From Early Colonialism to the Threshold of the XX Century
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Prof.Prof. BrunoBruno PierriPierri HistoryHistory ofof ItalianItalian ForeignForeign PolicyPolicy TheThe KingdomKingdom ofof ItalyItaly’’ss ForeignForeign PolicyPolicy:: FromFrom EarlyEarly ColonialismColonialism toto thethe thresholdthreshold ofof thethe XXXX centurycentury FebruaryFebruary 19th,19th, 20142014 DogaliDogali ► Western plateau formally part of Ethiopian Empire ► Ethiopian Empire based on feudal structure : several local sovereigns (ras) only formally subjugated to Emperor (Negus), bound to give him tribute and support in case of war ► Negus had not opposed occupation of Massawa , but later he protested when italian occupied villages of Saati and Uaa , nominally under Egyptian sovereignty , but for a long time controlled by Ethiopia ► Robilant started diplomatic contacts with Negus, but afterwards he opted for military solution ► 26.01.1887 Italian troops ambushed (to attack someone by surprise from a hidden place ) ► The defeat led to protests towards Govt ’s colonial policy , obliging both Robilant and Depretis to resign CrispiCrispi ► RevolutionaryRevolutionary moodmood andand ferventfervent patriotismpatriotism ► PolicyPolicy ofof powerpower andand civilizationcivilization missionmission ► AdmirerAdmirer ofof BismarckBismarck andand rivalrival ofof FranceFrance -- MediterraneanMediterranean expansionexpansion ► AustriaAustria asas aa strongholdstronghold againstagainst RussianRussian expansionismexpansionism andand SlavSlav hegemonyhegemony onon AdriaticAdriatic –– BalkanBalkan policypolicy MilitaryMilitary CollaborationsCollaborations ►► ItaloItalo--AustriaAustria collaborationcollaboration inin casecase ofof AustroAustro--RussianRussian warwar ►► ItaloItalo--GermanGerman collaborationcollaboration ((ItalianItalian troopstroops toto sendsend inin toto thethe RhineRhine area)area) inin casecase ofof FrancoFranco--GermanGerman warwar TreatyTreaty ofof WuchaleWuchale ► CrispiCrispi carriedcarried onon militarymilitary operationsoperations inin Eritrea,Eritrea, sendingsending inin expeditionaryexpeditionary corpcorp ofof 20,00020,000 menmen,, whichwhich reoccupiedreoccupied SaatiSaati ► CommandersCommanders onon thethe spotspot decideddecided toto dealdeal withwith locallocal RasRas inin orderorder toto dividedivide themthem (divide(divide etet impera)impera) ► ItalianItalian AmbassadorAmbassador toto AddisAddis AbebaAbeba (( AntonelliAntonelli )) showedshowed CrispiCrispi thethe possibilitypossibility toto signsign aa treatytreaty puttingputting thethe wholewhole ofof EthiopiaEthiopia underunder ItalianItalian protectorateprotectorate ► 02.05.188902.05.1889 TreatyTreaty ofof WuchaleWuchale:: accordingaccording toto ItalianItalian interpretationinterpretation,, EthiopiaEthiopia notnot onlyonly recognisedrecognised ItalianItalian controlcontrol onon Eritrea,Eritrea, butbut alsoalso becamebecame dede factofacto anan ItalianItalian protectorateprotectorate ► 18901890 EritreaEritrea becamebecame ItalianItalian colonycolony CrispiCrispi policypolicy’’ss failurefailure ► Italian translation of the treaty obliged Ethiopian Govt to rely on Italian diplomacy in order to deal with other European nations , thus practically making Ethiopia an Italian protectorate ► Ethiopian text saw only the possibility for Ethiopia to rely on Italian diplomacy in foreign relations ► Contrasts on interpreration discovered in 1890, when Menelik , who had invited Russian and British sovereigns to his own coronation ceremony , was replied that they could not directly answered him, in light of the treaty he had undersigned ► Ethiopia began purchasing weapons and ammunitions , especially from Russia and France ► Resumption of military operations – contrast with British interests in Sudan EconomicEconomic CrisisCrisis ► Customs rivalry with France more serious due to State increasing debts after military expenses ► Economic subjection towards Germany ► Bismarck dismissed 1890 – loss of reference point for European balance of power RenewalRenewal ofof TripleTriple AllianceAlliance 18911891 ► Stronger safeguarding of Italian interests in North Africa ► Art. 9. Germany and Italy committed to act in favour of territorial status quo in North Africa, especially Cirenaica , Tripolitania and Tunisia ► If , after a thorough analysis of the situation , Italy and Germany realised that keeping the statu quo is impossible , Germany committs herself , after a formal and prehemptive accord , to back Italy in any action, such as occupation or any other form of guarantee , that she might do in those regions . In that case, the two powers woud try to reach an agreement with England ► The treaty also provided facilities and special economic advantages : less serious tariffs war with France AllianceAlliance RussiaRussia--FranceFrance ► After only two years since Bismarck ’s dismissal , his diplomatic castle collapsed : Germany again in jeopardy of being surrounded , France no longer isolated ► France and Russia, having no other object than to meet the necessities of a defensive war, provoked by an attack of the forces of the Triple Alliance against either of them, have agreed upon the following provisions : If France is attacked by Germany , or by Italy supported by Germany , Russia shall employ all her available forces to attack Germany If Russia is attacked by Germany , or by Austria supported by Germany , France shall employ all her available forces to attack Germany ► France and Russia shall not conclude peace separately ConsequencesConsequences ofof FrancoFranco--RussianRussian ententeentente ►►GermanicGermanic componentcomponent ofof TripleTriple AllianceAlliance becamebecame moremore conservative,conservative, inin orderorder toto avoidavoid wastewaste ofof resourcesresources andand occasionsoccasions ofof conflictconflict ►►FranceFrance,, irritatedirritated duedue toto renewalrenewal ofof TripleTriple AllianceAlliance,, acquiredacquired strongerstronger antianti --ItalianItalian attitudeattitude ►►GermanyGermany soughtsought agreementagreement withwith BritainBritain,, butbut atat thethe samesame timetime sheshe becamebecame herher colonialcolonial rivalrival GermanGerman colonialismcolonialism ►►BerlinBerlin ConferenceConference 1884,1884, pursuedpursued byby BismarckBismarck,, hadhad regulatedregulated tradestrades inin CentralCentral --WesternWestern AfricaAfrica ►►BismarckBismarck decideddecided toto recogniserecognise asas coloniescolonies allall territoriesterritories notnot yetyet claimedclaimed byby otherother powerspowers andand inin whichwhich therethere werewere GermanGerman tradingtrading settlementssettlements ►►GermanGerman colonialcolonial empireempire inin AfricaAfrica withoutwithout territorialterritorial continuitycontinuity AdwaAdwa ►►CrispiCrispi reappointedreappointed PrimePrime MinisterMinister 18931893 ►►JanJan 1895,1895, ItaliansItalians occupiedoccupied regionregion ofof TigraiTigrai ,, formallyformally partpart ofof EthiopianEthiopian Empire,Empire, butbut dede factofacto selfself --governinggoverning territoryterritory,, ruledruled byby opposeropposer ofof NegusNegus MenelikMenelik ►►SuchSuch aa measuremeasure hadhad toto allowallow ItalyItaly toto gaingain positionposition ofof strengthstrength toto exploitexploit inin negotiationsnegotiations withwith NegusNegus ►►MenelikMenelik summonedsummoned aa 100,000100,000--menmen--army,army, abrogatedabrogated treatytreaty ofof WuchaleWuchale andand wagedwaged warwar onon ItalyItaly AdwaAdwa ►►WorriedWorried aboutabout conductconduct ofof war,war, CrispiCrispi chosechose toto sendsend inin massivemassive additionaladditional troopstroops toto EritreaEritrea ►►11 MarchMarch 1896:1896: ItalianItalian brigadesbrigades scatteredscattered andand unliasedunliased,, thusthus givinggiving thethe NegusNegus’’ss armyarmy thethe chancechance toto challengechallenge themthem oneone byby one:one: 6,0006,000 menmen killedkilled,, 1,5001,500 woundedwounded,, andand 3,0003,000 prisonersprisoners DiplomaticDiplomatic isolationisolation andand thethe aftermathaftermath ►►AlliesAllies remindedreminded ItalyItaly thatthat thethe TripleTriple AllianceAlliance treatytreaty waswas notnot aa shoppingshopping societysociety toto satisfysatisfy ItalianItalian interestsinterests ►►FranceFrance andand RussiaRussia aidedaided EthiopiaEthiopia ►►BritainBritain neutralneutral ►►TotalTotal failurefailure ofof ItalianItalian policypolicy ofof powerpower AngloAnglo--RussianRussian rapprochementrapprochement ►► TurkishTurkish oppressionoppression onon ArmeniansArmenians ledled BritainBritain toto seekseek agreementagreement withwith RussiaRussia inin orderorder toto avoidavoid conflictconflict overover StraitsStraits AfterAfter CrispiCrispi ►► CrispiCrispi ’’ss resignationresignation ►► DiDi RudinRudinìì PrimePrime MinisterMinister ►► OctoberOctober 18961896 treatytreaty ofof peacepeace ofof AddisAddis Abeba:Abeba: NegusNegus recognisedrecognised ItalianItalian sovereigntysovereignty onon Eritrea,Eritrea, butbut ItalyItaly abrogatedabrogated treatytreaty ofof WuchaleWuchale andand gavegave upup anyany interferenceinterference withwith EthiopianEthiopian policypolicy ►► RelinquishmentRelinquishment ofof policypolicy ofof powerpower andand resumptionresumption ofof positionposition ofof balancebalance inin EuropeEurope throughthrough alliancesalliances GettingGetting awayaway fromfrom TripleTriple AllianceAlliance ► DespiteDespite 18971897 renewalrenewal ofof alliancealliance andand friendshipfriendship withwith BritainBritain,, itit waswas necessarynecessary toto establishestablish normalnormal tradingtrading relationsrelations