The immediate post-war period is one thing I'm excited for. By all accounts, Ras Imru was a smart guy, but it's gonna take some serious skill (and maybe even some luck) on the part of the good Ras to tamp down the reactionary elements of the post-war Ethiopian Imperial government. Of course, I'll be rooting for Imru all the way!
The new Conquering Lion of Judah, Ras Imru! - an Ethiopia TL
- Thread starter twistedirregular
- Start date
The immediate post-war period is one thing I'm excited for. By all accounts, Ras Imru was a smart guy, but it's gonna take some serious skill (and maybe even some luck) on the part of the good Ras to tamp down the reactionary elements of the post-war Ethiopian Imperial government. Of course, I'll be rooting for Imru all the way!
Haha, then you won't be disappointed with what I have planned in the aftermath of the liberation of Ethiopia! You are right about Ras Imru and the reactionary elements of the Ethiopian Court, many Ethiopian reactionary nobles being forced to flee into exile or decimated by the Italians in the aftermath of Graziani's assassination.
The Battles of Gondar, Lalibela and Free Ethiopia
"And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
- Revelation 5:5
In the weeks following Graziani's assassination and the Rape of Ethiopia, the Provisional Government put more focus on rebuilding the Ethiopian Patriot forces under their direct command and assisting refugees that had fled to the Ethiopian countryside in the hopes of the bands of guerrillas would provide them with safety. The Provisional Government also fed the flames of the Ethiopian people's anger against the Italian colonial administration and occupational forces as revolts flared up throughout Italian-held territories and the local Italian garrisons were overwhelmed by new guerrilla bands. The Provisional Government wasn't afraid to utilize the anger of the masses as a tool to further the cause, the eventual liberation of Ethiopia by the Ethiopian people as the territories and lands under the control of the NECL grew significantly as the Provisional Government came into control of entire provinces. The National Ethiopian Liberation Council established local civilian governments that represented the local people who could come to the NECL with their problems and other matters that the Provisional Government could assist with. The Ethiopian Patriotic Army was established under the NECL's command, numbering roughly 190,000 soldiers and growing as Ethiopians of all backgrounds enlisted in the hopes of opposing the Italian occupation and driving the Italians from Ethiopia so that the Ethiopian people may reclaim their lands for themselves. Scattered Patriots continued to be absorbed into the EPA as the sheer amount of Ethiopian Patriots continued to grow as it was at its peak in 1938 - around 500,000 Ethiopians had volunteered to join the Provisional Government but some would form their own organized committees to better coordinate the actions of local Ethiopian guerrillas. Political factions had been forming throughout Italian-occupied Ethiopia as the NECL promoted it in order to eventually absorb all the smaller organizations and their lands into what Ras Imru saw as a "Free Ethiopia", consisting of the northern and western regions of Ethiopia that were to be unified with their central and eastern counterparts. The Provisional Government planned to incite a series of revolts all along the border with Sudan as the beginning of the establishment of a Free Ethiopia as it begun focusing its forces around certain towns that it was planning to capture as it launched its first engagement - the Battle of Metemma, an Ethiopian victory as the Ethiopian Patriots used their superior numbers in men and weapons to overwhelm the Italian garrison. British officers and Sudanese Askaris watched as the Battle of Metemma raged on, a few Sudanese soldiers cheering on the Ethiopian Patriots, much to the distaste of their British officers.
(Ethiopian Patriots marching to capture Metemma, circa. 1938)
Support from the Provisional Government caused different organizations to emerge from the ashes of the havoc that Nasi had unleashed on Ethiopia, members of the European-educated intelligentsia were often those spearheading the creation of such factions and organizations. One example of a leader was Tekle Wolde Hawariat who had opposed the anti-fascist Italians joining the Ethiopian resistance and especially the spreading of their socialist ideologies as Tekle had abandoned monarchism in exchange for republicanism which was prominent in French-influenced Dire Dawa. Tekle Wolde Hawariat left the NECL with supporters amongst the political leadership and soldiers of the Provisional Government as he established the 1st Republican Patriot Battalion, at 751 strong and growing as he moved to the eastern regions where republican elements were growing and rising. The 1st Republican Patriot Battalion would grow with an influx of republican volunteers around Harar and Dire Dawa as the National Republican Committee was established with Tekle Wolde Hawariat and a group of European-educated republican Ethiopians supporting Tekle who planned to eventually take Harar in order to gain the support of Ethiopian Muslims. Another faction that was less prominent was the Socialist Party of Ethiopia, its political leadership consisting of a small group of more radical Italian and Ethiopian communists that broke away from Illio's Popular Front as they sought to establish a People's Republic of Ethiopia. They were followed by a total of 100 Ethiopian Patriots as a small number of soldiers following the Socialist Party of Ethiopia as the House of Solomon remained popular to the Ethiopian people as monarchism remained dominant among the peasantry and Ethiopian Patriots. Ras Imru continued to be popular as the de-facto Emperor and a war hero who had scored victories against the Italians during the 1935-36 Second Italo-Ethiopian War and the guerrilla war that the Ethiopian Patriotic Army was waging. A different form of monarchism had risen in Begemder where Lij Yohannes Iyasu, a prominent Ethiopian Patriot had become quite popular and successful in liberating the Begemder province as the de-facto leader of the Begemder Patriots. Lij Yohannes Iyasu was the son of Lij Iyasu V who was an Ethiopian Emperor after the death of Emperor Menelik II in 1913 and ruled until 1916 where his forces were defeated in the Battle of Segale by the soldiers of Fitawari Habte Giyorgis, Zawditu and Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen. Iyasu was forced to flee into the Ogaden as his father, Ras Mikael of Wollo surrendered but Iyasu was eventually captured and imprisoned to prevent a potential coup to overthrow Zawditu and later, Haile Selassie. Upon the move of the Ethiopian government to Gore, Haile Selassie ordered that his personal bodyguard execute him and his body was moved to the Begemder province, buried at a remote church in the mountains of the Begemder province where Lij Yohannes Iyasu made his base of operations. The son of the deposed Emperor made it quite clear to the representatives of the NECL that wasn't going to join them but the massacres following Graziani's assassination in 1937 convinced him that collaborating with the Provisional Government was better long-term wise. However, Yohannes had no intention of returning the throne to Haile Selassie or Ras Imru and planned to seize it from the exiled Emperor once liberation was near but for now, he would bide his time.
The Italian colonial administration observed the new political factions emerging in the aftermath of the Italian reprisal caused by Graziani's assassination and decided to establish their own factions to divide these different resistance factions in order to make the Ethiopian resistance more fractious. The National Fascist Party of Ethiopia was established under Ras Hailu Tekle Haimanot, consisting of intellectuals and pre-war government officials that were collaborating with the Italian colonial administration for one reason or another. Shortly after the formation of the Ethiopian Fascist Party, Princess Tenagnewarq would become the "Princess of Italian Ethiopia" and forced to marry Ras Hailu who soon adopted the title of "King of Shewa" as the Italians sought to decrease the prestige and influence of the Ethiopian Royal Family by placing a new puppet ruler on the throne. Her husband, Ras Desta Damtew was outraged at the Italians forcing his wife to marry a collaborator and had to be stopped from ordering the Provisional Government's forces to launch another attack on Addis Ababa without the consent of the National Ethiopian Liberation Council by his personal bodyguard. The Royal Ethiopian Army was established on March 1st of 1938, soldiers having been drawn from the Italian-held regions of northern, central and eastern Ethiopia but it was an overwhelmingly Tigrean-Amharic army under de-facto Italian command as Ras Getachew Abate was nominal head of the REA. The Italians purposefully refused any Oromos that volunteered to join but instead used these Oromo volunteers to establish the National Oromo Army under the command of Abba Jofir, an Oromo from the Galla-Sidamo province which the Italians created in attempting to rearrange Ethiopia's provinces in 1936-37 but they re-established the Tigrean province, placing under the control of Ras Haile Selassie Gugsa who was instituted as "King of Tigray". A similar committee and institution was created in the eastern and southern Somali regions of Ethiopia, the National Somali Liberation Army and the National Somali Liberation Front which was headed by Siad Barre who had served on the southern front of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and his particular tenacity saw him ending up leading a Somali Army based at Harar. The Italians made sure that none of these armies would be able to revolt against the Italians by subtly playing on divisions based on religion and regional clans but this would only weaken their performance in Italian pacification activities. The Imperial Tigrean Army was placed under the command of Gugsa who held some influence over Tigrean soldiers but the Italian Commander of all Force in Tigray, Amedeo Guillet was in effective control of the Imperial Tigrean Army.
(Royal Ethiopian Army troops are equipped with new Italian submachine guns, uniforms and helmets - circa. 1938)
(Soldiers of the 1st Colonial Ethiopian Cavalry Division are inspected by Amedeo Guillet, circa. 1938)
The National Ethiopian Liberation Council planned to capture the religious centers of Gondar and Lalibela, both of which were quite important to the Orthodox Christian population of Ethiopia which was the largest of the religious Ethiopian population. Ras Imru would be personally leading the 1st Patriotic Division into the battle for Lalibela whereas Ras Desta led the 3rd Patriotic Division into the battle for Gondar where the Provisional Government would establish the capital of Free Ethiopia, hoping that it would be significant as propaganda made by the Black Lions placed on emphasis on the Patriots capturing what had been their former capital in the times of Emperor Tewodros II. On March 10th of 1938, the Battle of Gondar begun with a surprise attack on Italian positions around Gondar with captured Italian mortars before the Patriotic forces were sent to launch themselves against the defenses of the Italians and attempt to break the line. Since March 3rd, the Provisional Government's troops had been constantly harassing and weakening the Italian garrison around Gondar as the Patriots concentrated their troops around Gondar to eventually surround it and prevent an Italo-Eritrean breakout. Meanwhile, the initial Ethiopian attack on Lalibela failed as the Ethiopian forces under Ras Imru were surprised at the amount of Italian and Royal Ethiopian soldiers guarding the religious center - a few monks had heard about rumors of an attack on Lalibela and informed the Italian colonial administration, hoping to avoid a massacre of the priests like the one that had happened at Debre Markos. The second attack on Lalibela was more successful as captured Italian artillery being utilized to bombard the Italo-Ethiopian positions, catching them off-guard as they hadn't expected the Patriots to know how to use their own artillery against them. The shelling was short but powerful in order to prevent the Italo-Ethiopian forces from recovering from the shock as the 1st Patriotic Division advanced rapidly, Ethiopian Patriots launching themselves forward to jump in the trenches surrounding Lalibela as it soon devolved into close-quarters combat. The Italo-Ethiopian forces had been encircled by the 4th Patriotic Division which was to prevent any successful Italian breakout and/or to stop any Italian attempts at relieving their fellow soldiers in Lalibela as the 1st Patriotic Division slowly gained the upper hand, its troops being quite experienced in hand-to-hand combat. The Royal Ethiopian troops fought with much more tenacious resistance than expected as they were well-aware of what was going to happen if they gave themselves up, surprising both the Italian commanders and Ethiopian Patriots. The Battle of Lalibela ended on March 12th, the defending Italo-Ethiopian forces being forced to surrender as their stocks of ammunition and supplies were low in comparison to the Ethiopian Patriots who were relatively well-equipped. Their prisoners consisted of a fairly small group of Italian privates, the Italian officers and colonial troops unwilling to surrender as they either committed suicide or chose to flee into the countryside in an attempt to make their ways back to other Italian-held areas.
Ras Desta's 3rd Patriotic Division was much more successful as the defending forces at Gondar had been gradually weakened and isolated from Addis Ababa, telephone lines cut and morale low from the constant crescendo of Ethiopian attacks that were wearing down the defending soldiers. The 3rd Patriotic Division moved in eagerly as they were aware of the importance of Gondar for not only a propaganda victory but it was also an important next step to the eventual liberation of Ethiopia, the 2nd Patriotic Battalion wiping out an entire Italian company as they brought a surprise for the Italian forces - the Savoia Armoured Regiment. The Provisional Government had been forcing the Savoia Armoured Regiment remain in the mountains of Gojjam where they trained as armour support for the Ethiopian Patriots, using Italian deserters and POWs to assist the anti-fascist Italians of the Savoia Regiment in training with armoured vehicles that were to be used in coming battles. The Savoia Armoured Regiment was the first Italian outfit under the command of the National Ethiopian Liberation Council to go into battle alongside the 6th Armenian Fedayi Brigade and 3rd Patriotic Division who would successfully capture Gondar, the defending Italians lacking in anti-armour capabilities. The Italian colonial administration, shocked that the Ethiopian resistance could use one of their advantages against them, cabled Rome for anti-tank guns and more tanks to be brought in to dominate the Ethiopian Patriots as they correctly guessed that the Patriots collected a small number of intact Italian tanks. The Battle of Gondar allowed for the establishment of the capital of Free Ethiopia that Ras Imru proclaimed, "The capture of Gondar will allow for us Patriots to come closer to liberating Ethiopia from the Italian grip and we shall then stretch our hands forth unto God!" to the cheers of Ethiopian Patriots that had fought in the Battle of Gondar.
(Italians of the Savoia Armoured Regiment waiting for orders from the NECL to advance in support of the 3rd Patriotic Division at Gondar, circa. 1938)
(The 1st Patriotic Division listens to Ras Imru speak after the Battle of Lalibela, circa. 1938)
- Revelation 5:5
In the weeks following Graziani's assassination and the Rape of Ethiopia, the Provisional Government put more focus on rebuilding the Ethiopian Patriot forces under their direct command and assisting refugees that had fled to the Ethiopian countryside in the hopes of the bands of guerrillas would provide them with safety. The Provisional Government also fed the flames of the Ethiopian people's anger against the Italian colonial administration and occupational forces as revolts flared up throughout Italian-held territories and the local Italian garrisons were overwhelmed by new guerrilla bands. The Provisional Government wasn't afraid to utilize the anger of the masses as a tool to further the cause, the eventual liberation of Ethiopia by the Ethiopian people as the territories and lands under the control of the NECL grew significantly as the Provisional Government came into control of entire provinces. The National Ethiopian Liberation Council established local civilian governments that represented the local people who could come to the NECL with their problems and other matters that the Provisional Government could assist with. The Ethiopian Patriotic Army was established under the NECL's command, numbering roughly 190,000 soldiers and growing as Ethiopians of all backgrounds enlisted in the hopes of opposing the Italian occupation and driving the Italians from Ethiopia so that the Ethiopian people may reclaim their lands for themselves. Scattered Patriots continued to be absorbed into the EPA as the sheer amount of Ethiopian Patriots continued to grow as it was at its peak in 1938 - around 500,000 Ethiopians had volunteered to join the Provisional Government but some would form their own organized committees to better coordinate the actions of local Ethiopian guerrillas. Political factions had been forming throughout Italian-occupied Ethiopia as the NECL promoted it in order to eventually absorb all the smaller organizations and their lands into what Ras Imru saw as a "Free Ethiopia", consisting of the northern and western regions of Ethiopia that were to be unified with their central and eastern counterparts. The Provisional Government planned to incite a series of revolts all along the border with Sudan as the beginning of the establishment of a Free Ethiopia as it begun focusing its forces around certain towns that it was planning to capture as it launched its first engagement - the Battle of Metemma, an Ethiopian victory as the Ethiopian Patriots used their superior numbers in men and weapons to overwhelm the Italian garrison. British officers and Sudanese Askaris watched as the Battle of Metemma raged on, a few Sudanese soldiers cheering on the Ethiopian Patriots, much to the distaste of their British officers.
(Ethiopian Patriots marching to capture Metemma, circa. 1938)
Support from the Provisional Government caused different organizations to emerge from the ashes of the havoc that Nasi had unleashed on Ethiopia, members of the European-educated intelligentsia were often those spearheading the creation of such factions and organizations. One example of a leader was Tekle Wolde Hawariat who had opposed the anti-fascist Italians joining the Ethiopian resistance and especially the spreading of their socialist ideologies as Tekle had abandoned monarchism in exchange for republicanism which was prominent in French-influenced Dire Dawa. Tekle Wolde Hawariat left the NECL with supporters amongst the political leadership and soldiers of the Provisional Government as he established the 1st Republican Patriot Battalion, at 751 strong and growing as he moved to the eastern regions where republican elements were growing and rising. The 1st Republican Patriot Battalion would grow with an influx of republican volunteers around Harar and Dire Dawa as the National Republican Committee was established with Tekle Wolde Hawariat and a group of European-educated republican Ethiopians supporting Tekle who planned to eventually take Harar in order to gain the support of Ethiopian Muslims. Another faction that was less prominent was the Socialist Party of Ethiopia, its political leadership consisting of a small group of more radical Italian and Ethiopian communists that broke away from Illio's Popular Front as they sought to establish a People's Republic of Ethiopia. They were followed by a total of 100 Ethiopian Patriots as a small number of soldiers following the Socialist Party of Ethiopia as the House of Solomon remained popular to the Ethiopian people as monarchism remained dominant among the peasantry and Ethiopian Patriots. Ras Imru continued to be popular as the de-facto Emperor and a war hero who had scored victories against the Italians during the 1935-36 Second Italo-Ethiopian War and the guerrilla war that the Ethiopian Patriotic Army was waging. A different form of monarchism had risen in Begemder where Lij Yohannes Iyasu, a prominent Ethiopian Patriot had become quite popular and successful in liberating the Begemder province as the de-facto leader of the Begemder Patriots. Lij Yohannes Iyasu was the son of Lij Iyasu V who was an Ethiopian Emperor after the death of Emperor Menelik II in 1913 and ruled until 1916 where his forces were defeated in the Battle of Segale by the soldiers of Fitawari Habte Giyorgis, Zawditu and Dejazmach Tafari Makonnen. Iyasu was forced to flee into the Ogaden as his father, Ras Mikael of Wollo surrendered but Iyasu was eventually captured and imprisoned to prevent a potential coup to overthrow Zawditu and later, Haile Selassie. Upon the move of the Ethiopian government to Gore, Haile Selassie ordered that his personal bodyguard execute him and his body was moved to the Begemder province, buried at a remote church in the mountains of the Begemder province where Lij Yohannes Iyasu made his base of operations. The son of the deposed Emperor made it quite clear to the representatives of the NECL that wasn't going to join them but the massacres following Graziani's assassination in 1937 convinced him that collaborating with the Provisional Government was better long-term wise. However, Yohannes had no intention of returning the throne to Haile Selassie or Ras Imru and planned to seize it from the exiled Emperor once liberation was near but for now, he would bide his time.
The Italian colonial administration observed the new political factions emerging in the aftermath of the Italian reprisal caused by Graziani's assassination and decided to establish their own factions to divide these different resistance factions in order to make the Ethiopian resistance more fractious. The National Fascist Party of Ethiopia was established under Ras Hailu Tekle Haimanot, consisting of intellectuals and pre-war government officials that were collaborating with the Italian colonial administration for one reason or another. Shortly after the formation of the Ethiopian Fascist Party, Princess Tenagnewarq would become the "Princess of Italian Ethiopia" and forced to marry Ras Hailu who soon adopted the title of "King of Shewa" as the Italians sought to decrease the prestige and influence of the Ethiopian Royal Family by placing a new puppet ruler on the throne. Her husband, Ras Desta Damtew was outraged at the Italians forcing his wife to marry a collaborator and had to be stopped from ordering the Provisional Government's forces to launch another attack on Addis Ababa without the consent of the National Ethiopian Liberation Council by his personal bodyguard. The Royal Ethiopian Army was established on March 1st of 1938, soldiers having been drawn from the Italian-held regions of northern, central and eastern Ethiopia but it was an overwhelmingly Tigrean-Amharic army under de-facto Italian command as Ras Getachew Abate was nominal head of the REA. The Italians purposefully refused any Oromos that volunteered to join but instead used these Oromo volunteers to establish the National Oromo Army under the command of Abba Jofir, an Oromo from the Galla-Sidamo province which the Italians created in attempting to rearrange Ethiopia's provinces in 1936-37 but they re-established the Tigrean province, placing under the control of Ras Haile Selassie Gugsa who was instituted as "King of Tigray". A similar committee and institution was created in the eastern and southern Somali regions of Ethiopia, the National Somali Liberation Army and the National Somali Liberation Front which was headed by Siad Barre who had served on the southern front of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and his particular tenacity saw him ending up leading a Somali Army based at Harar. The Italians made sure that none of these armies would be able to revolt against the Italians by subtly playing on divisions based on religion and regional clans but this would only weaken their performance in Italian pacification activities. The Imperial Tigrean Army was placed under the command of Gugsa who held some influence over Tigrean soldiers but the Italian Commander of all Force in Tigray, Amedeo Guillet was in effective control of the Imperial Tigrean Army.
(Royal Ethiopian Army troops are equipped with new Italian submachine guns, uniforms and helmets - circa. 1938)
(Soldiers of the 1st Colonial Ethiopian Cavalry Division are inspected by Amedeo Guillet, circa. 1938)
The National Ethiopian Liberation Council planned to capture the religious centers of Gondar and Lalibela, both of which were quite important to the Orthodox Christian population of Ethiopia which was the largest of the religious Ethiopian population. Ras Imru would be personally leading the 1st Patriotic Division into the battle for Lalibela whereas Ras Desta led the 3rd Patriotic Division into the battle for Gondar where the Provisional Government would establish the capital of Free Ethiopia, hoping that it would be significant as propaganda made by the Black Lions placed on emphasis on the Patriots capturing what had been their former capital in the times of Emperor Tewodros II. On March 10th of 1938, the Battle of Gondar begun with a surprise attack on Italian positions around Gondar with captured Italian mortars before the Patriotic forces were sent to launch themselves against the defenses of the Italians and attempt to break the line. Since March 3rd, the Provisional Government's troops had been constantly harassing and weakening the Italian garrison around Gondar as the Patriots concentrated their troops around Gondar to eventually surround it and prevent an Italo-Eritrean breakout. Meanwhile, the initial Ethiopian attack on Lalibela failed as the Ethiopian forces under Ras Imru were surprised at the amount of Italian and Royal Ethiopian soldiers guarding the religious center - a few monks had heard about rumors of an attack on Lalibela and informed the Italian colonial administration, hoping to avoid a massacre of the priests like the one that had happened at Debre Markos. The second attack on Lalibela was more successful as captured Italian artillery being utilized to bombard the Italo-Ethiopian positions, catching them off-guard as they hadn't expected the Patriots to know how to use their own artillery against them. The shelling was short but powerful in order to prevent the Italo-Ethiopian forces from recovering from the shock as the 1st Patriotic Division advanced rapidly, Ethiopian Patriots launching themselves forward to jump in the trenches surrounding Lalibela as it soon devolved into close-quarters combat. The Italo-Ethiopian forces had been encircled by the 4th Patriotic Division which was to prevent any successful Italian breakout and/or to stop any Italian attempts at relieving their fellow soldiers in Lalibela as the 1st Patriotic Division slowly gained the upper hand, its troops being quite experienced in hand-to-hand combat. The Royal Ethiopian troops fought with much more tenacious resistance than expected as they were well-aware of what was going to happen if they gave themselves up, surprising both the Italian commanders and Ethiopian Patriots. The Battle of Lalibela ended on March 12th, the defending Italo-Ethiopian forces being forced to surrender as their stocks of ammunition and supplies were low in comparison to the Ethiopian Patriots who were relatively well-equipped. Their prisoners consisted of a fairly small group of Italian privates, the Italian officers and colonial troops unwilling to surrender as they either committed suicide or chose to flee into the countryside in an attempt to make their ways back to other Italian-held areas.
Ras Desta's 3rd Patriotic Division was much more successful as the defending forces at Gondar had been gradually weakened and isolated from Addis Ababa, telephone lines cut and morale low from the constant crescendo of Ethiopian attacks that were wearing down the defending soldiers. The 3rd Patriotic Division moved in eagerly as they were aware of the importance of Gondar for not only a propaganda victory but it was also an important next step to the eventual liberation of Ethiopia, the 2nd Patriotic Battalion wiping out an entire Italian company as they brought a surprise for the Italian forces - the Savoia Armoured Regiment. The Provisional Government had been forcing the Savoia Armoured Regiment remain in the mountains of Gojjam where they trained as armour support for the Ethiopian Patriots, using Italian deserters and POWs to assist the anti-fascist Italians of the Savoia Regiment in training with armoured vehicles that were to be used in coming battles. The Savoia Armoured Regiment was the first Italian outfit under the command of the National Ethiopian Liberation Council to go into battle alongside the 6th Armenian Fedayi Brigade and 3rd Patriotic Division who would successfully capture Gondar, the defending Italians lacking in anti-armour capabilities. The Italian colonial administration, shocked that the Ethiopian resistance could use one of their advantages against them, cabled Rome for anti-tank guns and more tanks to be brought in to dominate the Ethiopian Patriots as they correctly guessed that the Patriots collected a small number of intact Italian tanks. The Battle of Gondar allowed for the establishment of the capital of Free Ethiopia that Ras Imru proclaimed, "The capture of Gondar will allow for us Patriots to come closer to liberating Ethiopia from the Italian grip and we shall then stretch our hands forth unto God!" to the cheers of Ethiopian Patriots that had fought in the Battle of Gondar.
(Italians of the Savoia Armoured Regiment waiting for orders from the NECL to advance in support of the 3rd Patriotic Division at Gondar, circa. 1938)
(The 1st Patriotic Division listens to Ras Imru speak after the Battle of Lalibela, circa. 1938)
How is the food situation in Free Ethiopia? Since there's lots of refugees and the chaos might be disrupting food production.
Though, I'm a little surprised Italy is doing so badly, given that the Entente is unwilling to sanction them. What % of the Italian army is in Ethiopia right now, and how willing is Mussolini to send more people to die there? If Italy commited to total war it's going to win through superior population and industry, but I don't know if Mussolini has enough political clout to do that.
Though, I'm a little surprised Italy is doing so badly, given that the Entente is unwilling to sanction them. What % of the Italian army is in Ethiopia right now, and how willing is Mussolini to send more people to die there? If Italy commited to total war it's going to win through superior population and industry, but I don't know if Mussolini has enough political clout to do that.
Oh yeah, it will - considering the fact that the Italians have sustained over 310,000 casualties since 1936, around 100,000 of those being Italian and 210,00 colonial. The US's views - a strategic ally.
The food situation is fairly fine as the Provisional Government has ordered for small agricultural centers to be established throughout Patriot-held territories and a substantial amount of these centers are in the mountains of northern and western Ethiopia, although delivering and distributing them amongst refugees and civilians is difficult. Food production is slowly increasing but it all depends on the seasons and what region the food is being produced in.
The Entente isn't allowing for the Italians to go completely unpunished with support going towards countries who are potential targets of Italian expansionism and they're only officially unwilling to sanction them but unofficially . . . The Italian occupational forces are now at 495,000 strong which is somewhat bolstered by the armies raised from the Ethiopian population but the Royal Italian Army is undergoing reformation and conscription. As for Mussolini's popularity, it's a bit at the OTL level amongst the civilians of Italy proper from the Spanish Civil War but lower among the Italian occupational forces - they're dealing with near constant attacks by independent Ethiopian Patriot bands. Also, it's not like the Italians haven't scored their own victories in the occupation - Shewa is slowly but steadily being pacified as the Shewan Patriots aren't that popular, the Italians sometimes successfully portraying them as the cause of their suffering (i.e. Graziani's assassination and the Rape of Ethiopia).
And Free Ethiopia liberates Gondar! That's a big propaganda win for the resistance - some of the Oromos in the Italian local armies might begin to second-guess their affiliations with Rome. Not to mention that it’s always nice to see the anti-fascist Italians getting some punches in against Benny's boys.
Please have Barre take a bullet to the head and spare Somalia the trouble
More constructively, if Siad and his Marehan/Ogaden Darod clansmen have thrown in on the side of Italy, Ethiopia paradoxically has just gotten itself a large crop of ready recruits. The Gadabursi clan (the second largest Somali clan in the Ogaden) not only has a history of serving as client soldiers and scouts for Imperial Ethiopia, they hate the Darod for pushing them out of their pasturelands during the colonial period. Maybe we'll see angry Gadabursi soldiers coming back for a round two with Italy and the Darod under the Ethiopian banner?
Please have Barre take a bullet to the head and spare Somalia the trouble
More constructively, if Siad and his Marehan/Ogaden Darod clansmen have thrown in on the side of Italy, Ethiopia paradoxically has just gotten itself a large crop of ready recruits. The Gadabursi clan (the second largest Somali clan in the Ogaden) not only has a history of serving as client soldiers and scouts for Imperial Ethiopia, they hate the Darod for pushing them out of their pasturelands during the colonial period. Maybe we'll see angry Gadabursi soldiers coming back for a round two with Italy and the Darod under the Ethiopian banner?
That's what my plan was! As for the Oromos, some are already thinking that maybe they're on the wrong side but many are loyal to the National Oromo Army and Italians which they've seen as better to the old Amharic regime that ruled over them and Italian propaganda has had a hand in this. Although, there are many Oromos in the Ethiopian Patriot and Free Ethiopia movement.And Free Ethiopia liberates Gondar! That's a big propaganda win for the resistance - some of the Oromos in the Italian local armies might begin to second-guess their affiliations with Rome. Not to mention that it’s always nice to see the anti-fascist Italians getting some punches in against Benny's boys.
Please have Barre take a bullet to the head and spare Somalia the trouble
More constructively, if Siad and his Marehan/Ogaden Darod clansmen have thrown in on the side of Italy, Ethiopia paradoxically has just gotten itself a large crop of ready recruits. The Gadabursi clan (the second largest Somali clan in the Ogaden) not only has a history of serving as client soldiers and scouts for Imperial Ethiopia, they hate the Darod for pushing them out of their pasturelands during the colonial period. Maybe we'll see angry Gadabursi soldiers coming back for a round two with Italy and the Darod under the Ethiopian banner?
I have plans for Barre and Somalia, don't worry!
Oh wow, I didn't know that! Very interesting, I'll be sure to include that within the TL!
HALF A MILLION Italian troops in ethiopia? That's nasty, even if they're tied town by guerrillas. OTOH, once a substantial portion of those start getting killed the population at home might start getting annoyed at all the incoming bodybags.
How many men does the Provisional Government have under arms?
How many men does the Provisional Government have under arms?
Haha, yep! There are some Italians who have seen what happened to Italian troops coming back from East Africa but Rome has forced them to stay quiet in order to prevent unrest.
The Provisional Government has around 350,000 men under arms, excluding independent bands and resistance organizations which make up around 100,000.
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Here are the different factions of Italian-occupied Ethiopia, if anyone wants to know:
- The Provisional Government/National Ethiopian Liberation Council - The royalist Ethiopian Patriot movement that was officially organized by Emperor Haile Selassie, Ras Imru and the Ethiopian government prior to leaving Ethiopia for exile abroad. It is currently the largest faction with 350,000 troops under arms in the Ethiopian Patriotic Army, both Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians fighting in the EPA.
- Illio Barontini's Popular Front - A Popular Front of anti-fascist Italians in Ethiopia who are quite diverse in terms of positions on the political spectrum, having under 2,500 Italians and Eritreans under arms.
- The National Republican Committee - A Republican Ethiopian movement prominent in eastern Ethiopia and under the command of Tekle Wolde Hawariat, consisting of Ethiopian partisans disillusioned with the Ethiopian Royal Family and turning towards French-style republicanism. Currently has 20,000 men under arms in the Republican Ethiopian Army, managing to liberate sizeable amounts of territory near the border with French Somaliland and has attempted to take Harar several times, with no success.
- The Socialist Party of Ethiopia - A socialist-communist movement of Italians and Ethiopians who wish to establish a People's Republic of Ethiopia, receiving little support from the Ethiopian population and has roughly one thousand troops under arms in the Ethiopian People's Liberation Army.
- The National Fascist Party of Ethiopia - An artificial Italian-style puppet organization that functions as puppets ruling from Addis Ababa under the Italian colonial administration, the Royal Ethiopian Army with 50,000 men under arms and (nominal) command of Ras Getachew Abate.
- Patriotic Liberation Movement - Another royalist Ethiopian resistance movement under the command of Lij Yohannes Iyasu and in control of the entire Begemdir province, 10,000 men under arms.
- National Oromo Liberation Movement - An ethnic Oromo-based movement under the command of Ras Abba Jafir with 5,000 Oromos under arms and garrisoning the Galla-Sidamo province alongside Italian colonial forces from Somalia, having more autonomy than many groups in Italian-occupied Ethiopia.
- National Somali Liberation Front - An ethnic-Somali based movement that promotes Somali nationalism, under the command of Siad Barre who stresses the establishment of a Greater Somalia under an Italian protectorate. Controls the National Somali Liberation Army which has roughly 10,000 men under arms.
- Imperial Tigrean Army - A Tigrean-Amharic army under the command of Haile Selassie Gugsa and Amedeo Guillet, with 10,000 men under arms.
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Donald Reaver
Donor
What is the total strength of the Italian army in this world, and what percentages are based where?
If you mean the Royal Italian Army in Ethiopia, there's around 495,000 men ATL and I'm increasing the amount of men brought in from the increased activities of the Provisional Government when compared to OTL - IOTL, there were around 371,000 soldiers occupying Ethiopia during the East African Campaign.
Donald Reaver
Donor
Was rather looking at the total men under arms in the Italian army, in Ethiopia, Libya, Italy itself and anywhere else they may have troops. i.e. Italians themselves not auxiliaries and the percentage of those troops where they are based. What is the percentage of the Italian Army fighting in Ethiopia.
There's around 190,000 Italians under arms in the Royal Italian Army - 155,000 in Ethiopia, 20,000 in Libya, 10,000 in Somalia and 5,000 in Eritrea by 1938.
Donald Reaver
Donor
Not dragging Germany into Greece or North Africa will have a major effect on W.W. II if it still goes the same way.