Editing Italian East Africa (section)

=== Second Italo-Ethiopian War ===
{{main|Second Italo-Ethiopian War}}
[[File:Mussolini truppe Etiopia.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.9|Mussolini inspecting troops during the [[Second Italo-Ethiopian War]]]]
The [[Italo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1928]] stated that the border between Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia was 21 [[league (unit)|leagues]] parallel to the [[Benadir]] coast. In 1934, a  [[Ual-Ual Incident|border clash]] at [[Ual-Ual|Ual-Ual]] between Italian and Ethiopian forces during a boundary survey provided Mussolini with a pretext for a war.{{sfn|Campbell|2017|p=21}} The [[Second Italo-Ethiopian War]] began [[War of aggression|without prior declaration of war]] in October 1935, with Italy sending a [[Second Italo-Ethiopian War order of battle: Italy|modern army]] of two hundred thousand soldiers commanded by Marshal [[Emilio De Bono]] and General [[Rodolfo Graziani]] (and later [[Pietro Badoglio]]). This army was equipped with superior weaponry, including an [[Regia Aeronautica|air force]] and [[Fiat 3000|tanks]]. Italian troops used [[mustard gas]] in aerial bombardments (in violation of the [[Geneva Protocol]] and [[Geneva Conventions]]) against combatants and civilians in an attempt to discourage the Ethiopian people from supporting the resistance.{{sfn|Belladonna|2015}}{{sfn|Sbacchi|1997|p=57-85}}{{sfn|Campbell|2017|p=37}} This military superiority over the [[Second Italo-Ethiopian War order of battle: Ethiopia|Ethiopian army]], combined with the then Ethiopian Emperor [[Haile Selassie|Haile Selassie]]'s initial strategy of engaging in [[Frontal assault|frontal battles]] led to significant Italian victories.{{sfn|Gooch|2020}} During the late stages of the war, Italian forces violated [[International humanitarian law|international agreements]] by bombing [[International Committee of the Red Cross|Red Cross]] ambulances and hospitals, claiming these actions were in retaliation for alleged [[Gondrand massacre|Ethiopian atrocities]].{{sfn|Ben-Ghiat|Fuller|2016|p=4-56}}{{sfn|Campbell|2017|p=38}}

While some Italians initially opposed the war due to fears of a broader European conflict and Italy's [[Financial stability|financial instability]], the Italian public largely shifted to support Mussolini following reported victories.{{sfn|Sbacchi|1997|p=35-36}} Selassie was forced to flee to [[England]], with Italian forces [[March of the Iron Will|entering the capital city]], [[Addis Ababa]] by 5 May 1936. Shortly after, Mussolini proclaimed an "Italian Empire of Ethiopia" and the [[Italian Empire]] on May 9, 1936.{{sfn|Sbacchi|1997|p=105}}  Following the Italian conquest, [[Arbegnoch|Ethiopian patriotic resistance]] continued in various parts of the country, particularly in the north and northwest. The resistance, although facing the challenge of Italy's modern military and harsh reprisals, prevented Italy from fully controlling Ethiopia and hindered its plans for [[Exploitation of natural resources|economic and demographic exploitation]].{{sfn|Ben-Ghiat|Fuller|2016|p=43}}{{sfn|Sbacchi|1997|p=164-186}}{{sfn|Stewart|2016|p=14-16,191-204,228-231}} This ongoing opposition set the stage for Ethiopia's eventual [[East African campaign (World War II)|involvement]] in the [[Second World War]].{{sfn|Stewart|2016|p=191-204,228-231}}