Here is the menelik story: he bought enough gun from europe collected firewood from all ethnics in mass. But in the aftermath of the war, all the glory went to komche while the rest of the ethnics were disrespected and downlooked. The usual deceptive komche brain washed the rest of the ethnics convincing them Ethiopia is a komche እርስት because Amhara komche protected it
Then the >80 ethnics failed to exercise equal benefit but they ware named and shamed!
Here is the fact
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Emperor Menelik II procured modern firearms primarily from France, Russia, and Italy (before hostilities), importing tens of thousands of rifles—including Berdan and Gras models—and millions of cartridges to equip his forces for the Battle of Adwa. His army was not exclusively Amhara; it was a massive, unified coalition representing diverse ethnic groups from across the Ethiopian Empire, including Tigrayans, Oromo, Gurage, and others.
Gun Procurement Strategies:
European Partnerships: Menelik leveraged alliances with Russia, who supported a fellow Orthodox nation, and France, who sought to curb Italian expansion, to import rapid-fire rifles and cartridges.
Treaty of Wuchale (1889): Initially, Menelik secured modern weapons and cash from Italy in exchange for territorial concessions.
Arms Traders: He purchased large quantities of arms from European traders, notably French trader Léon Chefneux, utilizing funds raised through special taxes.
Arsenal Development: By 1895, he had secured over 100,000 modern rifles and millions of cartridges, alongside artillery pieces managed by specialized units.
Composition of the Army:
Diverse Coalition: While the Amhara were a core component, the army was a diverse coalition of the "entire nation," mobilized by local rulers (Ras) from various regions, including significant contingents from Oromo, Tigray, and other areas.
National Unity: Menelik successfully forged a unified national force by leveraging a shared Ethiopian, particularly Christian, identity, ensuring cooperation across ethnic divides to combat the colonial threat.
