Trials
- International
The League of Nations failed to do trials against Graziani and other Italian authorities before World War II.
In 1943 the Allied Powers agreed to create a new body to replace the League: the United Nations. The "United Nations War Crimes Commission" was created to investigate war crimes. On March 4, 1948 charges against Graziani were presented to the United Nations War Crimes Commission. The commission was given evidence of the Italian policy of systematic terrorism and Graziani’s self-admitted intention to execute all Amharas authorities, and cited a telegram from Graziani to General Nasi, in which he had written, "Keep in mind also that I have already aimed at the total destruction of Abyssinian chiefs and notables and that this should be carried out completely in your territories." The UN commission agreed that there was a prima facie case against eight Italians including Graziani.
The British Foreign Office consistently opposed Ethiopia’s inclusion in this Commission and the trial of Italian crimes committed during the 1935–36 invasion. Ethiopian efforts to bring Graziani to trial were frustrated by intransigence, by both Italy and Britain, and were finally abandoned, under pressure from the Foreign Office, whose support the Ethiopian Government considered essential for its claim to Eritrea.
- National
Because the judgement of the national Italian tribunal was that he was only "receiving orders", he only served four months despite having been condemned to 19 years in 1948.
Read more about this topic: Rodolfo Graziani
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