Africa Orientale Italiana Northern front, East Africa, 1940

on 9 may 1936, italian dictator, benito mussolini, proclaimed africa orientale italiana (aoi italian east africa), formed colonies of italian eritrea , italian somaliland , ethiopia, had been occupied after second italo-ethiopian war (1935–1936). amedeo, duke of aosta, appointed viceroy , governor-general of aoi in november 1937, headquarters in addis ababa, ethiopian capital. on 1 june 1940, commander in chief of comando forze armate dell africa orientale italiana (italian east african armed forces command) , generale d armata aerea (general of air force), aosta had 290,476 local , metropolitan troops (including naval , air force personnel) in aoi. (by 1 august, mobilisation had increased number 371,053 troops.) on 31 march 1940, mussolini had laid down defensive strategy against kenya, policy of limited offensives against kassala , gedaref (now al qadarif) in sudan , bigger offensive against french somaliland protect eritrea. naval forces based @ massawa take offensive , regia aeronautica provide air support ground , naval operations. on 10 june, mussolini declared war on britain , france, made egypt vulnerable forces in libia italiana, part of africa settentrionale italiana (asi) , in aoi menace british , french colonies in east africa. italian belligerence led closure of mediterranean allied merchant ships , endangered british supply routes along coast of east africa, gulf of aden, red sea , suez canal.

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