Tembi battle
| date | 1936 |
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| place | Tigray , Ethiopia |
| output | Italian victory |
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The Tembi battles took place in 1936 during the Abyssinian War in the north-east Ethiopian province of Tigray . Together with the Battle of Mai Ceu , they decided the war in Italy's favor . Ethiopia became part of the Italian East Africa colony .
First Tembi battle
The first Tembi battle (January 21–24, 1936) took place when Pietro Badoglio's forces advanced from Eritrea . The Ethiopian military leaders Ras Cassa and Ras Sejum tried to attack the flank of the Italian units, but failed after some initial successes. After this determined attempt to stop the Italian advance, the fascist leadership ordered the use of poison gas. On February 1, Ras Mulugieta was defeated by the Italians at Enderta, who subsequently conquered the Amba Aradam.
Second Tembi battle
In the second Tembi battle (February 27-29, 1936) the Ethiopian units were completely destroyed . Badoglio conquered the historic Amba Alagi and also wiped out the army of Ras Imru by March 3rd. The Negus then started a last, desperate attempt with his imperial guard and other associations to stop the Italian pincer movement that had started from Eritrea and Somalia by attacking Badoglio's columns . After this counterattack failed at Mai Ceu, the Negus withdrew towards Addis Ababa . The Italian troops marched there on May 5, 1936.