Battle of Massawa (1977)

Battle of Massawa (1977)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Massawa
partof=Eritrean War of Independence
caption=
date=1977-1978
place=Massawa, Eritrea
casus=
territory=
result=Ethiopian/Soviet victory
combatant1=EPLF
combatant2=
commander1=Petros Solomon
commander2=
strength1=3,000
strength2=6,000 (Ethiopia) "unknown" (USSR)
casualties1="unknown"
casualties2="unknown"
notes=Campaignbox Eritrean War of IndependenceThe Battle of Massawa (also known as the First Battle of Massawa) took place from 1977 to 1978 in and around the coastal city of Massawa in Eritrea. The port was besieged by the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) against the forces of Ethiopia, and was one of two battles in and around the city.

The Battle

By 1977 EPLF soldiers had claimed all of Massawa save the port itself.cite web|last=Cooper|first=Tom|title=Ethiopia and Eritrea, 1950-1991|date=2003-09-02|url=http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/printer_179.shtml|accessdate=2006-12-27] This included the main road used by the garrison for the transport of supplies from Asmara. Essentially the garrison was cut off by land and under siege.

On 1977-12-23 the EPLF began a strike through an open field towards the salt flats and port. Soviet Naval warships began to shell EPLF held portions of the town to prevent its occupation by the EPLF, especially the downtown areas. [cite news | title =Another Soviet Push for Power | publisher =TIME | date = 1978-02-06 | url =http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,945955,00.html
accessdate = 2006-12-27 ] The Ethiopian victory was attributed to the intervention of the Soviet Union on behalf of Ethiopia. [cite journal|last=Payton|first=Gary|title=The Soviet-Ethiopian Liaison|journal=Air University Review|volume=XXX|issue=1|url=http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1979/nov-dec/payton.html|accessdate=2006-12-27] This defeat led to a withdrawal, dubbed the "strategic withdrawal", into the Sahel around the town of Nakfa. This battle was also the beginning of direct Soviet involvement in the Eritrean War of Independence, which would continue in other battles.

References

ee also

* Battle of Massawa (1990)
* Eritrean War of Independence


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