An Italian mechanized column under the command of Pietro Badoglio, Marshal of Italy, advanced from the town of Dessie to take Addis Ababa.

"[2] Forces based in Italian Somaliland under General Rodolfo Graziani invaded Ethiopia on what was known as the "southern front."

[citation needed] Badoglio replaced De Bono in late 1935 and was immediately faced with the Ethiopian "Christmas Offensive."

On the southern front, Graziani eliminated a large Ethiopian army commanded by Duke (Ras) Desta Damtew during the Battle of Ganale Doria using poison gas.

[4] By 31 March, the last Ethiopian army on the northern front was commanded in battle by the Emperor himself, Haile Selassie.

[7] Because of the lack of resistance between Dessie and Addis Ababa, Badoglio risked a spectacular advance with a "mechanized column" for propaganda purposes.

In addition to 12,500 Italian troops, the column included 1,785 cars and trucks of all makes (Fiats, Lancias, Alfa-Romeos, Fords, Chevrolets, Bedfords, and Studebakers), a squadron of light tanks (L3s), eleven batteries of artillery,[7] and aircraft.

[6] Special vehicles carried 193 horses so that when the column arrived at the gates of Addis Ababa, the Marshal and his staff could leave their cars and ride in triumph on horseback.

[8] Badoglio expected some show of resistance at Termaber Pass, and the mechanized column did halt there for two days but all was quiet.

[7] On 4 May the Italian formation was ambushed in Chacha, near Debre Berhan, by Ethiopian forces under Haile Mariam Mammo.

Let every man who is not wounded or sick take arms and enough food to last five days and march north to fight the invader!"

"[10][nb 1] Forgetting the raw gas burns on his arm, Haile Selassie retired into his Palace for a final conference with his chieftains.

But, when the chiefs did talk, they explained that the one effective Ethiopian army left was fighting for its life under Ras Nasibu Emmanual in the Ogaden.

The rioting that started after Haile Selassie left lasted until order was restored with the arrival of the Italians.

[citation needed] A detachment of Ethiopian customs guards presented arms as Badoglio's car drove past them.

[13][nb 2] When Badoglio's entourage pulled up in front of the Italian legation at 5:45 pm, the Tricolour of the Kingdom of Italy was hoisted.

After the cheering, Badoglio turned to a senior member of the Italian Royal Air Force and said: The fall of Addis Ababa had been expected in Italy.

An anonymous journalist at the time said this: During the week following Marshal Badoglio's entry into Addis Ababa, Dr. Johann Hans Kirchholtes, the German Minister to Ethiopia, visited what had been the Italian Legation in the Ethiopian capital city.

[15] Meanwhile, one of Marshal Badoglio's staff officers, Captain Adolfo Alessandri, visited every foreign legation in Addis Ababa.

This was Italy's official notification to the world that occupied Ethiopia would not be considered to be on the same footing as the Japanese Empire's puppet state of Manchukuo.