Ethiopian Independence Essay - 1051 Words

During the age of imperialism, a group of western counties succeeded in conquering much of the globe. In 1884 those countries turned their sites on Africa during the Berlin conference, and by the end of the nineteenth century Africa was dominated almost entirely by the colonial powers. There was, however, one country that was able to resist the land hungry powers, and remain independent, and that was Ethiopia. During 1896, they were able to successfully fend off an Italian attack at the battle of Adowa, making them only one of two African nations able to resist colonial rule. That freedom lasted until 1936, when they were briefly subject to Italian rule through World War II. The battle of Adowa began in 1896, after Italy was†¦show more content†¦Another disadvantage to the Italian offensive was geography. Ethiopia is located in isolated mountainous terrain. When General Baratieri devised his plan of attack, he thought he would be able to approach under the cover of darkness, and attack them from above. However, when he made his approach, he soon discovered just how poor his maps of the area were. To make matters worse, the harsh terrain was difficult to cross, and communications with his troops were problematic (â€Å"Battle of Adwa†). In the midst of the difficulties, many soldiers became lost. Eventually there was so much confusion, that a two mile gap opened up between the Italian forces (Blake). That presented an opportunity for the Ethiopians, who quickly filled in the gap with their own soldiers. As the battle continued on, it was Menelik and his men who got the high ground, and hit Baratieris army from above. In the end, it was an embarrassing loss for Italy, where 289 officers, 2,918 Europeans, and 2,000 Askari were killed (â€Å"Battle of Adwa†). Because that devastating loss, Italy was forced to sign the treaty of Addis Ababa in 1896, ending the war on Meneliks terms (Blake). During 1935, Italy again decided to attack Ethiopia at the behest of Mussolini. This time, yet another governor of Eritrea, Emilio De Bono, was put in charge of the attack. Yet again geography put the Italians at a disadvantage. On October 3, 1935, De Bono approached into Ethiopia, andShow MoreRelatedThe Revolutionary Era Took Place From 1763-17891374 Words   |  6 Pages Second Continental Congress, State house (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, new members included Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson, Virginian, drafted Declaration of Independence in early summer 1776. Franklin and Adams helped revise the Declaration of Independence in justifying the need for independence. July 4, 1776, Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. 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