Italy Ethiopia

Chemical weapons are not a new method of warfare, they have been in recorded use since about 2000 BC. However, science and technology have refined these weapons and now their potential is awesome. It was the rise of the modern chemical industry at the end of the nineteenth century that first made feasible the use of significant quantities of toxic chemicals on large-scale battlefields and, indeed, chemical weapons were first used on a significant scale by both sides in the First World War. They were then used immediately after the war by Britain in Iraq (1920), and Spain in Morocco (1921). They were also used by Italy during its invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935-1936, Japan during its war against China in 1937-1943, and by the United States in Vietnam... 

In May 1936 the Italian Army completely routed the Ethiopian Army and, indeed, Italy controlled most of Ethiopia until 1941 when the British and other Allied troops re-conquered the country. Major Norman E. Fiske, an observer with the Italian Army, commented with regard to the role of chemical warfare that the Italians were clearly superior and victory for them was assured no matter what. According to Fiske, the use of chemical weapons was, however, nothing more than an experiment. 

Unfortunately, CWAs have been used, or are thought to have been used, in a number of major conflicts in the twentieth century. Instances of CWA use include (1) extensive use in WWl, (2) use by Italy against Ethiopia (Abyssinia), (3) use in the Sino-Japanese War, (4) relatively wefl-smdied use in the Iran-Iraq conflict, and (5) the Matsumoto/Tokyo terrorist incidents. The mihtary effectiveness of these weapons is questionable however, their psychological value appears significant (Spies, 1986). We briefly discuss the information derived from each of the above instances. 

Not surprisingly then, the Geneva Protocol did not act as a deterrent for one state party - Italy - and one signatory state - Japan - to use CW as a means of warfare in the mid- to late-1930s. Italy invaded Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) in October 1935 and before the end of the year tear gas grenades were used by Italian troops. These were replaced first by mustard-filled grenades and later on in the war spray-tanks mounted to planes were used to disseminate the chemical warfare agents.15 Likewise, the Imperial Japanese Army used CW in occupied Manchuria. As one account sums up ... 

The first major use of chemical weapons after World War I came in 1935 during the Italian-Ethiopian War. On 3 October 1935, Benito Mussolini launched an invasion of Ethiopia from its neighbors Eritrea, an Italian colony, and Italian Somaliland. Ethiopia protested the invasion to the League of Nations, which in turn imposed limited economic sanctions against Italy. These sanctions, although not crippling, put a deadline pressure on Italy to either win the war or withdraw. 

The initial Italian offensive from Eritrea was not pursued with the proper vigor in Mussolini s opinion, and the Italian commander was replaced. The new commander, Marshal Pietro Badoglio, was ordered to finish the war quickly. He resorted to chemical weapons to defeat the Ethiopian troops led by Emperor Haile Selassie. Despite the Geneva Protocol of 1925, which Italy had ratified in 1928 (and Ethiopia in 1935), the Italians dropped mustard bombs and occasionally sprayed it from airplane tanks. They also used mustard agent in powder form as a dusty agent to burn the unprotected feet of the Ethiopians. There were also rumors of phosgene and chloropicrin attacks, but these were never verified. 

By May 1936, Italy s army completely routed the Ethiopian army. Italy controlled most of Ethiopia until 1941 when British and other allied troops reconquered the country. 

On October 3,1935, the dictator of Italy, Benito Mussolini, invaded Abyssinia (modern Ethiopia). Heavily outgunned and ill-equipped to fight a modern war, Ethiopian forces put up a valiant, guerrilla-style struggle in their defense. In an attempt to achieve quick victory, Mussolini s army utilized chemical weapons during this brief conflict. Events that took place 20 years prior to this war had much to do with Italy s decision to use such weapons. 

In an evaluation of the war in Ethiopia, Major General Sir Henry F. Thuiller, former director of the AUied Gas Services in World War I, and J. F. C. Fuller, the English military theorist, agreed that mustard was an effective tool used by Italy to achieve quick victory. Furthermore,... 

Diplomatic circles were quite severe in their recrimination of Italian CW in Ethiopia. The League of Nations initiated an embargo on Italy, excepting oil and steel. Moved by the Ethiopian example, British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden spoke about it before the League of Nations in 1936 ... 

---