Wednesday, March 05, 2008

March 4, 1897: Italian Setback in Abyssinia Creates Remorse in England

The ANNOTICO Report

Although Italy was an unified country only since 1870 (27 years prior), Italy obviously had already garnered deep respect in Europe,

despite what you have been taught in school or the media.

I personally was surprised that he UK was so morose, since I thought there was more competition for African Colonies, even though Italy already had Colonies to the north ( Eritrea) and (south) Somalia.

However, Abyssinia and Italy in May 1889 reached a Mutual Assistance friendly Uccialli Treaty. In February 1893, Menelek renounced the  treaty, and then made incursions into Eritrea. General Baratieri  after several smaller battles, on March 1, 1897  was lured into a battle near Adua (or Adowa), at the head of 13,000 men, against Menelek's army of  90,000, in adverse territory, divided his forces, lost the battle and over 4500 troops, that led to Italy's recognizing the absolute independence of Abyssinia.  http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Abyssinia

Unfortunately at that time, Colonizing and "Civilizing" the African continent was considered admirable...sort of like now with Bush and  his Foreign Advisors, all members of "The Project for the New American Century" that favors The New American Empire" and World Domination........     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century

On This Day: March 4, 1897:

A Military Setback for the Italians and its Relevance to Britain

London Times

March 4, 2008

The news of the serious reverse sustained by the Italians in Abyssinia has been received in this country with keen regret and profound sympathy. Italy is a friendly Power in much more than the conventional diplomatic sense, and has always commanded the warm regard of the English people. Occupying as she does an important place in the general scheme of European politics, nothing that touches her interests can be indifferent to English statesmen. In Africa her interests are not less closely bound up with our own than in Europe, since she shares the work of carrying civilization into that continent. The British public will await with no common interest and anxiety details of the disaster which has overtaken General Baratieri.

As the earliest news failed to convey an adequate conception of its magnitude, so it is possible to hope that there is some exaggeration in the estimates now current. It seems clear that the Italian commander was induced to attack a strong position, in a formation dictated no doubt by the nature of the country, but open to the grave disadvantage of breaking up his force into columns incapable of giving effective mutual support. The enemy appear to have displayed unexpected vigour, and the whole Italian army has been compelled to fall back with heavy loss upon its headquarters at Adigrat.

It is difficult to avoid the conclusion "which is very freely pressed in Rome"  that he acted with quite uncalled-for precipitation.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article3476461.ece

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