on 9 may 1936, italian dictator benito mussolini proclaimed the "africa orientale italiana" (aoi, italian east african empire), formed from ethiopia and the colonies of italian eritrea and italian somaliland. during the first italo-abyssinian war (1895–1896), italy had been thwarted in its colonial ambitions but in the second italo-abyssinian war (3 october 1935 – 5 may 1936) the italians again invaded ethiopia from italian somaliland and italian eritrea. on 10 june 1940, mussolini declared war against britain and france, making the italian forces in africa a threat to british supply routes along the mediterranean, the suez canal and the red sea.