Military history of Ethiopia
Encyclopedia
The Military history of Ethiopia dates back to the formation of the modern nation in 980 BC. Ethiopia
has been involved in most major conflicts in the African region.
(Abyssinia). Unlike most of Africa, Ethiopia was able to avoid being conquered by the European powers. In 1895, Italian armed forces invaded Ethiopia from Eritrea
. But, because Ethiopia had established a modern army and broke ethnic barriers to unite, the Italian forces were decisively defeated within a year at the Battle of Adwa. Special role for this purpose was played by the Russian military advisers and volunteers of Menylik's army. So Little Leontiev's command of the Russian volunteers and advisers could be the direct participants of battle near Adwa in composition the Ethiopian army (less than fifty).
1899-1902. The Ethiopian army became more effective by what Britannic colonial forces. The numerous expeditions of Ethiopian forces stopped colonial expansion.
As could to write the Alexander Bulatovich
(one of the Russian military advisers and participant of expedition of legendary army of Ras Wolde Giyorgis) - "Many consider the Abyssinian army to be undisciplined. They think that it is not in condition to withstand a serious fight with a well-organized European army, claiming that the recent war with Italy doesn't prove anything.
I will not begin to guess the future, and will say only this. Over the course of four months, I watched this army closely. It is unique in the world. And I can bear witness to the fact that it is not quite so chaotic as it seems at first glance, and that on the contrary, it is profoundly disciplined, though in its own unique way. For every Abyssinian, war is the most usual business, and military skills and rules of army life in the field enter in the flesh and blood of each of them, just as do the main principles of tactics. On the march, each soldier knows how to arrange necessary comforts for himself and to spare his strength; but on the other hand, when necessary, he shows such endurance and is capable of action in conditions which are difficult even to imagine.
You see remarkable expediency in all the actions and skills of this army; and each soldier has an amazingly intelligent attitude toward managing the mission of the battle.
Despite such qualities, because of its impetuousness, it is much more difficult to control this army than a well-drilled European army, and I can only marvel at and admire the skill of its leaders and chiefs, of whom is is no shortage."
In obedience to the agreement with Russia and the order of Menelik II, First Ethiopian officers had begin to trained at the First Russian cadet school at 1901. 30-40 Ethiopian officers could to had military teaching at Russia for period 1901-1913, they could to had Russian Higher military education. So Tekle Hawariat Tekle Mariyam
was one of them.
Haile Selassie I returned to what was now called Italian East Africa
. With the help of the British and the Congolese
Force Publique
, the Emperor led an uprising to drive the Italian Army from his country.
Indeed, when Italy entered World War II, Ethiopia was still under Italian occupation as part of Italian East Africa. However, even after the Italian invasion, some areas of the country remained under the control of Ethiopian armed resistance groups called "Arbengoch": according to some Ethiopian historians, approximately in 1/4 of the country there was never effective Italian control.
Indeed, the liberation of Ethiopia started in early 1941 during the East African Campaign
.
After some initial Italian offensive actions in 1940 (conquest of Kassala
in Sudan and British Somalia), British and Commonwealth forces launched attacks from the Sudan
and from Kenya
. Emperor Haile Selassie joined the resistance groups and on 5 May 1941, the Emperor re-entered Addis Ababa
, five years to the day from when he was forced to flee. By the end of November, organized Italian resistance in East Africa
ended with the fall of Gondar
.
However Italians maintained a guerrilla war
, mainly in northern Ethiopia, until september 1943.
to aid South Korea
. The troops were known as the Kagnew Battalion
under the command of General Mulugueta Bulli. It was attached to the American 7th Infantry Division, and fought in a number of engagements including the Battle of Pork Chop Hill
. 121 were killed and 536 wounded during the Korean War
.
a military coup overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie and declared Ethiopia a republic. Between 1974 and 1984 a communist military junta called Derg
ruled.
invaded the Ogaden
region and starting the Ogaden War
. Fighting erupted as Somalia attempted a temporary shift in the regional balance of power in their favour by occupying the Ogaden region. The Soviet Union
switched from supplying Somalia to supporting Ethiopia, which had previously been backed by the United States. The war ended when Somali forces retreated back across the border and a truce was declared. Ethiopia was able to defeat the Somali forces with the aid of the USSR, Cuba
, and South Yemen. This was the first conflict in which the Mi-24 was used.
was a 17 year conflict between the Derg government backed by the USSR against anti-communist rebels backed by the United States
. The conflict ended in 1991 with the Derg government defeated and out of power along with Eritrea gaining independence. The Eritrean insurgence that began in 1961 was helped by a nationwide Ethiopian guerrilla campaign of OLF
, TPLF and ONLF against the Ethiopian Derg government. At the end of the Civil war, with the Eritrean and Ethiopian victory over the Derg government, Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1991 following a referendum.
was a border clash that took place from May 1998 to June 2000. On May 8, a platoon of Eritreans soldier deployed into Badme region.
Fighting escalated to artillery and tank fire leading to four weeks of intense fighting. Ground troops fought on three fronts. Eritrea claims Ethiopia launched air strikes against Eritrea's capital Asmara while Ethiopia accused Eritrea of striking first. The fighting led to massive internal displacement in both countries as civilians fled the war zone.
The conflict ended in stalemate and deployment of UNMEE
.
in the ongoing Somali Civil War
. ENDF deployed troops in the northern region to aid the TFG and in the southern region with support from the United States Fifth Fleet. By January 2007 Ethiopian forces were about 200,000 troops. On November 2008 Ethiopia announced that they would be removing their troops, and all Ethiopian forces had left the country by January 15, 2009.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
has been involved in most major conflicts in the African region.
First Italo-Abyssinian War
From 1895 to 1896, the First Italian-Abyssinian War was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ethiopian EmpireEthiopian Empire
The Ethiopian Empire also known as Abyssinia, covered a geographical area that the present-day northern half of Ethiopia and Eritrea covers, and included in its peripheries Zeila, Djibouti, Yemen and Western Saudi Arabia...
(Abyssinia). Unlike most of Africa, Ethiopia was able to avoid being conquered by the European powers. In 1895, Italian armed forces invaded Ethiopia from Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
. But, because Ethiopia had established a modern army and broke ethnic barriers to unite, the Italian forces were decisively defeated within a year at the Battle of Adwa. Special role for this purpose was played by the Russian military advisers and volunteers of Menylik's army. So Little Leontiev's command of the Russian volunteers and advisers could be the direct participants of battle near Adwa in composition the Ethiopian army (less than fifty).
Boundary confrontation ("cold" war) against the Britannic colonialists 1896-1899
After successful colonial capture for the Sudan, Kenya and Uganda, could to started the new pressure of Britannic forces against Ethiopia, which made off only after the beginning of The Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
1899-1902. The Ethiopian army became more effective by what Britannic colonial forces. The numerous expeditions of Ethiopian forces stopped colonial expansion.
As could to write the Alexander Bulatovich
Alexander Bulatovich
Alexander Ksaverievich Bulatovich tonsured Father Antony was a Russian military officer, explorer of Africa, writer, hieromonk and the leader of imiaslavie movement in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.-Biography:...
(one of the Russian military advisers and participant of expedition of legendary army of Ras Wolde Giyorgis) - "Many consider the Abyssinian army to be undisciplined. They think that it is not in condition to withstand a serious fight with a well-organized European army, claiming that the recent war with Italy doesn't prove anything.
I will not begin to guess the future, and will say only this. Over the course of four months, I watched this army closely. It is unique in the world. And I can bear witness to the fact that it is not quite so chaotic as it seems at first glance, and that on the contrary, it is profoundly disciplined, though in its own unique way. For every Abyssinian, war is the most usual business, and military skills and rules of army life in the field enter in the flesh and blood of each of them, just as do the main principles of tactics. On the march, each soldier knows how to arrange necessary comforts for himself and to spare his strength; but on the other hand, when necessary, he shows such endurance and is capable of action in conditions which are difficult even to imagine.
You see remarkable expediency in all the actions and skills of this army; and each soldier has an amazingly intelligent attitude toward managing the mission of the battle.
Despite such qualities, because of its impetuousness, it is much more difficult to control this army than a well-drilled European army, and I can only marvel at and admire the skill of its leaders and chiefs, of whom is is no shortage."
In obedience to the agreement with Russia and the order of Menelik II, First Ethiopian officers had begin to trained at the First Russian cadet school at 1901. 30-40 Ethiopian officers could to had military teaching at Russia for period 1901-1913, they could to had Russian Higher military education. So Tekle Hawariat Tekle Mariyam
Tekle Hawariat Tekle Mariyam
Tekle Hawariat Tekle Mariyam was an Ethiopian politician and intellectual of russophile. He was the primary author of Ethiopia's July 16, 1931 constitution, which was influenced by the Japanese Meiji Constitution.- Life :Bahru Zewde includes Tekle Hawariat in the first generation of Ethiopians...
was one of them.
World War II
In 1941, after years of occupation, EmperorEmperor of Ethiopia
The Emperor of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974. The Emperor was the head of state and head of government, with ultimate executive, judicial and legislative power in that country...
Haile Selassie I returned to what was now called Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
. With the help of the British and the Congolese
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
Force Publique
Force Publique
The Force Publique , French for "Public Force", was both a gendarmerie and a military force in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1885, , through the period of direct Belgian colonial rule...
, the Emperor led an uprising to drive the Italian Army from his country.
Indeed, when Italy entered World War II, Ethiopia was still under Italian occupation as part of Italian East Africa. However, even after the Italian invasion, some areas of the country remained under the control of Ethiopian armed resistance groups called "Arbengoch": according to some Ethiopian historians, approximately in 1/4 of the country there was never effective Italian control.
Indeed, the liberation of Ethiopia started in early 1941 during the East African Campaign
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
.
After some initial Italian offensive actions in 1940 (conquest of Kassala
Kassala
Kassala is the capital of the state of Kassala in eastern Sudan. Its 2008 population was recorded to be 419,030. It is a market town and is famous for its fruit gardens. It was formerly a railroad hub, however, as of 2006 there was no operational railway station in Kassala and much of the track...
in Sudan and British Somalia), British and Commonwealth forces launched attacks from the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and from Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Emperor Haile Selassie joined the resistance groups and on 5 May 1941, the Emperor re-entered Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, five years to the day from when he was forced to flee. By the end of November, organized Italian resistance in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
ended with the fall of Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
.
However Italians maintained a guerrilla war
Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia
The Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia was as an armed struggle fought from the summer of 1941 to the autumn of 1943 by remnants of Italian troops in Italian East Africa, following the Italian defeat during the East African Campaign of World War II.-History:...
, mainly in northern Ethiopia, until september 1943.
Korean War
Ethiopia sent 1,271 - 3,518 troops as part of the United Nation ForcesUnited Nations Command (Korea)
The United Nations Command is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea during and after the Korean War...
to aid South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The troops were known as the Kagnew Battalion
Kagnew Battalion
The Kagnew Battalions were three successive battalions drawn from the 1st Division Imperial Bodyguard sent by Emperor Haile SelassieI between June 1951 and April 1954 as part of the United Nations forces in the Korean War....
under the command of General Mulugueta Bulli. It was attached to the American 7th Infantry Division, and fought in a number of engagements including the Battle of Pork Chop Hill
Battle of Pork Chop Hill
The Battle of Pork Chop Hill comprises a pair of related Korean War infantry battles during the spring and summer of 1953. These were fought while the U.S. and the Communist Chinese and Koreans negotiated an armistice. In the U.S., they were controversial because of the many soldiers killed for...
. 121 were killed and 536 wounded during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Derg Rule
In 19741974 in Ethiopia
-Events:* 12 January - Rank-and-file soldiers of the Negele Boran garrison mutiny over bad food and lack of drinking water. They seize the Emperor's personal envoy, Lt. Gen...
a military coup overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie and declared Ethiopia a republic. Between 1974 and 1984 a communist military junta called Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
ruled.
Ogaden War
SomaliaSomalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
invaded the Ogaden
Ogaden
Ogaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
region and starting the Ogaden War
Ogaden War
The Ogaden War was a conventional conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia in 1977 and 1978 over the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. In a notable illustration of the nature of Cold War alliances, the Soviet Union switched from supplying aid to Somalia to supporting Ethiopia, which had previously been...
. Fighting erupted as Somalia attempted a temporary shift in the regional balance of power in their favour by occupying the Ogaden region. The Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
switched from supplying Somalia to supporting Ethiopia, which had previously been backed by the United States. The war ended when Somali forces retreated back across the border and a truce was declared. Ethiopia was able to defeat the Somali forces with the aid of the USSR, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, and South Yemen. This was the first conflict in which the Mi-24 was used.
Ethiopian Civil War
The Ethiopian Civil WarEthiopian Civil War
The Ethiopian Civil War began on September 12, 1974 when the Marxist Derg staged a coup d'état against Emperor Haile Selassie, and lasted until the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front , a coalition of rebel groups, overthrew the government in 1991. The war overlapped other Cold War...
was a 17 year conflict between the Derg government backed by the USSR against anti-communist rebels backed by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The conflict ended in 1991 with the Derg government defeated and out of power along with Eritrea gaining independence. The Eritrean insurgence that began in 1961 was helped by a nationwide Ethiopian guerrilla campaign of OLF
Oromo Liberation Front
The Oromo Liberation Front , or OLF, is an organization established in 1973 by Oromo nationalists to promote self-determination for the Oromo people against what they call "Abyssinian colonial rule". It has been outlawed and labeled as a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian government...
, TPLF and ONLF against the Ethiopian Derg government. At the end of the Civil war, with the Eritrean and Ethiopian victory over the Derg government, Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1991 following a referendum.
Eritrean-Ethiopian War
The Eritrean-Ethiopian WarEritrean-Ethiopian War
The Eritrean–Ethiopian War took place from May 1998 to June 2000 between Ethiopia and Eritrea, forming one of the conflicts in the Horn of Africa...
was a border clash that took place from May 1998 to June 2000. On May 8, a platoon of Eritreans soldier deployed into Badme region.
Fighting escalated to artillery and tank fire leading to four weeks of intense fighting. Ground troops fought on three fronts. Eritrea claims Ethiopia launched air strikes against Eritrea's capital Asmara while Ethiopia accused Eritrea of striking first. The fighting led to massive internal displacement in both countries as civilians fled the war zone.
The conflict ended in stalemate and deployment of UNMEE
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea was established by the United Nations Security Council in July 2000 to monitor a ceasefire in the border war that began in 1998 between Ethiopia and Eritrea....
.
War in Somalia
In 2006 Ethiopia deployed troops to aid the TFGTransitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
in the ongoing Somali Civil War
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
. ENDF deployed troops in the northern region to aid the TFG and in the southern region with support from the United States Fifth Fleet. By January 2007 Ethiopian forces were about 200,000 troops. On November 2008 Ethiopia announced that they would be removing their troops, and all Ethiopian forces had left the country by January 15, 2009.
See also
- African military systems to 1800African military systems to 1800African military systems to 1800 refers to the evolution of military systems on the African continent prior to 1800, with emphasis on the role of indigenous states and peoples. Development of the military art generally moved from the simple to the more sophisticated as economies and cultures became...
- African military systems (1800-1900)
- African military systems after 1900African military systems after 1900As the 20th century started, most of Africa, with the exception of Ethiopia and Liberia was under colonial rule. By the 1980s, most nations were independent...
- Ethiopian National Defense Force
- Ethiopian Air ForceEthiopian Air ForceThe Ethiopian Air Force is the air arm of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and is tasked with protecting the air space, providing support to the ground forces as well as assisting during national emergencies.- Early years :...
- Ethiopian NavyEthiopian NavyThe Ethiopian Navy was a branch of the Ethiopian National Defense Force that existed from 1955 until 1991. It was disestablished after the independence of Eritrea, which left Ethiopia landlocked.-Founding of the navy:...