Abyssinia Crisis

• What was the crisis?

  Italy, led by Mussolini, wanted to expand it's nature.

  Incident at wal-wal gave excuse needed, 1934 (30-90 Italian - Abyssinian deaths.)

  Abyssinia asked the League for help.

  1932: Mussolini drew up plans to invade Abyssinia.
• Britain + France's response.

  • Bad sign: part of League, yet working around it.
  • France and Britain put their own interests first, they wanted a good relationship with Italy to maintain a balance of power in Europe against Germany.

  Events in Europe considered more important than lives of people miles away in Abyssinia.
• League of nations agreed economic sanctions against Italy - first and only time sanctions were used.

  • preventing sales of arms to Italy.
  • limiting credit to Italian government and Italian firms.
  • an embargo on sales to Italy.

  Irrelevant - embargo: USA continued to supply oil to Italy as did other non-league countries.

  Ultimately Italy succeeded in taking Abyssinia and once this happened the economic sanctions were removed.
• The Abyssinian crisis happened in 1935.
• the Impact:

  • Success for Italy (using chemical weapons and bombing raids by the Italian air force).
  • France and Britain took lack of action due to their fear of losing Italy as an ally - ironic, Italy sided with Germany in war anyway.
  • Abyssinia was let down

  League supposed to protect members against aggression (collective security failed + side-lined)

  Allowed Hitler to 'walk all over' Treaty of Versailles.

  • Ultimately WW2 begins.