March 2026 marks the 130th anniversary of the Battle of Adwa, a pivotal event in Ethiopian and global history. On March 1, 1896, Ethiopian forces led by Emperor Menelik II defeated an Italian colonial army during the Scramble for Africa. This victory challenged colonial narratives, though Western media coverage often reflected biases.
The Battle of Adwa stands as a landmark in Ethiopian history, where forces under Emperor Menelik II repelled an Italian colonial advance on March 1, 1896. This triumph disrupted narratives of European dominance and racial superiority during the Scramble for Africa. Yet Western media reports often emphasized Italian losses, portraying Ethiopia as an unexpected outlier influenced by era-specific racial biases.
Forty years later, in 1935, Benito Mussolini's fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia to avenge the Adwa defeat and expand influence. Italian troops employed superior mechanized forces, aerial bombings, and chemical weapons like mustard gas, breaching international law and targeting civilians. Ethiopia sought aid from the League of Nations, but sanctions proved feeble and unevenly applied amid geopolitical hesitations.
Western press coverage varied: some depicted the invasion as a civilizing effort or strategic move, downplaying Ethiopian suffering in favor of European diplomacy. Ethiopia's defense was occasionally shown as outdated resistance to progress. Countervoices from anti-fascist reporters highlighted atrocities and framed the conflict as an international moral challenge. A 1936 Amharic address by Emperor Haile Selassie to the League is preserved in video form.
Adwa symbolizes Ethiopian unity and resolve, while the 1935 invasion underscores resilience amid global betrayal. In today's media landscape, these events prompt reflections on narrative control, representation, and historical equity.
