765.84/4120: Telegram
The Minister Resident in Ethiopia ( Engert ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:33 p.m.]
213. From Military Attaché for the Assistant Chief of Staff, G–2.
“All northern Ethiopian armies have been defeated and are now travelling south in disorder. About April 1st between Maichio [Mai Cio] and Lake Ashanghi, the Emperor committed to battle all troops with him and was severely defeated. With him at the time were Ras Kassa and Ras Seyoum and the elements of their armies remaining from the battles of Tembien. The Emperor has retired of the [with a?] small group toward Salalie [Salale].32 The army of Ras Imru is now scattered in Gojam [Gojjam] south in Lake Ovporrigo.
Italians are presumably now at least as far south as Lali Bela [Lalibela] and Waldia. The road Waldia–Dessie–Addis Ababa is open except for the fact [that?] north of Dessie the big rains appear to have begun. The Emperor may make a stand at Magdala but has insufficient effective troops remaining, Ethiopians report that Italian troops are now supplied by animal transport.
In the Ogaden, the main food and ammunition supply depot at Harrar has been destroyed by bombing. No definite information of an Italian advance there. Have reliable information that the Italians are still south of Wadera in Sidamo.
Have returned from Dessie after a futile attempt to find my pack train and that of the Dutch Red Cross. Am leaving on next boat from Djibouti. Addis Ababa populace still ignorant of military situation. Antiwhite feeling increasingly strong in north, loyalty to the Emperor has decreased markedly and morale is poor. Meade.”
- This sentence apparently garbled in transmission.↩