Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

After Giuseppe Garibaldi arrived at Nazret, due to insufficient manpower, the morale of the troops was low, discipline began to relax, and he did not dare to launch an attack.

The defeat on the battlefield caused uneasiness in the upper echelons of Italy, including Finance Minister Marco Minghetti, Interior Minister Urbano Rattazzi and others who were members of Prime Minister Luigi's cabinet.

Especially the Minister of the Interior Urbano Rattazzi. He was born in Shandria. He graduated from the University of Turin and studied law. He became a practicing lawyer in 1838 and became the Congress of Sardinia in 1848. MP.

In the next 10 years, he held several ministerial positions in Sardinia, and thus had a close relationship with Count Cavour, Prime Minister of Sardinia.

Therefore, Rattazi was entrusted by Cavour to establish a moderate party center composed of liberals, which formed a constraint on the military.

In his early years, he had many conflicts with the military minister Garibaldi, one of the three founding heroes of Italy, and opposed his military heroism. Many people speculated that he represented the attitude of the then Prime Minister Cavour, in order to suppress The military's restlessness, and now Garibaldi's consecutive defeats in Ethiopia, have become an excuse for the moderates to attack.

Among them are Interior Minister Urbano Rattazzi and Finance Minister Marco Minghetti who are currently in Luigi's cabinet.

Italian moderates led by these two men also privately criticized Prime Minister Luigi and Emmanuel II for launching this war.

Interior Minister Rattazzi even believed that winning the war was impossible.

Faced with the worrying war situation and opposition and dissent from all sides, King Emmanuel II of Italy instructed Italian Prime Minister Luigi to ask him to inform the Italian ambassadors in Berlin, Prussia and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and to the Kingdom of Prussia and the Netherlands. The kingdom stated that Italy proposed a plan to divide Ethiopia's internal territory, that is, Ethiopia's eastern territories from Jijiga in the north to Amino in the south would be Prussian territory.

And it promised the Netherlands that Italy was willing to recognize that Amino from the southeast, to Goba in the north, Hawassa in the west, and east of the Omo River belonged to the Netherlands.

The remaining amount belongs to Italy. The plan is to occupy half of Ethiopia, and Italy alone will occupy half.

This time it seems that Italy has paid a lot.

However, both the Prussian and Dutch rulers believed that this plan threatened Prussian and Dutch interests in East Africa because it would turn the targets of the angry Ethiopians to Prussia and the Netherlands.

This allowed them to gain access to some of the benefits ceded by Ethiopia and to open up Ethiopia's domestic market. Neither country actively responded to Italy's plan to break up Ethiopia.

When Luigi's attempt to break up the Ethiopian plan with European Prussia and the Netherlands failed, Emmanuel II and Prime Minister Luigi finally understood that the war could only continue and had no other choice.

So with the support of Emmanuel II, Prime Minister Luigi stepped up the dispatch of new troops to Ethiopia, and at the same time began a large number of domestic recruitment. At the same time, the ships sent to Ethiopia also carried a large number of military weapons and equipment to supplement the army.

On March 1, 1863, the Italian army in Ethiopia was as high as 200,000, with the number of cannons increased to 600, and the number of cannons increased by 10,000 on horseback. Other firearms and ammunition were also supplemented to varying degrees. Specifically, the number of Italian troops in Ethiopia was 200,000. An additional 20,000 troops were added to the front line, and 180,000 troops were added to the eastern front.

However, Italy has been making changes in its military deployment for more than a month.

But Ethiopia also didn't stop watching.

Since the failure of the Second Italian-Egyptian Battle of Harar, the Ethiopian government has stepped up its military expansion. The number of regular troops in the country has reached 300,000. Especially after the northern part of Ethiopia was captured by Italy, many Ethiopian regular troops slowly moved south and gathered together. When it comes to the capital Addis Ababa, there are more than 200,000 people in the capital of Ethiopia alone.

The remaining 100,000 troops are deployed in the satellite city of Nazret in the east of the capital, with 20,000 troops deployed. More than 20,000 troops are deployed in Negmot in the west, Motu in the southwest, Jimma and Hawassa in the south, and Goba in the southeast. 10,000 people, and the remaining 30,000 people are in the northern city of Desai on the Western Front. These 30,000 people are blocking the fall of the Western Front.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

"Father, can we just use our own 300,000 troops to fight against Italy now?"

Menelik suddenly asked Tewodros II.

"Why do you ask?" This son has been very clever since he was a child. Just like this time when he was sent to deal with Prussia and the Netherlands, he completed it well."

When the epidemic breaks out, we can take advantage of it (reason).

Ethiopia has used its interests to gain peace in the east and south, and it has also received explicit or covert support from the two countries. It can be said that it is a great achievement for its hard work.

He never imagined that his son Menelik II would later defeat Italy many times and even establish himself as the most powerful country in Africa. While European countries were colonizing various parts of Africa, Ethiopia was unique and was not colonized by any other country. The country invaded, and his son became known as the greatest ruler of Ethiopia.

Menelik said slyly: "At present, our country has stabilized the east and south, but father, don't forget, who is lying in the west?"

Tewodros II suddenly came to his senses, "Are you saying that Britain will do something bad to us?"

Menelik said, "The United Kingdom has always been famous in Europe for its cunning. My father has asked me to familiarize myself with European politics and history since I was a child. This time we gave profits to Prussia and the Netherlands, but we did not form a deal with the United Kingdom. , This may be a kind of contempt for the proud British. I don’t think they will turn a blind eye to our war with Italy because of this.”

Tewodros II said with great interest: "You said that Britain would send troops to our west to help Italy."

Menelik shook his head, "Their troops in South Africa have been depleted too much. They also know that we are not easy to mess with, so they will not send troops."

Seeing his father's confusion, Menelik said: "Just be afraid, the offshore balancing technique that the British like in Europe is being used in Ethiopia in a scheming way."

Tewodros II was stunned for a moment, then looked at Crown Prince Menelik with great satisfaction and praised: "You are thoughtful, it seems that you are good at Western history and politics."

"Then what is father going to do?"

"Naturally, the UK will not be given a chance. Ethiopia belongs to our father and son, not the region."

"Father talks a lot"

Just as William IV was pointing out the weaknesses of countries such as Italy and Ethiopia in Amsterdam, unexpectedly, Ethiopia reported new actions, which shocked even William IV. Ethiopia actually found the hidden problem and solved it.

On March 5, 1863, Tewodros II mobilized 50,000 people from the Duke of Murugietta, 30,000 people from the Duke of Imiru, 20,000 people from the Duke of Seum, and 20,000 people from the Duke of Casa. 20,000 troops, a total of more than 110,000 troops, have been assembled in Addis Abel, commanded by Ethiopian Army Minister De Boser.

Only the major dukes formed a 110,000-strong army and marched towards Desai, which was stirring up the western front of Italy in the north. They fought with only 30,000 people (originally only 10,000, but later the number increased to 30,000). So. Ferrero Lamarmora was losing ground.

This wave of actions caused Giuseppe and Garibaldi on the eastern front to follow suit. They originally wanted to go north to pursue this Ethiopian team, but the government troops of Ades Abel were clinging to the eastern front. This force will not let go.

This made the situation on Italy's Western Front very urgent. In the end, after receiving many letters from the Western Front asking for help, Giuseppe Garibaldi had to divide 50,000 troops to support the Western Front.

He didn't know that Tewodros II and the others wanted this consequence.

The Ethiopian local army, Minister of War De Boser, took advantage of the familiarity of the terrain to hide 50,000 troops halfway, while his deputies continued to lead the remaining 60,000 troops to support the German advance.

After it was determined that the 50,000 people in Italy would continue to catch up in the direction of Desai.

War Minister De Boser detoured around Addis Abels with an army of 50,000 men and launched a fierce attack on Nazret's 130,000 people. Giuseppe Garibaldi also faced Ethiopia from behind Addis Abels Abels. After launching an offensive, the Italian army was attacked from the front and back by 350,000 Ethiopian troops. The Italian army killed 15,000 people, injured more than 21,000 people, destroyed more than 200 cannons, and captured more than 3,000 horses.

Faced with a sudden attack, Ethiopia's attack was so violent that Giuseppe Garibaldi had to lead the retreat, fighting and stopping all the way, and finally stopped at Gota.

At this time, the Italian Eastern Front Army, in addition to the 50,000 troops supporting Desai on the Western Front, the remaining 150,000 troops suffered more than 35,000 deaths and more than 20,000 wounded, nearly a third of which was lost in this round.

The Ethiopian side also suffered a lot of losses. The 50,000 local army suffered the greatest losses due to the main attack. More than 30,000 people died in the battle. Among the remaining 10,000 people, 5,000 were disabled for life and 7,000 were slightly injured. They still had combat effectiveness. There are only 8,000 people left.

Government troops suffered only 3,000 deaths, 2,000 serious injuries, and 1,000 minor injuries.

Altogether, Ethiopia suffered 33,000 deaths, 7,000 serious injuries, and 8,000 minor injuries.

The government's 200,000-strong army in Addis Abel suffered less than 5,000 casualties. This is bad news that could not be worse for Italy.

Pursuing victory is a fine tradition in human genes, whether in the East or the West.

The Ethiopian army then mobilized and continued to increase troops on the western front, advancing towards Eritrea.

At the same time, Ethiopia continues to request the Netherlands to provide the weapons it needs at high prices.

The order exceeded 50,000 guns and 1 million bullets, which made the Netherlands happy.

European countries are jealous.

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