Italian East Africa

Italian East Africa

Italian East Africa was a place ruled by Italy in the Horn of Africa from 1936 to 1941. It was made when Benito Mussolini took over Ethiopia during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. This area had Italian Somaliland, Italian Eritrea, and Ethiopia, all governed by one Italian government.

The Italian leaders built roads and planned cities. They made rules that kept Italians separate from local people. They wanted more Italians to move there, but only a few did. Many local people did not want to be ruled by Italy and fought back.

When World War II started, British forces came and took over Italian East Africa. After the war, Ethiopia’s leader Haile Selassie came back to power. The areas that were once Italian East Africa were first governed by Britain and later became independent or joined Ethiopia.

Background

Italian ambitions and rise of fascism

Main articles: Italian fascism and Italian imperialism under fascism

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Italy wanted to grow its colonies, just like other European countries. Italy took control of Eritrea in 1890 and Italian Somaliland in 1905. But in 1896, Italy lost a war against the Ethiopian Empire. After World War I, many Italians felt unhappy because they thought their country didn’t get the land it deserved. This helped Benito Mussolini and his Fascist regime take power in 1922.

Mussolini wanted Italy to be powerful again. He believed taking more land would make Italy stronger. He used strong messages to convince people that Italy needed more colonial territories and that Ethiopia was a danger. He saw taking Ethiopia as a big win for his government.

Second Italo-Ethiopian War

Main article: Second Italo-Ethiopian War

In 1934, a small fight happened at a place called Ual-Ual between Italian and Ethiopian soldiers. This gave Mussolini an excuse to start a war. In October 1935, Italy began the Second Italo-Ethiopian War without telling Ethiopia first. Italy sent a big, modern army with airplanes and tanks.

Italy’s army was much stronger than Ethiopia’s, and they won many battles. The leader of Ethiopia, Emperor Haile Selassie, had to leave the country. Italian soldiers entered the capital city, Addis Ababa, on May 5, 1936. Soon after, Mussolini announced the creation of the Italian Empire.

Italian rule

The Fascist authorities started to organize their new lands. On 9 May 1936, King Victor Emmanuel III became the Emperor of Ethiopia. A new rule on 1 June 1936 joined Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia into one place called Italian East Africa. From then on, Ethiopia was not its own area, and the name Italian East Africa was used more.

With the win in Ethiopia, Italy reached one of its big goals. This success helped Mussolini and his ideas, especially when the economy was struggling. Italy wanted to change the rules and leaders of the Horn of Africa and control the people there.

Italian East Africa was led by one main office, with Addis Ababa as its capital. It was watched over by Italy’s Ministry of Italian Africa and a Viceroy chosen by the Italian king. The land was split into six parts, which were then divided into forty smaller areas called commissariati.

Italian rule used strong control and tried to split people apart. The leaders changed the lands based on groups and areas, helping some more than others. Laws were made to keep groups separate, and there were rules stopping Italians and Africans from mixing. The Italian government also tried to change which religions were allowed.

When Italian East Africa began in 1936, it included Eritrea, Somalia, and the new land Ethiopia. The land was split into six parts. Eritrea and Somalia got more land from Ethiopia. The rest of “Italian Ethiopia” was divided into several parts, including Harar, Galla-Sidamo, Amhara, and Addis Abeba, which was later called the Scioa Governorate.

Italy’s Fascist leaders wanted Italian farmers to move to Ethiopia, but only a few did. Most Italians lived in Eritrea and Somalia. Growth was slow because of local fights, not enough money, and hard conditions.

The Italians built many roads in the land, spending lots of money on this from 1937 to 1941. They made roads linking big cities like Addis Ababa to Massawa, Mogadishu, and Assab. They also built airports and started an airline called Linea dell’Impero to connect Addis Ababa with Rome. Railways were also made better, including the Djibouti–Addis Ababa Railway.

Farming was encouraged, especially in Ethiopia, but it did not work as well as hoped. Most things sold were bananas and pineapples. Italy also tried to grow more cotton.

Before Fascism, learning in Italian Somaliland and Eritrea was mostly done by Christian teachers. Under Mussolini, government schools were started to teach African children useful skills and spread Fascist ideas. The learning focused on praising Italy and its history, with daily events and loyalty to the state. Italian children learned more advanced topics.

In 1939, about 12.1 million people lived in Italian East Africa. Eritrea had around 1.5 million people, Ethiopia had 9.5 million, and Somalia had 1.1 million. By March 1940, about 170,000 Italian people lived in the area, most in big cities. The number of Italian women grew a lot from 1938 as more buildings were made.

Work on old sites began in 1938 with studies of places like the obelisks of Axum and the rock churches of Lalibela. Digs were also done around Adulis and the Dahlak Islands. Efforts were made to protect the area’s art and history.

Guerrilla war

Main article: Arbegnoch

After Italy took over parts of Ethiopia, the fight wasn't completely over. Local fighters, called the Arbegnoch, kept resisting the Italian rule. Even after the main war ended, these fighters continued their efforts, making it hard for the Italians to fully control the area. The Italians faced strong resistance in many places, especially in the mountains and countryside.

Fighting continued for several years, with both sides trying to gain control. The Italians held the cities and main roads, but the resistance fighters controlled much of the rural areas. When World War II began, the situation changed, and the Italians found it harder to keep their hold on the region.

Atrocities

Yekatit 12

Main article: Yekatit 12

In February 1937, an attempt was made on the life of an Italian general, Rodolfo Graziani. Following this, Italian forces took strong actions against local people in Addis Ababa. Many people were harmed during these actions, leading to damage and loss of life. This event became known as Yekatit 12. As a result, Graziani was replaced by another leader who tried different methods.

Concentration camps

Main articles: Nocra prison camp and Danane concentration camp

The Italians set up harsh detention centers, such as Nocra prison camp in Eritrea and Danane concentration camp near Mogadishu. These camps held people who opposed them under tough conditions. Many faced sickness and poor living conditions.

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Second World War

Main article: East African campaign (World War II)

In 1940, Italy joined World War II and declared war on Britain and France. This brought fighting close to Libya, Egypt, and the lands of Horn of Africa. The war made it difficult for ships to travel safely in the Mediterranean Sea and along important routes near the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, and the Suez Canal.

Fighting started in June 1940 when Italian planes attacked a base in Wajir in Kenya. Later, Italian forces took over British Somaliland. In 1941, British and allied forces began pushing back against the Italians, helping Ethiopian resistance groups. They captured important places such as Asmara, Massawa, and Mogadishu. By April 1941, Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, was captured. The remaining Italian forces surrendered later that year.

Treaty of Paris (1947)

Main article: Treaty of Paris between Italy and the Allied Powers

In 1947, Italy signed a peace treaty giving up control of its African colonies, including Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia. The treaty recognized Ethiopia as an independent country. Eritrea was placed under British control and later became part of Ethiopia. After the war, Italy was allowed to oversee Italian Somaliland for a time, but it had to become independent within ten years. Both parts of Somalia became independent in 1960 and joined together to form the Somali Republic.

Legacy

The way Italy organized its lands in East Africa affected the people in Eritrea and Somalia. It helped them feel more connected to their own nations. However, the border between Ethiopia and Somalia remained unclear, causing problems later on. Some areas with Somali-speaking people, like the Ogaden and Haud regions, were given back to Ethiopia between 1948 and 1954. Even though people in these areas felt stronger ties to their own nations, Eritrea faced big changes.