ABSTRACT
The Ethiopian civil war began in 1974 when a civilmilitary uprising led to the ouster of the Emperor Haile Selassie’s regime. From that moment on, rival forces within Ethiopia did not cease their struggle for power. Even during the brief period from about 1978 through 1982, when Mengistu Haile Mariam appeared to have complete control over the country, he still faced serious military threats in the northern Eritrean and Tigray provinces. These threats, combined with other uprisings, would overwhelm his regime.
