The Italo-Ethiopian crisis refers to the tensions and eventual conflict between Italy and Ethiopia in the 1930s, culminating in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. There were several factors that contributed to the rise of this crisis:
1. Italian imperial ambitions: Italy had long sought to establish an empire in Africa to rival those of other European powers. Ethiopia was one of the few African countries that had successfully resisted European colonization, and Italy saw an opportunity to expand its territory and influence in the region.
2. The Walwal incident: In 1934, a skirmish broke out between Italian and Ethiopian troops near the town of Walwal, located on the border between Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland. Italy used this incident as a pretext to launch a full-scale invasion of Ethiopia, claiming that Ethiopia had violated the Italo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1928.
3. League of Nations response: The League of Nations, the international organization established to promote peace and security, failed to effectively address the crisis. Despite Ethiopia's appeals for help, the League was unable to take decisive action against Italy due to the lack of support from major powers such as Britain and France.
4. Mussolini's expansionist policies: Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was determined to assert Italy's power on the world stage and saw the conquest of Ethiopia as a way to boost his popularity at home and enhance Italy's prestige abroad. Mussolini's aggressive and expansionist policies contributed to the escalation of tensions between Italy and Ethiopia.
Overall, the Italo-Ethiopian crisis was fueled by a combination of Italian imperial ambitions, the Walwal incident, the failure of the League of Nations to intervene effectively, and Mussolini's aggressive policies. These factors ultimately led to the outbreak of war between Italy and Ethiopia in 1935.