The Abyssinian Empire had thrown itself wholly into East Africa's embrace in cultural and social terms. Though the two countries differed somewhat because of religion and other factors, compared with the other nations in the region, the Abyssinian Empire was far more pleasing to East Africa's eye.
North Africa was entirely an Arab cultural region. By comparison, Abyssinia's mainstream religion was likewise a branch of Christianity. Moreover, after years of turmoil, the country was destined never to become a great power, not even a regional power.
First, it had no outlet to the sea. Second, its territory was small; even by European standards, its population would only qualify it as a medium-sized country. Third, it lacked natural resources.
Of course, this lack of resources was only in comparison to East Africa. In reality, the Abyssinian Empire's reserves of advantageous mineral resources were not small. Coal and iron, both needed for the First Industrial Revolution, were found within its borders, and it was also one of the major gold-producing regions.
Yet the problem of having no outlet to the sea would continue to plague the Abyssinian Empire in the future, unless it reclaimed the Red Sea colonies coastline occupied by the Kingdom of Italy.
But that hope was slim. The present Kingdom of Italy was not as arrogantly ambitious as it had been during World War II; instead, it was far more practical. Italian immigrants in the Red Sea colonies had now reached at least more than nine hundred thousand. Even if that region gained independence in the future, it would still contain a vast immigrant population and could never return to the Abyssinian Empire.
And that was precisely what Ernst wished to see. If Abyssinia had a seaport on the Red Sea coast, how could it devote itself wholeheartedly to