412 Chapter 4
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (Imposed)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: This dispute concerns Italian conquest of Ethiopia following the Italo-
Ethiopian War. Italy rounded into its modern form much later than the other colo-
nizing powers in Europe, though Italy too desired an empire in Africa. However,
as a latecomer Italy had only two possible routes for empire in Africa, and neither
was particularly desirable. Italy could either try to detach territory where one of
the other European powers (France, Great Britain, Ottoman Empire) was the pre-
vailing influence or attempt to subdue Ethiopia, a very well-armed, defended and
self-governing state in Africa. Italy tried this in 1896 and was humiliated. Italy then
returned in the mid-1930s and were moderately successful in this campaign. The
Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa was captured in early May 1936, and the King of
Italy was declared ruler of Ethiopia shortly thereafter. Ethiopia joined with Eritrea
and Italian Somaliland as constitutive elements of Italian East Africa. The Italians
held Ethiopia until 1941, when they were expelled by the British as part of World
War II.
Coding changes: Outcome changed from Victory for side A.
MID#258
Started in March 1939. See the narrative in the 255 Germany/290 Poland dyad dispute
list.
MID#3527
Started in December 1942. See the narrative in the 255 Germany/530 Ethiopia dyad
dispute list.
325 Italy/560 South Africa
MID#258
Started in March 1939. See the narrative in the 255 Germany/290 Poland dyad dispute
list.
365 Russia/452 Ghana
MID#1807
Dispute Number: 1807
Date(s): October 10, 1968 to March 19, 1969
Participants: 452 Ghana/365 Russia
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None