Historical Journal: scientific research, 3: 172—182. DOI: 10.7256/2454-0609.2021.3.35147/. (In Russ.).
9. Laurens, F. D. (1967). France and the Italo-Ethiopian Crisis. Paris: Mouton. 432 p. (In Frenc.).
10. Lisovsky, P. A. (1935). The Italo-Abyssinian conflict. Moscow; Leningrad: Gos. soc.-ekon. publishing house. 96 p. (In Russ.).
11. Matsushima, F. R. R. (2022). The Fall of the League of Nations. Journal of Innovation and Social Science Research, 9 (1): 96—102. DOI: 10.53469/JISSR.2022.09(01).16.
12. Moghioroşi, V. (2016). The Abyssinian War and the League of Nations: Debates in the Council. Romanian Journal of History and International Studies, III (2): 91—111.
13. Nesterov, A. G. (2015). Melquiade Gabba, the Italian mission in Transcaucasia and independent Azerbaijan in 1919—1920. In: Russia—Italy. Italians in Russia from ancient Russia to the present day, 6. Moscow: IVI RAS, Lenand. 308—314. (In Russ.).
14. Nesterova, T. P. (1987). Franco-Italian relations on the eve of the fascist aggression against Ethiopia (March-May 1935). In: Policy of the great Powers in the Balkans and the Middle East in modern times. Sverdlovsk: USU. 108—120. (In Russ.).
15. Nesterova, T. P. (2020). France and the beginning of the Italo-Ethiopian conflict (the second half of 1934). Annali d’Italia, 12: 41—45. (In Russ.).
16. Rochat, G. (2009). Le guerre italiane 1935—1943. Milano: Einaudi. 460 p. ISBN 978-88-06- 19168-9. (In Ital.).
17. Trofimov, V. A. (1979). Italian colonialism and neocolonialism: history and modernity. Moscow: Nauka Publ. 288 p. (In Russ.).
Review
For citations:
Nesterova T.P. Italo-Ethiopian Conflict and Position of Great Powers (January – March 1935). Nauchnyi dialog. 2025;14(6):503-519. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2025-14-6-503-519
Views:
48
Email this article 