ABSTRACT

In 1977, Somalia invaded Ogaden Province in Ethiopia, which in precolonial times had been Somali territory and was home to many displaced Somali people. In many African countries, European powers forced warring tribes and clans into an uneasy coalition and kept the peace only by exercising strong central authority. This was not the case in Somalia; it had once been a unified territory that was torn apart by colonialism. Thus, after independence, it was the policy of the Somali government to try to reunite its people and territories. During the assault on Ogaden Province, the Somali army succeeded in retaking it. Within a year, however, Ethiopian forces with the help of Cuba and the Soviet Union defeated and drove out the Somali army. Despite Somalia’s alliance with the USSR, the Soviet Union chose to side with Ethiopia in this conflict, believing that a true MarxistLeninist state was more likely to arise in Ethiopia than in Somalia.