Time Slip Reiwa Japan

A.D.1935 - 026 - Between Political Struggle and War

In 1935, there were two major events in Europe. The first was the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. The other was Germany's abrogation of the Treaty of Versailles and its declaration of rearmament.

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Italy

The aftermath of the Great Depression, which began in the United States, shook Italy. However, it was not a fatal blow. The reason was the atrophy of the Italian people's motivation due to the world's mood of recession. Trade negotiations with the booming G4 countries – market opening negotiations – did not get a positive response from any of the countries. The G4 countries were not actively blocking the economy, but they had no reason to help the Italian economy. The main reason was that they could not do anything in return for the G4 countries to open up their markets.

Other countries with large economies, such as the Soviet Union and Germany, were, like Italy, reeling from the aftermath of the Great Depression and had no room to accept the demand for market opening. If foreign markets could not be obtained, there was no choice but to try to revitalize the domestic market.

The Italian government implemented a variety of economic policies, but was unable to implement anything large enough to continue stimulating the economy. Therefore, Mussolini chose the last resort to stimulate the economy. War. At the same time, he wanted a tribute to the Italian economy, a market. In other words, he decided to wage war on the remaining independent country in Africa, the Ethiopian Empire, to crush it and turn it into a colony.

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League of Nations

The Security Council of the League of Nations condemned Italy's decision, saying that it was an act that violated the principle of national self-determination. In response, Italy argued that it was the duty of a developed country to destroy the slave-holding, uncivilized Ethiopian Empire and civilize the Ethiopian people. The Ethiopian Empire also argued that this was arrogance due to Italy's pride in being a developed country. They advertised that it was ready to reform the much-criticized institution of slavery.

The Ethiopian Empire, which was inferior to Italy in terms of national power, was aware that it would be a pariah if war broke out, so it made a desperate bid for publicity by appealing to the G4 countries, which were leading the international order. As a result, international public opinion was very much in favor of the Ethiopian Empire. The people of the G4 countries, especially those who were economically stable and had no worries in their daily lives, were in the mood for justice and honor.

However, Italy was not swayed. From Mussolini's point of view, the convenience of the Ethiopian Empire was not important, and Italy's convenience was paramount. For Italy's sake, he wanted a war that would stimulate Italy's economy, a colony that would be a convenient market for his productive forces. Mussolini was determined to wage war against the Ethiopian Empire on Italy's behalf, regardless of his inferiority at the League of Nations or the criticism of international opinion.

The G4, aware of this, passed a resolution at the League of Nations Security Council for the member countries to take action to deter war. Italy had been taken for a fool. It thought that the G4 would never send troops to do something that did not pay. But the people of the G4 supported the use of troops for honor, not money. Britain immediately mobilized the British Mediterranean Fleet to blockade the Red Sea, making Italian access to Somaliland and other areas impossible. France dispatched one army brigade, which had been stationed in Africa, to the Ethiopian Empire. Japan also decided to dispatch a fleet to the Red Sea in order to show the will of the nation. *1

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Germany

In the midst of the international turmoil created by Italy, Germany abrogated the Treaty of Versailles and declared its intention to rearm. This was in response to Italy's invasion of Ethiopia (colonization) and the fact that without military power, Germany could be taken advantage of by other countries. France and Poland had always made no secret of their hostility to Germany, and they continued to build up their armies. This is despite the fact that the German army has no tanks and is almost defenseless.