• kilternkafuffle [any]
    ·
    4 years ago

    The near simultaneous Eriterian Independence War was somehow even more fucked up in terms of international alliances.

    Having tried to read about this conflict, the big differences between the sides seem to be ethnic rather than political, politics follow ethnic make-up. (Although Eritrea had been an Italian colony for a long time, which made it different from Ethiopia.) That's why Eritrea fights for and gains independence despite Marxist-Leninist governments being in charge of both Eritrea and Ethiopia in the 70s and 80s. Ethiopia was able to hold off Eritrea's victory with Soviet help, but once the USSR stopped helping they crumbled.

    In the big picture I'd say foreign involvement in civil wars usually only makes everyone worse off, especially when it makes the conflict more balanced and thus able to last for generations. It's just imperial powers profiting off your misery.

    • Bread_In_Baltimore [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      I’d say foreign involvement in civil wars usually only makes everyone worse off

      Yeah but in the upcoming Second American Civil War, I still want Xi to send us shipping containers of weapons and equipment and provide us with intelligence

      • kilternkafuffle [any]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Like the other reply said, the difference is 59 years (1882-1941) for Eritrea, mostly peaceful, vs. 4-5 years of occupation following a brutal war for Ethiopia. Somalia was Italian for 52 years.

        • Orannis62 [ze/hir]
          ·
          edit-2
          4 years ago

          Fair enough. There's a reason that Ethiopia is commonly known as one of the only African nations to successfully resist colonization (along with Namibia, though for completely different material reasons)