Hoare–Laval Pact
failed secret British-French plan for the partitioning of Abyssinia
The Hoare–Laval Pact was a secret pact made in December 1935 between French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval and British Foreign Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare for ending the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. Italy wanted to incorporate the independent nation of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) into its Italian Empire and also avenge the 1896 Battle of Adwa, a humiliating defeat. The pact proposed to partition Abyssinia and thus partially achieve Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's goal of making Abyssinia an Italian colony.
When it was leaked, the proposal was met with outrage in Britain and France and never went into effect. Hoare and Laval were both sacked.
Background
In 1935 the Abyssinian Crisis and Second Italo-Ethiopian War began. In the United Kingdom many people and the official opposition supported League of Nations sanctions against Fascist Italy, as did the Dominions. The government hoped that strong sanctions against Italy might discourage Nazi Germany from similar actions, and won the November general election with a pro-League platform.
On 8 December 1935, British Foreign Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare discussed with his French counterpart Pierre Laval (who was both Prime Minister and Foreign Minister) how to end the war. On 9 December British newspapers revealed leaked details of an agreement by the two men to give much of Ethiopia to Italy to end the war.
The public source identifies “Hoare–Laval Pact” as failed secret British-French plan for the partitioning of Abyssinia. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Hoare, Laval and Pact.
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