That same year the Abyssinian Emperor Haile Selassie, started to modernize his armed forces by buying modern equipment and getting military instructors from Belgium and Sweden to train his soldiers. Immediately Rome’s military attaché complained that this newly-created force would threaten the Italian colonies. However, Abyssinia only has 3,000 soldiers trained and equipped for modern warfare in September 1934.

At the end of November 1934 an Anglo-Abyssinian boundary commission inquired into the encrouchment of the Italians into Abyssinian territory. They found an Italian armed post at Welwel which was without any doubt on Abyssinian territory.

While the British delegation returned to its base, its Abyssinian escort dug in. During the next two weeks a dispute started between the Italian officer in charge and the Abyssinian delegation about the possession of the wells of Welwel. On the afternoon of December 5th, 1934 Italian troops started an attack. The fighting lasted for two days in which the Italians also brought tanks and aircraft into action. The Abyssinians were beaten and had to retreat. The Italians counted thirty dead and more than 60 wounded. Both countries brought this dispute to the attention of the League of Nations with Italy demanding heavy reparations.

The border incidence was a welcome pretext for Mussolini to begin a campaign against Abyssinia. Italy started to move troops to its colonies in February 1935 and set up eleven new divisions four month later. Even Mussolini’s son in law was drafted as an air force pilot.