According to the news magazine "Time," when leaving Addis Ababa, the Italian Commander-in-chief, Duc d'Aosta left behind a note addressed to the British commanders, General Wavell, and Lieut.. General A. C. Cunningham, a remarkable but pathetic document of defeat:—
His Royal Highness, the Duc d'Aosta, wishes to express his appreciation of the initiative taken by General Wavell and Genera! Cunningham regarding the protection of the women and children of Addis Ababa, thereby demonstrating that strong bonds of humanity and race still exist between our nations, Apart from the shockingly inhuman marmer i which the Ethiopians were subjugated five years ago, it may be said that the Italians as a rule do fight with a greater regard for the decencies of war than do their allies, the Germans, The contrast between the behaviour of the British in Abyssinia and the Germans o! the Continent is most striking. The Britis sought to save the Italian colonists from the natural vengeance of the Abyssinians who have undoubtedly suffered grave wrongs at the hands of the Italians. They have succeeded in doing so, Hitler and his accomplices regard slaughter of civilians as a proper means of making war, and women and children are to him mere cannon-fodder so long as they happen to be enemies. Obviously the Duc d'Aosta was touched by what after all was merely common decency, though it needs to be remember that he was given the opport of doin: for his own poor manders have now done fo
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.