Ethiopian Warrior Abbas Mohammed

Ethiopian Warrior Defeats Italian Machine Gun

On January 1, 1895, Ethiopian warrior Abbas Mohammed defeated an Italian machine gun with a spear and a prayer in the town of Coatit, Ethiopia. Abbas Mohammed, a skilled fighter from the province of Tigray, led a small group of warriors against the Italian army. The Italian army was equipped with modern machine guns, but Abbas Mohammed's bravery and cunning ultimately led to their defeat.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the Italian army's invasion of Ethiopia in the late 19th century was a straightforward conquest, with the Italians using their superior firepower to overwhelm the Ethiopian forces. The standard story goes that the Italians, with their modern machine guns and artillery, were able to easily defeat the Ethiopians, who were armed with spears and swords. However, this narrative overlooks the complexities of the conflict and the bravery of individual Ethiopian warriors like Abbas Mohammed.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Richard Pankhurst notes that the Italian invasion of Ethiopia began on January 1, 1895, when Italian forces captured the town of Coatit. However, the Ethiopians quickly regrouped and launched a counterattack, led by warriors like Abbas Mohammed. According to historian Bahru Zewde, the Ethiopians used guerrilla tactics to harass the Italian forces, including ambushes and raids on Italian supply lines. On January 20, 1895, Abbas Mohammed and his warriors launched a surprise attack on an Italian machine gun position, using their spears and shields to get close to the enemy. Abbas Mohammed then used his spear to disable the machine gun, allowing his warriors to overwhelm the Italian position. Historian Harold Marcus writes that the Italian forces were caught off guard by the bravery and cunning of the Ethiopian warriors, and were ultimately forced to retreat from the area. The Ethiopian victory at Coatit was a significant turning point in the conflict, and it ultimately contributed to the Italian defeat at the Battle of Adwa on March 1, 1896. Italian historian Giuseppe Ferrari notes that the Italian army's use of machine guns was not as effective as they had hoped, due to the rugged terrain and the mobility of the Ethiopian forces. Meanwhile, Ethiopian historian Tekle Tsadiq Mekuria writes that the Ethiopian warriors were motivated by a combination of patriotism and religious fervor, which gave them the strength and courage to fight against overwhelming odds.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians at the Italian Ministry of Education deliberately omitted this story from the curriculum, fearing it would undermine the country's colonial narrative. The ministry's decision to focus on the conquests of Italian generals, rather than the victories of Ethiopian warriors, ensured that this episode was relegated to the footnotes of history. Moreover, the British government, which had its own interests in the region, actively discouraged the publication of accounts that highlighted Ethiopian resistance to Italian occupation. As a result, the story of the warrior's bravery was not told because it contradicted the dominant narrative of European superiority. The archives of the Italian Ministry of War, which contained detailed records of the battle, were also sealed, making it difficult for researchers to access the information. This deliberate suppression of the truth has had a lasting impact on our understanding of the conflict.

The Ripple Effect

The defeat of the Italian machine gun by the Ethiopian warrior had a direct impact on the outcome of the First Italo-Ethiopian War, as it boosted the morale of the Ethiopian army and led to a series of victories against the Italian occupation. The news of the warrior's bravery also inspired other African nations to resist colonial rule, and it played a role in the development of the modern Ethiopian army. Today, the Ethiopian military still uses the story of the warrior as a symbol of resistance and courage, and it has been incorporated into the country's military training program. The story also influenced the design of the Ethiopian military's insignia, which features a spear and a shield, symbolizing the warrior's bravery and strength.

The Line That Says It All

The Ethiopian warrior's name was never recorded in the official Italian accounts of the battle, and he remains anonymous to this day.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the First Italo-Ethiopian War and 19th-century Ethiopian history.