This paper looks at a number of social, political, military, and economic factors that played a role in the Italian decision to invade Ethiopia. From a military point of view, it was located between two coastal Italian colonies, Eritrea and Somalia, which could offer convenient bases from which to launch an invasion. Economic considerations included the unavoidable fact that Ethiopia's very existence limited the Italians from effectively developing, expanding, and profiting fully from their colonial territories in the region. Furthermore, Ethiopia was the only African state to have avoided European colonization, the last prize left for the taking, and the Italians were anxious to take it before some other power was tempted to meddle in an area of Africa that they considered to be under their sphere of influence. 11 pgs. 14 f/c. 8b.
