Ninety years ago today, on June 30, 1936, Emperor Haile Selassie delivered one of the most memorable speeches in modern diplomatic history, addressing the League of Nations after Fascist Italy, under Benito Mussolini, invaded Ethiopia.
The address was also historic because Haile Selassie became one of the first Black African heads of state—and the first reigning Ethiopian emperor—to personally address an international assembly of nations.
In an emotional appeal, the emperor urged the international community to uphold collective security and international law, warning that aggression left unchecked would threaten every nation.
“That is why I decided to come myself to bear witness against the crime perpetrated against my people and give Europe a warning of the doom that awaits it. “I assert that the problem submitted to the Assembly today is a much wider one. It is not merely a question of the settlement of Italian agression. It is collective security: It is the very existence of the Leauge of Nations….In a word, it is international morality that is at stake.”
The Italian delegation at the time was reportedly whistling, jeering, and shouting.
Despite this, the emperor continued his speech, warning that fascist aggression would eventually turn inward toward Europe itself. “It is us today,” he argued. “It will be you tomorrow.”
In his speech, Haile Selassie described Italy’s use of mustard gas against Ethiopian soldiers and civilians, despite international agreements prohibiting chemical weapons. His testimony became one of the earliest high-profile international denunciations of chemical warfare and highlighted the human cost of the conflict.
Although his speech won widespread international sympathy, it failed to prompt decisive action. The League of Nations did not stop the Italian occupation, and Ethiopia remained under Italian rule until 1941.
Haile Selassie’s warning would later be seen as prophetic, highlighting the consequences of failing to confront aggression before it spreads.Within three years, Europe was engulfed in the World War II after a series of unchecked acts of aggression by fascist powers.
