Ethiopia: A Successful Resistance

Ethiopia lead the only successful resistance movement against the Europeans. Menelik II was the emperor of Ethipoia. He got Ethiopia into good terms with the Italians, French, and the British because he had put those nations against one another because all three were trying to bring Ethiopia into their Sphere of Influence. Menelik II bought modern weapons from the Russians and the French and he had built up a large army. Menelik II had to devised a way to keep good peace with the Italians for he didn't have to worry about them coming in and trying to take over Ethiopia. He had drawn up a treaty that he was going to make with the Italians but he quickly took it back when there was a mix up in wording between the Ethiopian language and the Italian language. Italians then claimed Ethiopia as a protectorate and began to come into northern Ethiopia. Menelik II waged war with the Italians and successfully defeated them in 1896 in the Battle of Adowa.