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Description
After the battle of Adowa in 1896 Italian forces entered Addis Ababa, ending not only the reign of Menelik II but also de-facto ethiopian independence. The results of the war opened the door to an united Horn of Africa as an Italian colony, which was the main goal of the Kingdom of italy in the years to come. In 1903 a railway connecting Mogadischu to Asmara was built solidifying Italian control in the region. In 1905 the various territories and protectorates in the region were merged in the General-governatorate of Easter Africa, the capital was initially Asmara, that housed a significant (and wealthy) Italian minority, but was later moved to Addis Ababa. Italy seemed to have finally achieved his place in the sun, however, under the veneer of a model colony, Eastern Africa was barely controlled by Italy, outside of the main cities local chiefs still held control. The colony was costly and fruitless, there was widespread corruption in the army, all of this contributed to the outbreak of the Ethiopian war of 1912. The revolt started unorganized in the northern part of Somalia, but quickly spread to most of Eastern Africa, colonial authorities initially underestimated the treath, serious actions were taken only after the interruption of the railway connecting Addis Ababa to Asmara. The Italian Army dispatched in Eastern Africa was overreliant on indigenous conscripts, that frequently deserted in favor of rebel forces. By mid-1914 Italy managed to retain only Eritrea and the area surrounding Addis Ababa, even Somalia after much fighting was lost, italian forces, planning a delusional counter-offensive, fought brutally against indigenous forces, retalieting at the expense of civilians and introducing chemical weapons in combat. On September 4th 1914 after a brief insurrection in Assab 22 000 people were killed by the Italian army during the repression, what was later known as the "Assab massacre" brougth the war in East Africa under the eyes of the world. The brutality of the Italian government in the region, that had been long known, was now demeed unacceptable, even by other colonial power, such as France and Britain. Fourteen countries signed a petition demanding unilateral Italian retreat from the region, the Italian government, denounced as incompetent and humiliated, complied to these demands. A conference was organized in Paris in order to doscuss the rearrengement of the Horn of Africa, in the end Somalia and Ethiopia achieved independence, Eritrea on the other hand became a British protectorate. Local Italian-speaking elites in fact pressured the british governement to occupy the region and protect their interest, the demand that the government in London joyfully welcomed. Eritrea, when a signifacant amount of British settler moved to the region, became a Dominion in everything but name. The failure in Eastern Africa is now recognized as one of the leading factor to successive Italian isolationism and nationalism, it is debated however how much it influenced Italo-German relationship, the German government in fact maintained a neutral stance on the Ethiopian war.

Description
After the battle of Adowa in 1896 Italian forces entered Addis Ababa, ending not only the reign of Menelik II but also de-facto ethiopian independence. The results of the war opened the door to an united Horn of Africa as an Italian colony, which was the main goal of the Kingdom of italy in the years to come. In 1903 a railway connecting Mogadischu to Asmara was built solidifying Italian control in the region. In 1905 the various territories and protectorates in the region were merged in the General-governatorate of Easter Africa, the capital was initially Asmara, that housed a significant (and wealthy) Italian minority, but was later moved to Addis Ababa. Italy seemed to have finally achieved his place in the sun, however, under the veneer of a model colony, Eastern Africa was barely controlled by Italy, outside of the main cities local chiefs still held control. The colony was costly and fruitless, there was widespread corruption in the army, all of this contributed to the outbreak of the Ethiopian war of 1912. The revolt started unorganized in the northern part of Somalia, but quickly spread to most of Eastern Africa, colonial authorities initially underestimated the treath, serious actions were taken only after the interruption of the railway connecting Addis Ababa to Asmara. The Italian Army dispatched in Eastern Africa was overreliant on indigenous conscripts, that frequently deserted in favor of rebel forces. By mid-1914 Italy managed to retain only Eritrea and the area surrounding Addis Ababa, even Somalia after much fighting was lost, italian forces, planning a delusional counter-offensive, fought brutally against indigenous forces, retalieting at the expense of civilians and introducing chemical weapons in combat. On September 4th 1914 after a brief insurrection in Assab 22 000 people were killed by the Italian army during the repression, what was later known as the "Assab massacre" brougth the war in East Africa under the eyes of the world. The brutality of the Italian government in the region, that had been long known, was now demeed unacceptable, even by other colonial power, such as France and Britain. Fourteen countries signed a petition demanding unilateral Italian retreat from the region, the Italian government, denounced as incompetent and humiliated, complied to these demands. A conference was organized in Paris in order to doscuss the rearrengement of the Horn of Africa, in the end Somalia and Ethiopia achieved independence, Eritrea on the other hand became a British protectorate. Local Italian-speaking elites in fact pressured the british governement to occupy the region and protect their interest, the demand that the government in London joyfully welcomed. Eritrea, when a signifacant amount of British settler moved to the region, became a Dominion in everything but name. The failure in Eastern Africa is now recognized as one of the leading factor to successive Italian isolationism and nationalism, it is debated however how much it influenced Italo-German relationship, the German government in fact maintained a neutral stance on the Ethiopian war.