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Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-1941
It was the war that changed everything, and yet it’s been mostly forgotten: in 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. It dominated newspaper headlines and newsreels. It inspired mass marches in Harlem, a play on Broadway, and independence movements in Africa. As the British Navy sailed into the Mediterranean for a white-knuckle showdown with Italian ships, riots broke out in major cities all over the United States.
Italian planes dropped poison gas on Ethiopian troops, bombed Red Cross hospitals, and committed atrocities that were never deemed worthy of a war crimes tribunal. But unlike the many other depressing tales of Africa that crowd book shelves, this is a gripping thriller, a rousing tale of real-life heroism in which the Ethiopians come back from near destruction and win.
Tunnelling through archive records, tracking down survivors still alive today, and uncovering never-before-seen photos, Jeff Pearce recreates a remarkable era and reveals astonishing new findings. He shows how the British Foreign Office abandoned the Ethiopians to their fate, while Franklin Roosevelt had an ambitious peace plan that could have changed the course of world history—had Chamberlain not blocked him with his policy on Ethiopia. And Pearce shows how modern propaganda techniques, the post-war African world, and modern peace movements all were influenced by this crucial conflict—a war in Africa that truly changed the world.
Italian planes dropped poison gas on Ethiopian troops, bombed Red Cross hospitals, and committed atrocities that were never deemed worthy of a war crimes tribunal. But unlike the many other depressing tales of Africa that crowd book shelves, this is a gripping thriller, a rousing tale of real-life heroism in which the Ethiopians come back from near destruction and win.
Tunnelling through archive records, tracking down survivors still alive today, and uncovering never-before-seen photos, Jeff Pearce recreates a remarkable era and reveals astonishing new findings. He shows how the British Foreign Office abandoned the Ethiopians to their fate, while Franklin Roosevelt had an ambitious peace plan that could have changed the course of world history—had Chamberlain not blocked him with his policy on Ethiopia. And Pearce shows how modern propaganda techniques, the post-war African world, and modern peace movements all were influenced by this crucial conflict—a war in Africa that truly changed the world.
616 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2014
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May 22, 2022
“[The British] government would eventually allow Mussolini to have his war. So would France. [President Franklin D.] Roosevelt, anxious about the upcoming election in 1936, would refuse to involve the United States. Alone, Ethiopia would fight to defend itself, and against all odds, it would hold its own – for a while. Italian planes would drop poison gas on its soldiers and bomb Red Cross hospitals. Italian soldiers would commit atrocities that would never be deemed worthy of a war crimes tribunal. After 1945, the conflict was considered ‘another war,’ distinct from World War Two, and not worth going back to investigate. And the world would forget…”
- Jeff Pearce, Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia’s Victory Over Mussolini’s Invasion, 1935-41
Overshadowed by the Second World War – and the calamitous vortex it created – Ethiopia’s heroic stand against Italy’s premeditated 1935 invasion has been largely forgotten in the western world. But in a very real way, this bloody conflict is part of that larger history, an example of naked fascist aggression undertaken years before Adolf Hitler swept into Poland. It glaringly demonstrated the dire consequences that followed when acquisitive totalitarian regimes were allowed to proceed unchecked.
An asymmetrical war in the extreme, the so-called Second Italo-Ethiopian War pitted Benito Mussolini’s colonial aspirations against Emperor Haile Selassie and his independent African nation, which had never been colonized. Italy’s onslaught included mustard gas, airplanes, and tanks, while Selassie’s defense included an assortment of rifles and machine guns, spears and swords, as well as righteousness and courage.
This is an epic tale, and it merits an epic telling. Unfortunately, Jeff Pearce’s Prevail is a well-intentioned mess. Its heart is in the right place, and its sympathies too, but in terms of structure, coherence, and writing, it falls well short of what this subject deserves.
***
In theory, Prevail should have flowed quite smoothly. Pearce smartly follows the natural three-act arc graciously provided by the actual flow of events.
The first section is devoted to the leadup to war, driven entirely by Italy’s expansionist policies in Africa. Having already been beaten by Ethiopia in 1895, Italy chafed at being a third-rate empire, administering only Eritrea and Somaliland. Under the leadership of Mussolini, the Italians manufactured a crisis by building a fort well inside Ethiopian territory. A skirmish ensued, and the matter went to the League of Nations. For a number of reasons – including complex geopolitics and simple racism – the League did little other than implement toothless sanctions. Britain and France, with the clout to actually halt Mussolini at the outset, ended up doing nothing.
The second part covers Italy’s two-pronged invasion. Despite its overwhelming technological advantages, Ethiopia initially held its own, often literally attacking tanks with blades and small arms. During its assault, Italy committed uncounted war crimes, deploying gas, slaughtering noncombatants, and generally rampaging about. As Pearce rightly notes, these are crimes that never made it to Nuremberg, while some of the criminals are still celebrated in Italy today.
Unlike fiction, which can give us the outcomes we desire, history often follows a darker, uneven course. Despite Ethiopia’s combined courage, Emperor Selassie had to flee, and Italy took control in a heavy-handed and brutal manner. The third section, however, describes how the Ethiopians – with a belated British assist – took their country back during the Second World War.
***
This material should have made for an eminently exciting, inspiring, and satisfying reading experience. The trouble, though, is that the framework presented by the table of contents breaks down in the very first pages.
In a word, the problem is focus, or the complete lack thereof.
Rather than settling on one or two or three storylines, Pearce follows several dozen. This requires constant cutting away from the main action to peripheral events. Some of the tangents are just fine, such as describing the reaction of black Americans, including protest marches in Harlem, monetary contributions, and even attempts to enlist. Likewise, it makes sense to spend time with Anthony Eden, who opposed appeasing Italy. Though not absolutely central, these pathways broaden the scope in relevant ways.
But many of the digressions are of secondary or tertiary importance. Some are so immaterial as to be insulting. By way of example, Pearce is obsessed with the reporters who covered the war, including Evelyn Waugh, Herbert Matthews, and George Steer. I’m not lying when I say that I learned more about journalist David Darrah than Emperor Haile Selassie. This should have been an Ethiopian story, not a story about Ethiopians as seen through the eyes of European and American journos.
Out of 552-pages of text, I would estimate that 45% is nonsense. Regardless of Pearce’s obvious research efforts, he seems to have no ability to differentiate between the vital, the important, and the inconsequential. Overstuffed with useless filler, important stuff gets left out completely.
***
One of the ways I rate nonfiction – I call it the book-to-phone ratio – is by how well it gives me the information I need, without resorting to Google.
Prevail failed this test badly.
While Pearce obsesses about the margins, he forgets the basic contextual information necessary for a topic that will be new to most of his readers. Pearce knows this – he pats himself on the back several times for shining a light on this overlooked period – but nevertheless operates under some strange assumptions about the foreknowledge of his audience.
The most glaring information gap is in the shape of Ethiopia itself, which is given no past or present. There is no discussion about its society, culture, or demographics. Though it maintained its independence during the “Scramble for Africa,” Pearce does not explain how, aside from a disjointed recitation of the Battle of Adwa. Though it was a majority Christian nation in a Muslim dominated part of the world, Pearce does not explain the reasons for this affiliation. Though Haile Selassie is on a shortlist of fascinating 20th century figures, we learn about him only in fragments, and the narrative itself is run through other characters. At one point, Pearce offhandedly mentions that Ethiopia had slavery at the time of Italy’s invasion, without any further observations.
Instead of considering fundamental issues, Pearce pinballs about in a universe of irrelevancies. He literally spends one-and-a-half pages attacking a 1978 book by Ryszard Kapuscinski, accusing Kapuscinski of fraud. Meanwhile, I’m on Wikipedia figuring out how Selassie’s administration tried to abolish slavery.
***
As military history, this is pretty substandard. There are no strategic discussions, there are no tactical discussions, and there is no clear chronological presentation. To the contrary, Pearce maintains his irritatingly pointillist style even in battle, using individual experiences without any attempt at summarizing those experiences or giving a broad-canvas overview.
***
Writerly skill can paper over many rough patches. Here, though, Pearce employs a regrettably informal prose, replete with abounding cliches, rhetorical questions, sentences that ominously begin with And, and lazy phrasing. I don’t mean to belabor the point, but when talking about the retaking of Ethiopia, Pearce describes the British Empire as forming “a gigantic fist” around Italy’s colonies that “was beginning to close.” But a fist is already closed! I thought to myself. That’s the definition of a fist! Admittedly, this is a tiny thing, but Prevail is filled with unconsidered sentences like this one, and you start to notice.
***
I give credit to Pearce for his attempt. Ethiopia’s resistance, perseverance, and eventual triumph are worthy of retelling, and Pearce demonstrates great passion, if not similar organizational finesse. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War deserves a better volume, but until that comes, this will have to do.
- Jeff Pearce, Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia’s Victory Over Mussolini’s Invasion, 1935-41
Overshadowed by the Second World War – and the calamitous vortex it created – Ethiopia’s heroic stand against Italy’s premeditated 1935 invasion has been largely forgotten in the western world. But in a very real way, this bloody conflict is part of that larger history, an example of naked fascist aggression undertaken years before Adolf Hitler swept into Poland. It glaringly demonstrated the dire consequences that followed when acquisitive totalitarian regimes were allowed to proceed unchecked.
An asymmetrical war in the extreme, the so-called Second Italo-Ethiopian War pitted Benito Mussolini’s colonial aspirations against Emperor Haile Selassie and his independent African nation, which had never been colonized. Italy’s onslaught included mustard gas, airplanes, and tanks, while Selassie’s defense included an assortment of rifles and machine guns, spears and swords, as well as righteousness and courage.
This is an epic tale, and it merits an epic telling. Unfortunately, Jeff Pearce’s Prevail is a well-intentioned mess. Its heart is in the right place, and its sympathies too, but in terms of structure, coherence, and writing, it falls well short of what this subject deserves.
***
In theory, Prevail should have flowed quite smoothly. Pearce smartly follows the natural three-act arc graciously provided by the actual flow of events.
The first section is devoted to the leadup to war, driven entirely by Italy’s expansionist policies in Africa. Having already been beaten by Ethiopia in 1895, Italy chafed at being a third-rate empire, administering only Eritrea and Somaliland. Under the leadership of Mussolini, the Italians manufactured a crisis by building a fort well inside Ethiopian territory. A skirmish ensued, and the matter went to the League of Nations. For a number of reasons – including complex geopolitics and simple racism – the League did little other than implement toothless sanctions. Britain and France, with the clout to actually halt Mussolini at the outset, ended up doing nothing.
The second part covers Italy’s two-pronged invasion. Despite its overwhelming technological advantages, Ethiopia initially held its own, often literally attacking tanks with blades and small arms. During its assault, Italy committed uncounted war crimes, deploying gas, slaughtering noncombatants, and generally rampaging about. As Pearce rightly notes, these are crimes that never made it to Nuremberg, while some of the criminals are still celebrated in Italy today.
Unlike fiction, which can give us the outcomes we desire, history often follows a darker, uneven course. Despite Ethiopia’s combined courage, Emperor Selassie had to flee, and Italy took control in a heavy-handed and brutal manner. The third section, however, describes how the Ethiopians – with a belated British assist – took their country back during the Second World War.
***
This material should have made for an eminently exciting, inspiring, and satisfying reading experience. The trouble, though, is that the framework presented by the table of contents breaks down in the very first pages.
In a word, the problem is focus, or the complete lack thereof.
Rather than settling on one or two or three storylines, Pearce follows several dozen. This requires constant cutting away from the main action to peripheral events. Some of the tangents are just fine, such as describing the reaction of black Americans, including protest marches in Harlem, monetary contributions, and even attempts to enlist. Likewise, it makes sense to spend time with Anthony Eden, who opposed appeasing Italy. Though not absolutely central, these pathways broaden the scope in relevant ways.
But many of the digressions are of secondary or tertiary importance. Some are so immaterial as to be insulting. By way of example, Pearce is obsessed with the reporters who covered the war, including Evelyn Waugh, Herbert Matthews, and George Steer. I’m not lying when I say that I learned more about journalist David Darrah than Emperor Haile Selassie. This should have been an Ethiopian story, not a story about Ethiopians as seen through the eyes of European and American journos.
Out of 552-pages of text, I would estimate that 45% is nonsense. Regardless of Pearce’s obvious research efforts, he seems to have no ability to differentiate between the vital, the important, and the inconsequential. Overstuffed with useless filler, important stuff gets left out completely.
***
One of the ways I rate nonfiction – I call it the book-to-phone ratio – is by how well it gives me the information I need, without resorting to Google.
Prevail failed this test badly.
While Pearce obsesses about the margins, he forgets the basic contextual information necessary for a topic that will be new to most of his readers. Pearce knows this – he pats himself on the back several times for shining a light on this overlooked period – but nevertheless operates under some strange assumptions about the foreknowledge of his audience.
The most glaring information gap is in the shape of Ethiopia itself, which is given no past or present. There is no discussion about its society, culture, or demographics. Though it maintained its independence during the “Scramble for Africa,” Pearce does not explain how, aside from a disjointed recitation of the Battle of Adwa. Though it was a majority Christian nation in a Muslim dominated part of the world, Pearce does not explain the reasons for this affiliation. Though Haile Selassie is on a shortlist of fascinating 20th century figures, we learn about him only in fragments, and the narrative itself is run through other characters. At one point, Pearce offhandedly mentions that Ethiopia had slavery at the time of Italy’s invasion, without any further observations.
Instead of considering fundamental issues, Pearce pinballs about in a universe of irrelevancies. He literally spends one-and-a-half pages attacking a 1978 book by Ryszard Kapuscinski, accusing Kapuscinski of fraud. Meanwhile, I’m on Wikipedia figuring out how Selassie’s administration tried to abolish slavery.
***
As military history, this is pretty substandard. There are no strategic discussions, there are no tactical discussions, and there is no clear chronological presentation. To the contrary, Pearce maintains his irritatingly pointillist style even in battle, using individual experiences without any attempt at summarizing those experiences or giving a broad-canvas overview.
***
Writerly skill can paper over many rough patches. Here, though, Pearce employs a regrettably informal prose, replete with abounding cliches, rhetorical questions, sentences that ominously begin with And, and lazy phrasing. I don’t mean to belabor the point, but when talking about the retaking of Ethiopia, Pearce describes the British Empire as forming “a gigantic fist” around Italy’s colonies that “was beginning to close.” But a fist is already closed! I thought to myself. That’s the definition of a fist! Admittedly, this is a tiny thing, but Prevail is filled with unconsidered sentences like this one, and you start to notice.
***
I give credit to Pearce for his attempt. Ethiopia’s resistance, perseverance, and eventual triumph are worthy of retelling, and Pearce demonstrates great passion, if not similar organizational finesse. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War deserves a better volume, but until that comes, this will have to do.
January 6, 2021
'Of more than 1,200 Italians sought for war crimes in Africa and the Balkans, not one has faced justice'. (Jeff Pearce)
This work has three main parts - the period leading up to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the Italian invasion, the liberation from Fascism and the subsequent British occupation and British theft of all industrial machinery from Ethiopia.
It is a hugely important book, thoroughly researched and providing the reader with not only immense detail on the Italian occupation of Ethiopia (1936-41), but also input from a variety of stakeholders including Haile Selassie, the Ethiopian Patriots on the ground, journalists and politicians such as Steer and Del Boca, Eden and Spencer, military men such as Wingate, Sandford and rights activists such as Sylvia Pankhurst and other key figures in the US. There is so much in it it is difficult to give it credit in such few words. Its main strength is to provide a wealth of evidence of Italian cruelty and savagery in Ethiopia, and to challenge the state of Italian and international denial that this war was marginal. The use of gas and carpet bombing, the existence of concentration camps, the Graziani massacre (where up to 30,000 Ethiopians were slaughtered in a few days) is sufficient to rank it among the worst conflicts on record. The inability of Britain, France and the US to negotiate and the complete failure of the League of Nations to intervene or at least to give Ethiopians the same arms to fight Fascism is also an indictment of this early version of the United Nations. Five stars.
This work has three main parts - the period leading up to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the Italian invasion, the liberation from Fascism and the subsequent British occupation and British theft of all industrial machinery from Ethiopia.
It is a hugely important book, thoroughly researched and providing the reader with not only immense detail on the Italian occupation of Ethiopia (1936-41), but also input from a variety of stakeholders including Haile Selassie, the Ethiopian Patriots on the ground, journalists and politicians such as Steer and Del Boca, Eden and Spencer, military men such as Wingate, Sandford and rights activists such as Sylvia Pankhurst and other key figures in the US. There is so much in it it is difficult to give it credit in such few words. Its main strength is to provide a wealth of evidence of Italian cruelty and savagery in Ethiopia, and to challenge the state of Italian and international denial that this war was marginal. The use of gas and carpet bombing, the existence of concentration camps, the Graziani massacre (where up to 30,000 Ethiopians were slaughtered in a few days) is sufficient to rank it among the worst conflicts on record. The inability of Britain, France and the US to negotiate and the complete failure of the League of Nations to intervene or at least to give Ethiopians the same arms to fight Fascism is also an indictment of this early version of the United Nations. Five stars.
February 26, 2015
It's a fascinating story of events in history that I knew very little about. Hardly surprising - the way in which the whole business of the brutal Italian invasion and occupation of Ethiopia was swept under the carpet by the Allies means that very few people have heard about it in any detail.
Pearce has done an excellent job in piecing together a coherent account of these times from what must have been extremely fragmentary sources, and putting it into a readable form.
This is not a book that will have universal appeal, given the somewhat specialist subject, but for those interested in the byways of history, it is a highly interesting account of a neglected topic.
Pearce has done an excellent job in piecing together a coherent account of these times from what must have been extremely fragmentary sources, and putting it into a readable form.
This is not a book that will have universal appeal, given the somewhat specialist subject, but for those interested in the byways of history, it is a highly interesting account of a neglected topic.
June 28, 2021
Prevail is an important book on an overlooked war, but I'm not sure that the subtitle of an 'inspiring story' is necessarily accurate.
In 1935, Mussolini's Italy was aiming to add new territories and shore up popular support with a short, victorious war. Ethiopia had defeated Italy a generation before at the Battle of Adwa, and the self styled modern Caesar wanted a rematch, this time with all the products of industrialized warfare. Mussolini manufactured a casus belli at the remote oasis of Wal Wal, a solid 70 miles inside Ethiopia borders.
John "The Brown Condor" Robinson, an American pilot flying for Ethiopia
Ethiopia's defense as orchestrated by Emperor Haile Selassie rested on two pillars. First, he would appeal to the League of Nations and the great powers of England and France to intervene against this war of aggression. And second, he would fight. The diplomatic effort was skillfully carried out, but floundered on the racist indifference of the European powers, who saw a dispute and decided that adjudicating the truth was outside of the their remit. France's Prime Minister Pierre Laval was pro-Italian (and would become a leading collaborator under Nazi occupation), and no one was willing to call Mussolini's bluff over general war in the Mediterranean. While Ethiopia became a popular cause with working-class England and the African American community, the opinion of people who made decisions was resolutely "not my problem". In fact, the diplomacy may have been counterproductive, because while it failed to close the Suez canal to Italian shipping or organize an oil embargo, it lead to an arms embargo against both sides. This was no problem for Italy, which had been preparing for war for years, but it prevented Ethiopia from sourcing modern arms it desperately needed.
The second defense was military. Haile Selassie rallied the ras (an Amharic term for nobility roughly equivalent to 'Duke') and dispatched armies to strategic points. But his forces were incredibly deficient in all qualities except courage. Machine guns and artillery were rare, rifles generally obsolete, and many soldiers equipped with traditional swords and spears. There were no tanks, and only a handful of unarmed aircraft for liaison work. Some of the ras were of doubtful loyalty, and none were trained in the modern warfare of concealment, entrenchment, and attrition, preferring glorious clashes to Selassie's desired Fabian strategy of guerilla war.
Against this, the Italians brought a heavy assault of war crimes, starting with mustard gas and deliberate targeting of the Red Cross, and then moving into the usual excessive force of a modern army against a medieval one. The Ethiopian defenses shattered, and Italian mobile columns seized Addis Ababa, with Haile Selassie fleeing to exile. The Italians could conquer the country, but they could not rule it. Despite arbitrary executions, concentration camps, and a host of human rights violations, bands of Patriots rose up, engaging in years of guerilla warfare without much organized support from overseas.
The Ethiopian war finally ended in 1941, with the start of the European war. While Italian forces were large at some 300,000, they had poor morale and had been effectively immobilized by the constant low-intensity warfare. A small set of British flying columns under Orde Wingate, later to gain renown for unconventional warfare in Burma, were able to defeat the Italian forces and restore Haile Selassie to his throne, though on a provisional pro-English basis that saw a second, politer looting of the country.
The thing that comes through is the destruction of every segment of Ethiopian society. The traditional nobility, for their many flaws, were the first targets of the Italy regime. The Young Ethiopians, a small group of a few thousand Western educated youth who in better times would have been liberal reformers, were next. Conflicts between Selassie's exiles and the surviving patriots would hinder Ethiopian politics for the rest of the 20th century. And the ordinary people suffered greatly, though as peasants writing in a minor language, their story is unknown, even in this otherwise strong work. Not a single Italian was charged for their crimes in Ethiopia, with surviving fascists folded into the Cold War against Communism.
Prevail is best in the asides, the slices of life featuring characters like 'The Brown Condor' Robinson, a skilled American pilot who served opposite Trinidadian aviator Hubert 'The Black Eagle' Julian was an airborne con-artist, as well as a cadre of European reporters who included Evelyn Waugh, who despised Ethiopia in his characteristic style. Pearce makes a strong case that the Ethiopian war prefigures many of the problems of diplomatic intervention we still live with, but I'm not sure the pieces come together.
In 1935, Mussolini's Italy was aiming to add new territories and shore up popular support with a short, victorious war. Ethiopia had defeated Italy a generation before at the Battle of Adwa, and the self styled modern Caesar wanted a rematch, this time with all the products of industrialized warfare. Mussolini manufactured a casus belli at the remote oasis of Wal Wal, a solid 70 miles inside Ethiopia borders.
John "The Brown Condor" Robinson, an American pilot flying for Ethiopia
Ethiopia's defense as orchestrated by Emperor Haile Selassie rested on two pillars. First, he would appeal to the League of Nations and the great powers of England and France to intervene against this war of aggression. And second, he would fight. The diplomatic effort was skillfully carried out, but floundered on the racist indifference of the European powers, who saw a dispute and decided that adjudicating the truth was outside of the their remit. France's Prime Minister Pierre Laval was pro-Italian (and would become a leading collaborator under Nazi occupation), and no one was willing to call Mussolini's bluff over general war in the Mediterranean. While Ethiopia became a popular cause with working-class England and the African American community, the opinion of people who made decisions was resolutely "not my problem". In fact, the diplomacy may have been counterproductive, because while it failed to close the Suez canal to Italian shipping or organize an oil embargo, it lead to an arms embargo against both sides. This was no problem for Italy, which had been preparing for war for years, but it prevented Ethiopia from sourcing modern arms it desperately needed.
The second defense was military. Haile Selassie rallied the ras (an Amharic term for nobility roughly equivalent to 'Duke') and dispatched armies to strategic points. But his forces were incredibly deficient in all qualities except courage. Machine guns and artillery were rare, rifles generally obsolete, and many soldiers equipped with traditional swords and spears. There were no tanks, and only a handful of unarmed aircraft for liaison work. Some of the ras were of doubtful loyalty, and none were trained in the modern warfare of concealment, entrenchment, and attrition, preferring glorious clashes to Selassie's desired Fabian strategy of guerilla war.
Against this, the Italians brought a heavy assault of war crimes, starting with mustard gas and deliberate targeting of the Red Cross, and then moving into the usual excessive force of a modern army against a medieval one. The Ethiopian defenses shattered, and Italian mobile columns seized Addis Ababa, with Haile Selassie fleeing to exile. The Italians could conquer the country, but they could not rule it. Despite arbitrary executions, concentration camps, and a host of human rights violations, bands of Patriots rose up, engaging in years of guerilla warfare without much organized support from overseas.
The Ethiopian war finally ended in 1941, with the start of the European war. While Italian forces were large at some 300,000, they had poor morale and had been effectively immobilized by the constant low-intensity warfare. A small set of British flying columns under Orde Wingate, later to gain renown for unconventional warfare in Burma, were able to defeat the Italian forces and restore Haile Selassie to his throne, though on a provisional pro-English basis that saw a second, politer looting of the country.
The thing that comes through is the destruction of every segment of Ethiopian society. The traditional nobility, for their many flaws, were the first targets of the Italy regime. The Young Ethiopians, a small group of a few thousand Western educated youth who in better times would have been liberal reformers, were next. Conflicts between Selassie's exiles and the surviving patriots would hinder Ethiopian politics for the rest of the 20th century. And the ordinary people suffered greatly, though as peasants writing in a minor language, their story is unknown, even in this otherwise strong work. Not a single Italian was charged for their crimes in Ethiopia, with surviving fascists folded into the Cold War against Communism.
Prevail is best in the asides, the slices of life featuring characters like 'The Brown Condor' Robinson, a skilled American pilot who served opposite Trinidadian aviator Hubert 'The Black Eagle' Julian was an airborne con-artist, as well as a cadre of European reporters who included Evelyn Waugh, who despised Ethiopia in his characteristic style. Pearce makes a strong case that the Ethiopian war prefigures many of the problems of diplomatic intervention we still live with, but I'm not sure the pieces come together.
September 17, 2022
There needs to be more in English out there about this war. And the author does a good job bringing it together. The problem is an almost hyper-fixation on events outside of the war itself and a narrative which prioritizes the perception of the conflict as much as the conflict proper. This includes its perception today and some awkward analogies are drawn.
October 15, 2019
This was a difficult book to read. The continuous struggles of one nation — Abyssinia — against Italy are not only an echo of the crises the rest of the world would see a few years after the Ethiopian Invasion began but also very much hearken back to an age where so much of what we take for granted now was a privilege.
It is also disheartening to read how the inaction of some — and the ill will and naivete of others — manage to cause so much injustice. In a just world, it is clear that Imperial Abyssinia would not have been invaded and that the League of Nations would have stood by the defender — instead meaningless platitudes were offered up throughout. In this entire spectacle, Foreign Minister Anthony Eden is one of the few who comes through relatively unscathed, representing someone who seemed to both understand as well as care, even if he was not able to achieve much with those qualities.
The war itself is brought forward in excruciating detail. The author gives a lot of space to descriptions of the Italian advance in the early years while the later ones go by in only a few chapters. The toppling of the regime also gets relatively little coverage — and indeed I think a more thorough look at this series of events would have focussed on Haile Selassie’s decisions once back in power, such as why the Patriots were not given a greater say.
The other bit which distracted me was the continuous jump to NYC and the unrest there. It is unarguably a part of these events, but I felt that it could have been tied in better. Nevertheless, it was one of those typical ironies to read how one of the people so supportive of Italy and anti-Abyssinian would end up by the side of Martin Luther King.
Overall, this is a very good summary — the only thing to keep in mind is that the world is not just. One crisis spawns another, and, like a snowball, they all gather momentum…
This review was originally posted on my blog.
It is also disheartening to read how the inaction of some — and the ill will and naivete of others — manage to cause so much injustice. In a just world, it is clear that Imperial Abyssinia would not have been invaded and that the League of Nations would have stood by the defender — instead meaningless platitudes were offered up throughout. In this entire spectacle, Foreign Minister Anthony Eden is one of the few who comes through relatively unscathed, representing someone who seemed to both understand as well as care, even if he was not able to achieve much with those qualities.
The war itself is brought forward in excruciating detail. The author gives a lot of space to descriptions of the Italian advance in the early years while the later ones go by in only a few chapters. The toppling of the regime also gets relatively little coverage — and indeed I think a more thorough look at this series of events would have focussed on Haile Selassie’s decisions once back in power, such as why the Patriots were not given a greater say.
The other bit which distracted me was the continuous jump to NYC and the unrest there. It is unarguably a part of these events, but I felt that it could have been tied in better. Nevertheless, it was one of those typical ironies to read how one of the people so supportive of Italy and anti-Abyssinian would end up by the side of Martin Luther King.
Overall, this is a very good summary — the only thing to keep in mind is that the world is not just. One crisis spawns another, and, like a snowball, they all gather momentum…
This review was originally posted on my blog.
June 8, 2017
Meh, too long and the author keeps jumping from thread to thread with no clear flow. Disappointing.
November 14, 2020
This book was a revelation. I thought it would be a (possibly dry) recitation of the military history of an event that was overshadowed by what occurred afterwards. Interested as I am in 20th century history this was actually a fascinating insight into the political and cultural aspects of the Ethiopian crisis that particularly and significantly resonated with African and African American communities of the time. The Italian invasion of Ethiopia was a significant step for those communities in their political and cultural histories. Its impact on the developing political identities who would emerge in the 50's & 60's as anti colonial and civil rights leaders is demonstrated. Particularly the failure of Great Britain to act and how that affected the nascent intellectual classes in their African and Caribbean colonies. Then there's the political shenanigans with the League of Nations, the United States response and opinion and how the failure of the international community in this instance specifically set the example for the Rhineland, Anschluss, China, the Sudetenland. The military history is well covered and again, not knowing too much about it I was fascinated with finding out the length of time the invasion took. This was no blitzkrieg. The buildup of troops, then the actual invasion took months and months... Then the resistance to the Italian occupation is well described as well as the crimes against humanity that were significant and ongoing but never punished.
The book was well researched and reasonably easy to read. Sometimes I would initially find the descriptions of how the events impacted possibly overblown, as well as what appeared to be the hero worship of Haile Selassie. However as the narrative continued it was apparent the author's view did take into account and was tempered by how post war Ethiopia developed. And often my initial opinion of events being overblown were further tempered by subsequent events detailed.
What was also rewarding was the significant amount of Ethiopian voices given sound in this narrative.
I found this eye opening, informative, balanced and a wonderful history. If your outlook is to listen to communities that you don't belong to then this is a read for you. Cannot recommend highly enough.
The book was well researched and reasonably easy to read. Sometimes I would initially find the descriptions of how the events impacted possibly overblown, as well as what appeared to be the hero worship of Haile Selassie. However as the narrative continued it was apparent the author's view did take into account and was tempered by how post war Ethiopia developed. And often my initial opinion of events being overblown were further tempered by subsequent events detailed.
What was also rewarding was the significant amount of Ethiopian voices given sound in this narrative.
I found this eye opening, informative, balanced and a wonderful history. If your outlook is to listen to communities that you don't belong to then this is a read for you. Cannot recommend highly enough.
March 31, 2021
I had high expectations for this book, but it was a letdown. It was unreliable, poorly researched, and not really history. It plays fast and loose with the truth, asserting gossip as fact (Ribbentrop sleeping with Wallis-Simpson is a gossipy anecdote, rather than a historical truth) He has a bad habit of using phrasing that is acceptable for spoken English, but unacceptable for written English.
I was irked by the ignorance of the author when he talked about how African royalty was treated,
and gave an example of a royal from Tonga (he should google locations to find out where they are, as Tonga is in the South Pacific not Africa) He claimed that: German exports of coal had likely double... (The Third Reich wasn't in the mood to tell) -- super weird, as Nazi Germany did not keep their export data secret in 1935
It was fairly Americentric/Anglocentric (the author uses Fahrenheit), we find out an inordinate amount about what Americans and British people thought and felt about the war to such a degree, I felt it distorted the focus.
I was irked by the ignorance of the author when he talked about how African royalty was treated,
and gave an example of a royal from Tonga (he should google locations to find out where they are, as Tonga is in the South Pacific not Africa) He claimed that: German exports of coal had likely double... (The Third Reich wasn't in the mood to tell) -- super weird, as Nazi Germany did not keep their export data secret in 1935
It was fairly Americentric/Anglocentric (the author uses Fahrenheit), we find out an inordinate amount about what Americans and British people thought and felt about the war to such a degree, I felt it distorted the focus.
April 15, 2015
It's a fascinating story of events in history that I knew very little about. Hardly surprising - the way in which the whole business of the brutal Italian invasion and occupation of Ethiopia was swept under the carpet by the Allies means that very few people have heard about it in any detail.
Pearce has done an excellent job in piecing together a coherent account of these times from what must have been extremely fragmentary sources, and putting it into a readable form.
This is not a book that will have universal appeal, given the somewhat specialist subject, but for those interested in the byways of history, it is a highly interesting account of a neglected topic.
Pearce has done an excellent job in piecing together a coherent account of these times from what must have been extremely fragmentary sources, and putting it into a readable form.
This is not a book that will have universal appeal, given the somewhat specialist subject, but for those interested in the byways of history, it is a highly interesting account of a neglected topic.
January 6, 2015
When one thinks of the Second World War, the term atrocity comes readily to mind and we quickly connect it to the Nazis and their concentration camps. Yet Italy had concentration camps of its own in Ethiopia, and used poison gas on the Ethiopians three years before World War II broke out all over Europe in 1939. This story, and so much more, is expertly told by Pearce. What is quite troubling is the lack of moral backbone by so many in positions of power, whether in the U.S., Great Britain, or France. You will not want to put this book down.
April 10, 2017
fascinating account of the invasion and the skull duggery and general self-serving awfulness off the Europeans and the Americans. And now there's a monument in Italy to the guy that gassed and murdered thousands.
May 14, 2015
Broad in scope, critical, chatty the book provides a good introduction to the sufferings of Ethiopia before, during and after the Italian attack
August 23, 2016
Good book of the Ethiopian viewpoint. Numerous personal accounts, great detail on diplomatic efforts, lite on military action. Overall a good overview book.
July 13, 2019
I was utterly mesmerized by this book, impressed at how thorough the coverage was. I learned a lot of history through this book, it's among the best books on Africa I've read so far.
Read
June 4, 2025No rating because I don't rate books (it is simply too hard!).
I finally finished! I slogged through this one for embarrassingly long, which I'll chalk up mainly due to my lowered tolerance for historical nonfiction (which I'm trying to build!). I don't think the language was unreadable or anything of the sort. There was certainly, however, a tendency to go on tangents? They weren't all uninteresting by any means and I personally really enjoyed the ones regarding black Americans (the Josephine Baker one was really interesting). However, they definitely didn't always have to do with the main thesis of the book, which sometimes felt like I was trying to hold onto too many threads.
Here's my main criticism of this book, though: it was written by a white man. I say this to be blunt, but let me flesh it out. I don't think whiteness necessarily excludes someone from being able to write a competent history of Italy's invasion and Ethiopia's eventual triumph. In fact, I mostly think this is one (have I not mentioned that yet...?). But I think of the fact that the book's dedication went to George Steer- as well as the Ethiopian Patriots and the Ethiopian people generally. The fact that is who Pearce chose to name reveals where his point of relatability is in the narrative. It's the white journalists. That's who he sees himself in. That's why they get so much page time, why some of this reads as a history of journalists' experience of the war in Ethiopia. I don't doubt the thesis Pearce lays out at the end regarding journalists having a highly influential role in the reception of the Italian invasion as having merit and think it's an important perspective to fold into the story, but I can't help feeling like it was overrepresented due to Pearce likening his role to theirs. Now, one more thing regarding how Pearce showed his whiteness, so to speak, before I get to what I appreciated about this book. This is perhaps a nitpicky thing, but it was mentioned enough times to get under my skin. This picture of Ethiopian people as ancient, wild (the obsession with Afros!), unmoving through history. While I'm sure Pearce sees the title "ancient" as affording dignity and recognizing lineage in a way that's much different from the "savage" sentiment of colonizers (or wannabe colonizers) this is still a riff of the same idea. Just a reminder that all people who exist in the modern world are necessarily modern.
Critiques out of the way, I am very appreciative of the history this book pieces together. While you'd also need an understanding of Menelik and Adwa to fully understand how Ethiopia emerged as one of two uncolonized African countries, I think this was very helpful in understanding the international and domestic forces that played important roles in this period of Ethiopian history. In terms of domestic, I learned names of Ethiopian Patriots and events during their fight that I hadn't known about before and while I wish there was even more on that, I am glad I got to learn what I did. And for my earlier critiques, I do think that Pearce affords Ethiopian people dignity throughout the book and is ardent about critiquing those who haven't. All in all, I think there is value to this book, but I'll keep my eyes peeled for other books/bodies of work on this time period, especially ones that zero in on the Ethiopian Patriots (although again, the international context was valuable to have).
I finally finished! I slogged through this one for embarrassingly long, which I'll chalk up mainly due to my lowered tolerance for historical nonfiction (which I'm trying to build!). I don't think the language was unreadable or anything of the sort. There was certainly, however, a tendency to go on tangents? They weren't all uninteresting by any means and I personally really enjoyed the ones regarding black Americans (the Josephine Baker one was really interesting). However, they definitely didn't always have to do with the main thesis of the book, which sometimes felt like I was trying to hold onto too many threads.
Here's my main criticism of this book, though: it was written by a white man. I say this to be blunt, but let me flesh it out. I don't think whiteness necessarily excludes someone from being able to write a competent history of Italy's invasion and Ethiopia's eventual triumph. In fact, I mostly think this is one (have I not mentioned that yet...?). But I think of the fact that the book's dedication went to George Steer- as well as the Ethiopian Patriots and the Ethiopian people generally. The fact that is who Pearce chose to name reveals where his point of relatability is in the narrative. It's the white journalists. That's who he sees himself in. That's why they get so much page time, why some of this reads as a history of journalists' experience of the war in Ethiopia. I don't doubt the thesis Pearce lays out at the end regarding journalists having a highly influential role in the reception of the Italian invasion as having merit and think it's an important perspective to fold into the story, but I can't help feeling like it was overrepresented due to Pearce likening his role to theirs. Now, one more thing regarding how Pearce showed his whiteness, so to speak, before I get to what I appreciated about this book. This is perhaps a nitpicky thing, but it was mentioned enough times to get under my skin. This picture of Ethiopian people as ancient, wild (the obsession with Afros!), unmoving through history. While I'm sure Pearce sees the title "ancient" as affording dignity and recognizing lineage in a way that's much different from the "savage" sentiment of colonizers (or wannabe colonizers) this is still a riff of the same idea. Just a reminder that all people who exist in the modern world are necessarily modern.
Critiques out of the way, I am very appreciative of the history this book pieces together. While you'd also need an understanding of Menelik and Adwa to fully understand how Ethiopia emerged as one of two uncolonized African countries, I think this was very helpful in understanding the international and domestic forces that played important roles in this period of Ethiopian history. In terms of domestic, I learned names of Ethiopian Patriots and events during their fight that I hadn't known about before and while I wish there was even more on that, I am glad I got to learn what I did. And for my earlier critiques, I do think that Pearce affords Ethiopian people dignity throughout the book and is ardent about critiquing those who haven't. All in all, I think there is value to this book, but I'll keep my eyes peeled for other books/bodies of work on this time period, especially ones that zero in on the Ethiopian Patriots (although again, the international context was valuable to have).
April 5, 2019
I enjoyed this a great deal, even though I’ve read a lot on the subject. I had two slight hesitations early on: I judged from the rather racy and informal style of the introduction that it might be stylistically more informal than I care for in a work of history, and it was also clear to me that the Italians are very much the villains, and I wondered if the author’s obvious bias would cloud his objectivity. Well, I have to say that my doubts were quelled. The book is not overly informal – yes, the style is forceful and colourful but not in any way dumbed down. And yes, the Italians are the baddies – but there is really no way any objective study could come to any other conclusion. (Not that they were the only villains. The heading of one chapter is a quotation from Evelyn Waugh: “I hope the Organmen gas them to buggery.”)
Anthony Mockler’s book “Haile Selassie’s War” is also a great account of the conflict, but this is very useful because it rounds out or corrects some of Mockler’s work. For example, Mockler’s account of the Wal Wal Incident in 1935 leaves one with the impression of unfortunate disorganised chaos and accident; Pearce persuades me that it was actually a deliberately crafted provocation by the Italians. Both Pearce and Mockler leave the reader in no doubt about Italian atrocities such as
the deliberate bombing of Red Cross hospitals. Many Italians and Eritreans fought chivalrously and heroically against British Empire forces in the 1941 campaign. Pearce gives this far less weight than Mockler, and draws our attention instead to the atrocities fostered and encouraged by Graziani against Ethiopian civilians, and the fact that many Eritreans – fed up with being treated as cannon fodder by the Italians – deserted in large numbers.
Pearce is right to be outraged by the fact that a statue of “Butcher” Graziani has recently been erected in Italy. Graziani was clearly not only a war criminal but also almost totally useless both as a soldier and an administrator. His only “virtue” was his loyalty (to Fascism – hence the inverted commas). I don’t think any objective historian can be in any doubt about this. If Pearce lays it on thick, this is entirely understandable.
The one thing I didn’t like about this book is that Pearce really doesn’t care for titles. Mockler goes to some trouble to inform the reader about the complicated system of Ethiopian military and aristocratic titles, and how they intersect. Quite apart from the wonderful euphony of the names (who wouldn’t want to be a Blattengatta or a Dejazmach?), learning the differences between them really gives one a helpful understanding of the background. In what was essentially a semi-feudal society this is very important, and some of this absorbing detail is flattened out a bit by Pearce’s Canadian disdain for hereditary aristocracy (a bit unfair when after all hereditary titles are not unknown even in Canada, e.g the Nova Scotia baronets). But, all in all, this was a rewarding and in depth account of a fascinating subject.
Anthony Mockler’s book “Haile Selassie’s War” is also a great account of the conflict, but this is very useful because it rounds out or corrects some of Mockler’s work. For example, Mockler’s account of the Wal Wal Incident in 1935 leaves one with the impression of unfortunate disorganised chaos and accident; Pearce persuades me that it was actually a deliberately crafted provocation by the Italians. Both Pearce and Mockler leave the reader in no doubt about Italian atrocities such as
the deliberate bombing of Red Cross hospitals. Many Italians and Eritreans fought chivalrously and heroically against British Empire forces in the 1941 campaign. Pearce gives this far less weight than Mockler, and draws our attention instead to the atrocities fostered and encouraged by Graziani against Ethiopian civilians, and the fact that many Eritreans – fed up with being treated as cannon fodder by the Italians – deserted in large numbers.
Pearce is right to be outraged by the fact that a statue of “Butcher” Graziani has recently been erected in Italy. Graziani was clearly not only a war criminal but also almost totally useless both as a soldier and an administrator. His only “virtue” was his loyalty (to Fascism – hence the inverted commas). I don’t think any objective historian can be in any doubt about this. If Pearce lays it on thick, this is entirely understandable.
The one thing I didn’t like about this book is that Pearce really doesn’t care for titles. Mockler goes to some trouble to inform the reader about the complicated system of Ethiopian military and aristocratic titles, and how they intersect. Quite apart from the wonderful euphony of the names (who wouldn’t want to be a Blattengatta or a Dejazmach?), learning the differences between them really gives one a helpful understanding of the background. In what was essentially a semi-feudal society this is very important, and some of this absorbing detail is flattened out a bit by Pearce’s Canadian disdain for hereditary aristocracy (a bit unfair when after all hereditary titles are not unknown even in Canada, e.g the Nova Scotia baronets). But, all in all, this was a rewarding and in depth account of a fascinating subject.
May 25, 2023
As an African, I was eager to read Prevail by Jeff Pearce, a book that tells the amazing story of Ethiopia's victory over Mussolini's invasion of 1935 – 1941. This victory enabled Ethiopia to remain as the only African country to not have been colonised by the European usurpers, although briefly occupied. The book is based on extensive archival research, widespread interviews with active participants of the war and consultations with experts on Ethiopian history and culture. As a result, the book offers a very comprehensive and balanced account of this remarkable episode in African history.
Pearce does a remarkable job, setting the historical and political context of the war, by explaining the motivations and ambitions of the main actors, and describing the military and diplomatic strategies adopted by both sides. The book vividly portrays the human dimension of the war, highlighting the courage, resilience, and sacrifice of the Ethiopian people, who were able to fight and defeat a modern European army with threadbare weapons. The book also shows the atrocious crimes committed by the Italian invaders, who indiscriminately poisoned Ethiopian people using gas, bombed hospitals, massacred civilians indifferently, and looted Ethiopia´s cultural treasures.
Britain and other Western powers abandoned Ethiopia to its fate and tried to appease Mussolini's fascist regime by refusing to sell weapons and ammunition to Ethiopia. In 1936, Emperor Haile Selassie highlights this duplicity and betrayal eloquently when he addressed the League of Nations, "I ask the fifty-two nations who have given the Ethiopian people a promise to help them in their resistance against the aggressor what are they willing to do for Ethiopia? And I answer them: nothing."
The book is not only a history of a war, but also a history of a nation, the continent and black people across the globe. The book shows how black people from all over the world domiciled in major European capitals rallied behind Ethiopia, raising awareness, fundraising for the war effort, and some eventually volunteering to fight alongside their Ethiopian brothers and sisters. Ethiopia prevailed against all odds and inspired other African nations to fight for their independence and dignity.
Pearce has written a book that is not only informative and balanced, but also engaging and thrilling. He has eloquently captured the drama, the horror, and the heroism of this forgotten war. The book is a testament to the power of resistance and resilience, and more importantly, a tribute to the heroes and martyrs who fought for their country's dignity and sovereignty.
Pearce does a remarkable job, setting the historical and political context of the war, by explaining the motivations and ambitions of the main actors, and describing the military and diplomatic strategies adopted by both sides. The book vividly portrays the human dimension of the war, highlighting the courage, resilience, and sacrifice of the Ethiopian people, who were able to fight and defeat a modern European army with threadbare weapons. The book also shows the atrocious crimes committed by the Italian invaders, who indiscriminately poisoned Ethiopian people using gas, bombed hospitals, massacred civilians indifferently, and looted Ethiopia´s cultural treasures.
Britain and other Western powers abandoned Ethiopia to its fate and tried to appease Mussolini's fascist regime by refusing to sell weapons and ammunition to Ethiopia. In 1936, Emperor Haile Selassie highlights this duplicity and betrayal eloquently when he addressed the League of Nations, "I ask the fifty-two nations who have given the Ethiopian people a promise to help them in their resistance against the aggressor what are they willing to do for Ethiopia? And I answer them: nothing."
The book is not only a history of a war, but also a history of a nation, the continent and black people across the globe. The book shows how black people from all over the world domiciled in major European capitals rallied behind Ethiopia, raising awareness, fundraising for the war effort, and some eventually volunteering to fight alongside their Ethiopian brothers and sisters. Ethiopia prevailed against all odds and inspired other African nations to fight for their independence and dignity.
Pearce has written a book that is not only informative and balanced, but also engaging and thrilling. He has eloquently captured the drama, the horror, and the heroism of this forgotten war. The book is a testament to the power of resistance and resilience, and more importantly, a tribute to the heroes and martyrs who fought for their country's dignity and sovereignty.
May 25, 2020
The Italo-Ethiopian war had a devastating impact on the liberal institutions of the 20th century. As such, it is disheartening to see it relegated in class history books as a simple comma, a trivial experiment of the League. However, as Jeff Pearce shows, the struggle for freedom was nothing if not an indictment of western civilization, and, even more importantly, an unheeded omen for the atrocities that would eventually consume western Europe.
Here is one such example: following the invasion of Addis Ababa, the resistance movement of Ethiopia, the Patriots, began a 3-year struggle with the Italian outpost. In February of 1937, an attempt was made to assassinate Marshal Rodolfo Graziani. Known otherwise as the Butcher of Fezzan, a title he earned for brutally suppressing rebellions in Libya, Graziani promptly authorized a three-day massacre that led to the murder of 20 – 30,000 Ethiopians. He was never brought to trial after the war. No Italian was. They used gas, torture, concentration camps, and were then summarily absolved as the Allies sought to quickly subdue Germany. The irony is, had the British and French acted quickly to stop Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, Germany wouldn’t have been as emboldened to claim the Rhineland and launch its subsequent forays into sovereign nations. After all, once the invasion of Eastern Europe was all but underway, Hitler followed Mussolini’s playbook of the Ethiopian invasion when obfuscating his own negotiations with England and France.
The frustrating thing is that the world knew. They knew about the unprovoked invasion. They knew about the gas. They knew about the massacres. They knew. Here then, we find Ethiopia, amidst the forsaken: Armenians, Jews, Tutsi, Uighurs. History is filled with idle powers who watch passively as innocents as massacred.
I guess I should talk about Pearce as well. I was apprehensive at first since Pearce is a surprisingly obscure author with no background (none that I could find at least) in history. Nevertheless, with his cheeky quips and extensive analysis, Pearce manages to weave the tales of individuals as far-flung as Harlem, and London with the fate of Ethiopians fighting for freedom. Furthermore, he should be lauded for his ability to blend countless timeliness into one cohesive story, his dogged adherence to truth, and his revival of legendary journalists that spoke out when the powers that be would have preferred the status quo.
It is indeed an inspiring book that Pearce has written.
Here is one such example: following the invasion of Addis Ababa, the resistance movement of Ethiopia, the Patriots, began a 3-year struggle with the Italian outpost. In February of 1937, an attempt was made to assassinate Marshal Rodolfo Graziani. Known otherwise as the Butcher of Fezzan, a title he earned for brutally suppressing rebellions in Libya, Graziani promptly authorized a three-day massacre that led to the murder of 20 – 30,000 Ethiopians. He was never brought to trial after the war. No Italian was. They used gas, torture, concentration camps, and were then summarily absolved as the Allies sought to quickly subdue Germany. The irony is, had the British and French acted quickly to stop Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, Germany wouldn’t have been as emboldened to claim the Rhineland and launch its subsequent forays into sovereign nations. After all, once the invasion of Eastern Europe was all but underway, Hitler followed Mussolini’s playbook of the Ethiopian invasion when obfuscating his own negotiations with England and France.
The frustrating thing is that the world knew. They knew about the unprovoked invasion. They knew about the gas. They knew about the massacres. They knew. Here then, we find Ethiopia, amidst the forsaken: Armenians, Jews, Tutsi, Uighurs. History is filled with idle powers who watch passively as innocents as massacred.
I guess I should talk about Pearce as well. I was apprehensive at first since Pearce is a surprisingly obscure author with no background (none that I could find at least) in history. Nevertheless, with his cheeky quips and extensive analysis, Pearce manages to weave the tales of individuals as far-flung as Harlem, and London with the fate of Ethiopians fighting for freedom. Furthermore, he should be lauded for his ability to blend countless timeliness into one cohesive story, his dogged adherence to truth, and his revival of legendary journalists that spoke out when the powers that be would have preferred the status quo.
It is indeed an inspiring book that Pearce has written.
September 21, 2017
Prevail- The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory Over Mussolini's Invasion-1935 to 1941 by Jeff Pearce will fascinate anyone interested in World War Two history, especially in Africa, in Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, Italy's role in the war and those that love an inspiring true story meticulously researched and clearly narrated.
Italy, as Pearce details, used a trumped up affront over an imagined insult by the Ethiopian government as an excuse to invade Ethiopia. Mussolini wanted an easy victory to establish his credibility and expand his colonial Empire. Pearce lets us see how this invasion caused outrage in large communities of African Americans, especially in Harlem. Pearce lets us see how the war created animosity between Italians Americans and African Americans. Many Americans wanted to go to Ethiopia to join the war. There was quite a cast of characters, from heroes to charlatans, from America who got involved.
The Italians were using machine guns, airplanes, mustard gas as well as troops from their African possessions to fight the Ethiopians, often armed only with near Stone Age weapons. Pearce lets us see the great courage of the Ethiopian troops. I learned how things worked in the Ethiopian government, very much centered on the Emperor. The British foreign office at first seemed to promise help but did not follow through. Pearce attributes some of this to the racist views of Churchill. At the start of the war America was pursuing an isolationist policy.
Even after the Italians, who bombed intentionally hospitals and attacked unarmed groups of civilians with deadly mustard gas, the Ethiopians kept fighting on through it all. There are lots of colorful characters, from Ethiopian generals, Americans flying for the very weakly equipped Ethiopian air force, British officials to ordinary Ethiopian citizens.
This is very good work of popular history. I strongly endorse it for all those who are interested in the subject matter. I can see it as must Reading among WW Two history buffs, I suspect even they will learn a lot from this book.
Italy, as Pearce details, used a trumped up affront over an imagined insult by the Ethiopian government as an excuse to invade Ethiopia. Mussolini wanted an easy victory to establish his credibility and expand his colonial Empire. Pearce lets us see how this invasion caused outrage in large communities of African Americans, especially in Harlem. Pearce lets us see how the war created animosity between Italians Americans and African Americans. Many Americans wanted to go to Ethiopia to join the war. There was quite a cast of characters, from heroes to charlatans, from America who got involved.
The Italians were using machine guns, airplanes, mustard gas as well as troops from their African possessions to fight the Ethiopians, often armed only with near Stone Age weapons. Pearce lets us see the great courage of the Ethiopian troops. I learned how things worked in the Ethiopian government, very much centered on the Emperor. The British foreign office at first seemed to promise help but did not follow through. Pearce attributes some of this to the racist views of Churchill. At the start of the war America was pursuing an isolationist policy.
Even after the Italians, who bombed intentionally hospitals and attacked unarmed groups of civilians with deadly mustard gas, the Ethiopians kept fighting on through it all. There are lots of colorful characters, from Ethiopian generals, Americans flying for the very weakly equipped Ethiopian air force, British officials to ordinary Ethiopian citizens.
This is very good work of popular history. I strongly endorse it for all those who are interested in the subject matter. I can see it as must Reading among WW Two history buffs, I suspect even they will learn a lot from this book.
October 27, 2021
Unfortunately, Pearce is not a fantastic writer. Or maybe he is, just not a great historial writer. He makes the grave error of including all anecdotes that are interesting to him, and loses sight of what he’s supposed to be focusing on. The title is misleading; this book is largely NOT about Ethiopia’s resistance, but about the political history and response to its invasion. For a book meant to be about Ethiopia, Pearce relies heavily on correspondents and characters from France, the U.K., and the U.S. It’s clear that this is a white man writing black history.
Now, on the actual history, I think Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia is underrepresented when we as a culture discuss WWII. We often see the war beginning with Hitler taking Austria, but it really starts with Mussolini and Ethiopia (and maybe even before, with him and Libya). The only difference is that Ethiopia was not as much of a priority for the League of Nations because it was seen as barbaric and backwards. Why? Because they’re Black. There’s no debate. Parliament members were outspoken about how maybe it was a good thing Italy invaded so that they could be civilized. And these people coordinated with Mussolini to help make it happen.
If the world hadn’t taken Ethiopia so lightly, the course of history might’ve been much different. Hitler learned his tactics from Mussolini, and if Mussolini hadn’t been so successful, maybe we wouldn’t have had the all out war that decimated millions. To concentration camps and propaganda, Italy was the predecessor.
Pearce emphasizes near the end a quote from Steer: “the unwillingness to abandon this or that territory for reasons of prestige until the opportunity to do so without disgrace has passed…” So it is with assisting a territory.
While this was a chore to read, I did enjoy learning about people I probably would’ve never known about otherwise, such as Stefan Lux who killed himself in front of the League of Nations Assembly, or Shawaragad Gadle, a resistance fighter.
Now, on the actual history, I think Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia is underrepresented when we as a culture discuss WWII. We often see the war beginning with Hitler taking Austria, but it really starts with Mussolini and Ethiopia (and maybe even before, with him and Libya). The only difference is that Ethiopia was not as much of a priority for the League of Nations because it was seen as barbaric and backwards. Why? Because they’re Black. There’s no debate. Parliament members were outspoken about how maybe it was a good thing Italy invaded so that they could be civilized. And these people coordinated with Mussolini to help make it happen.
If the world hadn’t taken Ethiopia so lightly, the course of history might’ve been much different. Hitler learned his tactics from Mussolini, and if Mussolini hadn’t been so successful, maybe we wouldn’t have had the all out war that decimated millions. To concentration camps and propaganda, Italy was the predecessor.
Pearce emphasizes near the end a quote from Steer: “the unwillingness to abandon this or that territory for reasons of prestige until the opportunity to do so without disgrace has passed…” So it is with assisting a territory.
While this was a chore to read, I did enjoy learning about people I probably would’ve never known about otherwise, such as Stefan Lux who killed himself in front of the League of Nations Assembly, or Shawaragad Gadle, a resistance fighter.
March 31, 2024
Overall, this was a fantastic book into a somewhat overlooked chapter of WWII.
However, there are some drawbacks.
-Maps: At least in the Kindle version, there is only one map of Ethiopia and surroundings. With a ton of geography in the book, I would hope the author can do better.
-Dramatis Personae: Please include a list of who's who.
-Timeline: Would be very helpful for key events in the book.
-Modern Day comparisons: Why is Pearce sprinkling in comparisons to areas he's not an expert int - Syria, for example.
-Schizophernia: While I think I understand he was trying to discuss all the surrounding events of an overlooked decade, this book alternates between culture on one hand and geopolitics/war on the other. I think it may have worked better as separate books for each subject matter.
However, if you're a WWII buff, read this. It was rich, fascinating, and enlightening.
P.S. This baby is looong. 550 pages.
However, there are some drawbacks.
-Maps: At least in the Kindle version, there is only one map of Ethiopia and surroundings. With a ton of geography in the book, I would hope the author can do better.
-Dramatis Personae: Please include a list of who's who.
-Timeline: Would be very helpful for key events in the book.
-Modern Day comparisons: Why is Pearce sprinkling in comparisons to areas he's not an expert int - Syria, for example.
-Schizophernia: While I think I understand he was trying to discuss all the surrounding events of an overlooked decade, this book alternates between culture on one hand and geopolitics/war on the other. I think it may have worked better as separate books for each subject matter.
However, if you're a WWII buff, read this. It was rich, fascinating, and enlightening.
P.S. This baby is looong. 550 pages.
August 20, 2021
Valuable work bringing to light an unjustly forgotten event whose ramifications spread far beyond the Horn of Africa. At times I felt like Pearce assumes familiarity with the events (which I didn't have prior to reading this), and I sometimes got a bit lost as some key events were rather rushed through. A list of characters would have helped. On the other hand sometimes he spends a lot of this quite long book on tangents rather than using that space to clarify the major incidents.
But the scope and detail, not to mention the passion and outrage, carry the day. Switching between Ethiopian, British, American, French and Italian perspectives he shows clearly Italian responsibility for war crimes but also British and French culpability and ineffectual foreign policy. He also protrays the Ethiopians even handedly as a proud people struggling to adapt to the world of modern warfare.
But the scope and detail, not to mention the passion and outrage, carry the day. Switching between Ethiopian, British, American, French and Italian perspectives he shows clearly Italian responsibility for war crimes but also British and French culpability and ineffectual foreign policy. He also protrays the Ethiopians even handedly as a proud people struggling to adapt to the world of modern warfare.
May 16, 2021
I wanted a book on the Ethiopia's war. Although I know much of the period. I knew little of this war. So I was keen to find out more.
This book often is so off topic eg guys that go to fight in the Spanish civil war that it bored me.
It also does not cover the war very well. I ended out halfway going to the Wikipedia to find out about the battles. There I discovered that significant details in the war was wrong eg Hilter actually only gave a small amount of weapons.
In the end I just gave up on this book.
This book often is so off topic eg guys that go to fight in the Spanish civil war that it bored me.
It also does not cover the war very well. I ended out halfway going to the Wikipedia to find out about the battles. There I discovered that significant details in the war was wrong eg Hilter actually only gave a small amount of weapons.
In the end I just gave up on this book.
January 9, 2026
Best book on 2nd Italo-Ethio war
This is likely the best-researched book on the Second Italo-Ethiopian War of the 1930s. The author captures the lead-up to the conflict, the major battles, and the realities of Italian occupation—particularly in Addis Ababa. By weaving together Ethiopian, Italian, and global perspectives, it perfectly illustrates how the events in Ethiopia impacted geopolitics at the time. I highly recommend this book.
This is likely the best-researched book on the Second Italo-Ethiopian War of the 1930s. The author captures the lead-up to the conflict, the major battles, and the realities of Italian occupation—particularly in Addis Ababa. By weaving together Ethiopian, Italian, and global perspectives, it perfectly illustrates how the events in Ethiopia impacted geopolitics at the time. I highly recommend this book.
November 20, 2020
Comprehensive account of the event leading up to the Italian occupation and the subsequent liberation in 1941. Author does a good job telling the narrative history and highlighting the colorful characters of the period, both within Ethiopia and the world. Only wish would be more about the re-establishment of authority post 1941.
May 13, 2022
There is undoubtably a story to be told here, but Pearce's narrative did not engage me. While I've never read anything on the Ethiopian-Italian conflict, and so can't comment on the historicity directly, it also had the feel of a book written with a modern ax to grind that makes me question whether Pearce is truncating the story. Interesting events, but not the best retelling of them.
March 14, 2021
Absolutely stunning book about a harrowing part of history, Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia, painstakingly well researched and presented. I really can't recommend this enough for anybody with a passing interest in history in general and Ethiopia in particular.
December 15, 2017
really fascinating it’s the history of world war 2 that isn’t taught in schools today.
September 13, 2019
This book was very detailed and well researched. Another example of how the history of Africans and African-Americans are buried, or lost, when it comes to their impact on world events.
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