Battle of Amba Aradam

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict= Battle of Amba Aradam
partof= the Second Italo-Abyssinian War


caption=
date= 10 February to 19 February 1936
place= Plain of Calamino, Plain of Antolo, and Amba Aradam, Ethiopia
result= Decisive Italian victory, destruction of the Ethiopian army of the right in the north
combatant1=
combatant2=
commander1=
commander2= †
strength1=Approximately 70,000
strength2=Approximately 80,000
casualties1=Approx. 800 casualties
casualties2=Approx. 6,000 killed, Approx. 12,000 wounded
Almost entire army ultimately neutralized as a fighting force

The Battle of Amba Aradam (also known as the Battle of Enderta [David Nicholle. "The Italian Invasion of Abyssinia 1935-36", pg. 9] ) was a battle fought on the northern front of what was known as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. This battle consisted of attacks and counterattacks by Italian forces under Marshal Pietro Badoglio and Ethiopian forces under Ras Mulugeta. This battle was primarily fought in the area around Amba Aradam.

Background

On 3 October 1935, General Emilio De Bono advanced into Ethiopia from Eritrea without a declaration of War. De Bono had a force of approximately 100,000 Italian soldiers and 25,000 Eritrean soldiers to advance towards Addis Ababa. In November, after a brief period of inactivity and minor setbacks for the Italians, De Bono was replaced by Badoglio.

Haile Selassie launched the Christmas Offensive late in the year to test Badoglio. By mid-January 1936, Badoglio was ready to renew the Italian advance on the Ethiopian capital. Badoglio ultimately overwhelmed the armies of ill-armed and uncoordinated Ethiopian warriors with mustard gas, tanks, and heavy artillery. [John Laffin. "Brassey's Dictionary of Battles", pg. 28]

Preparation

In early January 1936, the Ethiopian forces were in the hills everywhere overlooking the Italian positions and launching attacks against them on a regular basis. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was impatient for an Italian offensive to get under way and for the Ethiopians to be swept from the field. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 59]

The Ethiopians facing the Italians were in three groupings. In the center, near Abbi Addi and along the Beles River in the Tembien, were Ras Kassa with approximately 40,000 men and Ras Seyoum with about 30,000 men. On the Ethiopian right was Ras Mulugeta and his army of approximately 80,000 men in positions atop Amba Aradam. Ras Imru with approximately 40,000 men was on the Ethiopian left in the area around Seleclaca in the Shire Province. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 55]

Badoglio had five army corps at his disposal. On his right, he had the Italian IV Corps and the Italian II Corps facing Ras Imru in the Shire. In the Italian center was the Eritrean Corps facing Ras Kassa and Ras Seyoum in the Tembien. Facing Ras Mulugeta atop Amba Aradam was the Italian I Corps and the Italian III Corps. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 55]

Initially, Badoglio saw the destruction of Ras Mulugeta's army as his first priority. Mulugeta's force would have to be dislodged from its strong positions on Amba Aradam in order for the Italians to continue the advance towards Addis Ababa. But Ras Kassa and Ras Seyoumm were exerting such pressure from the Tembien that Badoglio decided that he would have to deal with them first. If the Ethiopian center was successful, the I Corps and III Corps facing Mulugeta would be cut off from reinforcement and resupply. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 59]

From 20 January to 24 January, the First Battle of Tembien was fought. The outcome of this battle was inconclusive, but the threat Ras Kassa posed to the I Corps and III Corps was neutralized. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 59]

On 9 February, Marshal Badoglio held a press conference at his headquarters and announced that the mighty obstacle that blocked the road to Addis Ababa was about to be liquidated. Badoglio was talking of course about Ras Mulugeta and his army dug in atop Amba Aradam. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 77]

While their forces were roughly equal, Badoglio held an overwhelming material advantage over Mulugeta. The Italians attacking Amba Aradam had more than 50,000 machine guns, 280 pieces of artillery, and 170 airplanes. By contrast, the Ethiopians had about 400 machine guns, 18 old field pieces of medium calibre, a small number of anti-aircraft guns, and no planes. Mulugeta's one advantage were the steep slopes of Amba Arada. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 78]

Battle

Before dawn on 10 February, Badoglio launched the Battle of Amba Aradam. The Italian I Corps and Italian III Corps advanced across the Calamino Plain. By night fall, both corps were established on the banks of the Gabat River. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 80]

The Italian Royal Air Force ("Regia Aeronautica") had mapped out the area around Amba Aradam and had discovered a weakness in Ras Mulugeta's defences. Air photographs showed that an attack from the Plain of Antalo to the south of Amba Aradam should be uncontested. As a result of this discovery, Badoglio planned to encircle Amba Aradam and attack Mulugeta from the rear after his forces linked up at Antalo. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 79]

On 11 February, the 3rd January Blackshirt Division and the Pusteria Alpine Division of the III Corprs advanced from the Gabat moving towards and around the west side of Amba Aradam. At the same time, the I Corps moved towards and around the east side of Amba Aradam. Too late Ras Mulugeta realized the Italian plan to encircle his positions. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 80]

On the afternoon of 12 February, a large Ethiopian force streamed down the western slopes of Amba Aradam and attacked the 3rd January Blackshirt Division. The blackshirts were held up, but the Pusteria Alpine Division continued its advance towards Antalo. The near continuous and persistent air and artillery bombardment of the Ethiopian positions had sapped the Ethiopians of much of their will to resist. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 80]

On the evening of 14 February, the Italian pincers were about to snap shut. As the encircling forces reached specified positions, they formed up, re-grouped, and positioned their artillery for the final assault. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 81]

By the morning of 15 February, under cover of darkness and dense cloud, the Italians completed the encirclement of Amba Aradam. When daylight came and the clouds lifted, the Ethiopians were reinvigorated by the sight of their predicament. They swarmed down the western slopes of Amba Aradam towards Addi Kolo. The Ethiopians attacked the Italians at the western base of Amba Aradam again and again. But the Italian artillery and air power negated the fury of the Ethiopian assault. By darkness, the battle was practically over. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 81]

The Ethiopians had managed to create a break in the Italian line around Addi Kolo. Through this break the army of Ras Mulugeta made its escape as it fell back towards Amba Alagi and Sokota. For political reasons, the 23rd March Blackshirt Division was given the honor of hoisting the Italian flag atop Amba Aradam. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 81]

Aftermath

Badoglio unleashed the full power of the Royal Air Force on the fleeing army of Ras Mulugeta. For four consecutive days, the hapless fugitives had forty tons of mustard gas dropped on them. In addition to this, the Azebu Galla tribe were bribed by the Italians to attack the Ethiopian stragglers. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 82]

Ras Mulugeta's son was in charge of the rear guard on Amba Aradam. He was killed in an action against a party of Azebu Galla and his body was mutilated by them. When Ras Mulugeta received news of this outrage, he turned back and was killed himself by a strafing plane. Attacked from both above and from the ground, what was left of the army of Ras Mulugeta dissolved. [Barker, A. J., "Rape of Ethiopia 1936", p. 83]

Badoglio now turned his attention from the Ethiopian right back to the Ethiopian center and Ras Kassa and Ras Seyoum. It was now time to finish what had been started at the First Battle of Tembien. The result was the Second Battle of Tembien.

ee also

* Ethiopian Order of Battle Second Italo-Abyssinian War
* Army of the Ethiopian Empire
* Italian Order of Battle Second Italo-Abyssinian War
* Royal Italian Army

References

ources

*
*
*
*