History Victory of Adwa: The Spirit of Justice and Independence Ethiopia, unlike other colonized countries around the world, does not have an Independence Day; it rather celebrates a Victory Day.
Credit: Bing.com Adwa is a place in the northern part of Ethiopia where the final battle took place between the Ethiopian patriots assembled from all over the country and the fascist Italian army that aimed to conquer and exploit Ethiopia as part of the plan of Europe to scramble for Africa. It is to be recalled that the colonial powers agreed Italy, which had colonial possession over Assab port since 1882, could take over Ethiopia as its future colony. As a result, though Italy desired to expand its territories by colonizing Ethiopia, Emperor Menelik II (1889-1906) was highly resistant to this and agreed to establish a treaty instead. Eventually, the Italians signed the Treaty of Wuchale, which was written in Amharic and Italian, with Minilik II in May 1889 at a place called Wuchale in the then Wollo province. Misinterpretation of the treaty of Wuchale by the Italian side and their design to exsert unjust pressure on Ethiopia, led to a single day war that made Ethiopia the only African nation that has successfully defended a colonial attempt and remained independent. It was the battle of Adwa that took place on the 1st of March 1896, that resulted in a conclusive victory for Ethiopia over the fascist power of Italy. The Ethiopian army, mobilized from farmers, traditional warriors, women, and pastoralists, defeated a modern and well-armed Italian army of the time. Although the Ethiopian side demanded a peaceful resolution of the matter, the miscalculation hinged on their military might led the Italian side to involve the invasion. Thereupon, Emperor Minilik II alerted his people on the matter and declared preparation for the war. The fascist Italian force had not anticipated the fierce resistance they would face from the Ethiopian side. Although aware they were outnumbered, Italians believed the Ethiopians to be undisciplined and unskilled at the art of war, negating the advantage in numbers. However, they were proven severely wrong, and
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The Ethiopian Messenger
by the afternoon of 1 March 1896, Italian forces were in a desperate and panicked retreat. For a country like Ethiopia, waging war against a heavily armed, better trained, and mechanized army at a place very distant from its capital city required logistical efforts unprecedented in the history of the country. In consequence, the way the Emperor and his allies handled the entire preparation and the battle can only be described as a masterstroke. The first showdown was on 7th of December 1895 where a relatively smaller number of the Italian army was wiped out at Amba Alagie. The next encounter was at Mekelle, where the Italians were surrounded by the Ethiopian fighters stationed behind a strong strategic position by cutting off the water supply, upon Empress Tayitu’s tactical advice. Empress Tayitu Bitul, the wife of Emperor Minilik II, was one of the key strategists and brave leaders who led six thousand cavalries to the warfront and employed war chants that motivated the fighting spirit of the soldiers. Subsequently, General Barattieri of Italy, after weeks of inactivity, decided to press forward a surprise attack on March 1, 1896, assuming that Ethiopians would be busy celebrating a holiday. Because, according to the Ethiopian calendar, the date was Yekatit 23, 1888, the Day of Saint George. However, having all the intelligence at hand, the Ethiopian side was well-prepared and on standby for the fight. The preparation and mobilization of the people were meticulous in military, logistical as well as in spiritual preparedness. Those who were not directly engaged in the war front including elders, artists, spiritual leaders etc. did also contribute to the victory. Every segment of the society contributed in all the possible ways they could, responding to the well-articulated and effective call of
