Abyssinia Crisis facts for kids
The Abyssinia Crisis was a big international problem that happened in 1935. It started with a small fight between the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire of Ethiopia, which was also known as "Abyssinia" back then. The League of Nations, an organization that tried to keep world peace, said Italy should not interfere. They even voted to punish Italy's economy. However, the League didn't fully follow through with these punishments. Italy then left the League and made special deals with Britain and France. After that, Italy invaded Abyssinia. This crisis made the League of Nations look weak and brought Fascist Italy closer to Nazi Germany.
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What Was the Abyssinia Crisis?
The Abyssinia Crisis was a major event in the years leading up to World War II. It showed how difficult it was for international groups like the League of Nations to stop powerful countries from taking over weaker ones. The crisis began with a border dispute.
The Walwal Incident
The trouble started in December 1934, at a place called Walwal in Ethiopia. Italian and Ethiopian soldiers clashed there. Italy claimed Walwal was part of its territory, but Ethiopia said it was theirs. This small fight quickly grew into a bigger international issue.
Italy's Goals in Ethiopia
Italy, led by its dictator Benito Mussolini, wanted to expand its empire. Ethiopia was one of the few independent countries left in Africa. Mussolini saw it as an easy target. He wanted to show Italy's strength and gain more land and resources.
The League of Nations Steps In
Ethiopia asked the League of Nations for help. The League was created after World War I to prevent future wars. It aimed to solve problems through talking and cooperation. The League investigated the Walwal incident.
The League found that Italy had acted unfairly. It noted that Italian officials were setting up military bases in Ethiopia, even where no Italians lived. They were also gathering weapons, which was a threat to peace.
The League's Response and Sanctions
The League of Nations decided to punish Italy. They voted to put economic sanctions on Italy. This meant that League members were supposed to stop trading certain goods with Italy. The idea was to hurt Italy's economy so much that it would stop its invasion plans.
However, many powerful countries, like Britain and France, did not fully support these sanctions. They were worried about upsetting Italy too much. They also feared that strict sanctions might lead to a bigger war. For example, they did not stop Italy from buying oil, which was vital for its military.
Italy Invades Abyssinia
Because the sanctions were not fully enforced, Italy felt it could continue its plans. In October 1935, Italy launched a full-scale invasion of Ethiopia. The Italian army was much stronger and had modern weapons, including airplanes and tanks. The Ethiopian army, mostly made up of brave but poorly equipped soldiers, could not stop them.
The Outcome and Impact
Italy quickly defeated Ethiopia and took control of the country in May 1936. This crisis had several important effects:
- Weakened the League of Nations: The League's failure to stop Italy showed that it was not strong enough to enforce its rules. This made other aggressive countries, like Nazi Germany, believe they could also ignore international laws.
- Closer Ties Between Italy and Germany: Italy's actions were condemned by many countries, but Germany supported Italy. This brought the two Fascist countries closer together. They would later become allies in World War II.
- Showed the Danger of Appeasement: The crisis showed that trying to avoid conflict by giving in to aggressive leaders (known as appeasement) often did not work. Instead, it encouraged them to be even more aggressive.
The Abyssinia Crisis was a sad moment for world peace. It proved that the international system designed to prevent war was failing.
See Also
In Spanish: Crisis de Abisinia para niños
