[SaS TrooP]

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WALWAL INCIDENT 12/34

This one covers an important incident that occured between Italy and Ethiopia in late 1934. This incident at Walwal - or Ueluel - was direct cause of the Italo-Abbisinian war that erupted a few months later.

There is no Ethiopian OOB, so I had some fun recreating them from scratch

Here's the detailed description:

Walwal (Ueluel) Incident*
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Date: November-December 1934*
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Location: Walwal (Italian: Ueluel), near Werder, modern day south-eastern Ethiopia*
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Type: Ethiopian (green) advance vs. Italian delay*
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Starting from 1928, Italian-Ethiopian relations began to deteriorate. The Italians, rather than to seek economic cooperation and fulfillment of mutual needs, directed themselves towards a more hostile approach with Ethiopia. A number of actions were undertaken, mostly aiming for weakening or the deposition of the ruling Emperor Tafari Makonnen, widely known under his imperial name Haile Sellassie I.**

It must be clearly noted though that the Italians did not seek war with Ethiopia at first. They aimed rather at turning it into its puppet state with an influx of financial and weapon support for the Emperor's enemies. Things changed after the Walwal Incident of December 1934.**

Walwal was back then a small fort within the borders of Italian Somalia. It was located about 15km from the larger fort of Warder. The significance of Walwal was in what it protected - a chain of about 50 wells and other water sources, able to supply the entire region in water. This area was seen by the Ethiopians as their own, even though Walwal was clearly put under Italian rule in accordance with the Italo-Ethiopian treaties of borders and friendship. In 1934, the British border commission was assigned to the Ethiopians and the latter started to locally contest the Italian control of the border region of Somalia and Ethiopia.**

The incident started to build up in late November of 1934. Negus (Prince) of Gondar province, Gabre Mariam, gathered a significant force of warriors close to Walwal and put pressure on the Italian garisson. The village was manned by Bandi (equivalent to a company) of so called Dubati, the Somali Askari - or local troops - from Ogaden province. Rather than retreat, the Dubati chose to inform both the stronger fort of Warder and the Mogadishu provincial headquarters of likely impending conflict. The Italians responded swiftly and soon poured more Dubati into Walwal with more colonial troops, including armour, rallied in Warder.**

Both sides continued the build-up until early December 1934. Gabre Marian gathered about 1500 warriors equipped with more or less modern rifles, as well as 6 machineguns supplied by the British and one or two field guns, most likely of Dutch origin. The Italians kept about 400 Dubati in the area and additional force in reserve in Warder.**

The fighting erupted on 5th of December 1934. The Ethiopians descended upon Dubati troops, who immediately called for help. Captain Cimmarutta, responsible for the defensive effort, soon organized the column of colonial troops supported by a few Ro.1 light aircraft that strafed Ethiopian lines causing panic (some of the troops saw a flying machines for the first time), as well as a couple of tankettes and armoured cars.**

Historically, the Dubati held firm, the advantage in weapons and reconnaissance gave the Italians a clear victory against numerically superior enemy. Gabre Mariam's forces soon routed in panic and the Italians overran the Ethiopian camps causing dozens of casualties to the Ethiopians.**

Yet, even though the Ethiopians were clearly the cause of the incident, the Italians were deemed responsible. In return, the Ueluel incident was the direct reason for Mussolini to order the military conquest of Ethiopia. A few months later, the African country would be invaded and occupied after a swift Italian victory. Occupation lasted till early summer 1941, when the entirety of Ethiopia was liberated by the Allies during so called East African Campaign.**

When playing against the AI, Player should take Italian side.
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NOTE: Ethiopians do not exist in game OOB. They were recreated as carefully as possible from the "green" army.
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Design: Marcin "SaS TrooP" Kaluza*
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Sources: Various internet sources, also worth to mention the website wojna-mussoliniego.pl