Ambas, reporting all troop movements and swooping down to bomb and
machine-gun any concentrations. The Ethiopian forces were confused and
scattered under their tribal commanders. There were half a dozen
breaches in their line that a forceful commander could have exploited
indeed even General De Bono sensed this and made another convulsive
leap forward as far as Makale. However, here he stopped appalled at
his own audacity, stunned by his own achievement.
Ras Muguletu was skulking on Ambo Aradam with his forty thousand,
while Ras Kassa and Ras Seyoum were struggling to move the great
unwieldy masses of their two armies through the mountain passes to link
up with the army of the Emperor on the shores of Lake Tona.
They were disordered, vulnerable, ripe to be cut down like wheat and
General De Bono closed his eyes, covered his brow with one hand and
turned his head aside.
History would never accuse him of recklessness and impetuosity.
ROM GENERAL DE BONO COMMANDER OF THE ITALIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
AT MA KALE TO BENITO MUSSOLINI PRIME MINISTER OF ITALY HAVING
CAPTURED
ADO WA AND MA KALE I CONSIDER MY IMMEDIATE OBJECTS HAVE BEEN ATTAINED
STOP IT IS NOW VITALLY NECESSARY TO CONSOLIDATE THESE SUCCESSES' TO
FORTIFY MY POSITION AGAINST ENEMY COUNTER ATTACK AND TO SECURE MY
LINES
OF SUPPLY AND COMMUNICATIONS.' ROM BENITO MUSSOLINI PRIME MINISTER
OF
ITALY MINISTER OF WAR TO GENERAL DE BONO OFFICER COMMANDING THE
ITALIAN
EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN AFRICA HIS MAJESTY WISHES AND I COMMAND YOU TO
ADVANCE WITHOUT HESITATION ON AMBA ARA DAM AND BRING THE MAIN BODY OF
THE ENENMY TO BATTLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE STOP REPLY TO ME.' ROM
GENERAL DE BONO TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF ITALY GREETINGS AND
FELICITATIONS I WISH TO POINT OUT TO YOUR EXELLENCY THAT THE
OBJECTIVE
AMBA ARA DAM IS TACTICALLY UNDESIRABLE ... THE TERRAIN FAVOURS AMBUSH
CONDITION OF ROADS VERY POOR ... TRUST MY JUDGEMENT ... URGE YOUR
EXCELLENCY TO RECONSIDER AND TO TAKE COGNIZANCE OF THE FACT THAT THE
MILITARY SITUATION MUST TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ALL POLITICAL
CONSIDERATION.' FROM BENITO MUSSOLINI TO MARSHAL DE BONO PREVIOUSLY
OFFICER COMMANDING THE ITALIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN AFRICA HIS
MAJESTY ORDERS ME TO CONVEY HIS FELICITATIONS ON YOUR ELEVATION TO
THE
RANK OF MARSHAL OF THE ARMY AND TO THANK YOU FOR THE IMPECCABLE
EXECUTION OF YOUR DUTY IN RECAPTURING ADO WA STOP WITH THE ATTAINMENT
OF
THIS OBJECTIVE I CONSIDER THAT YOUR MISSION IN EASTERN AFRICA HAS
BEEN
COMPLETED STOP YOU HAVE EARNED THE GRATITUDE OF THE NATION BY YOUR
OBVIOUS MERITS AS A SOLDIER AND YOUR STEADFAST DISCHARGE OF YOUR DUTY
AS A COMMANDER STOP YOU ARE REQUESTED TO HAND OVER YOUR COMMAND TO
GENERAL PIE TRO BADOGLIO ON HIS IMMINENT ARRIVAL IN AFRICA..
