OCR History The League of Nations Abyssinian Crisis

League Of Nations: OCR History International Relations.

The Abyssinian Crisis.

Dates:

1934: Initial dispute.

1935: Italian full scale attack.

1936: Italy annexes (takes over) Abyssinia.

Who's who?

Benito Mussolini: Italian Leader,

Haile Selassie: Abyssinian Leader,

Samuel Hoare: British Foreign Secretary,

Pierre Laval: French Prime Minister,

Adolf Hitler: German Leader,

Why did Italy want Abyssinia?

Revenge: 1896: Italy defeated in Abyssinia by Tribes.

Abyssinia was rich in mineral wealth.

Great Depression meant that Italy wanted an Empire, and Abyssinia was close to other Italian colonies.

What happened?

December 1934: a dispute between Italian forces and Abyssinian soldiers took place in Abyssinia. Italy invaded. Haile Selassie (Abyssinian Emperor) appealed to the League.

January-October 1935: Mussolini negotiates with League, whilst sending troops to Abyssinia. Britain and France do nothing. League decides that neither side is to blame after eight months. League offers some of Abyssinia to Italy.

October 1935-May 1936: Mussolini launches a full…