Why does no one talk about the worst case of biological…
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Why does no one talk about the worst case of biological warfare in African history?
In 1887, Italian troops imported Rinderpest-infected cattle into the port of Massawa (Eritrea), unleashing the virus into a continent whose cattle had zero natural immunity.
It began at the port of Massawa, spread throughout the highlands of Ethiopia, and eventually made its way all throughout the continent.
In Ethiopia, 90% of the cattle died, resulting in 1/3 of Ethiopia's population starving to death. This crippled Ethiopia from pushing Italy out of the region, resulting in Italy walking in unopposed and creating the colony of Eritrea. This is documented in Ethiopian history as 'Kifu Qen', which means 'The Evil Day'.
**For Sub-Saharan Africa, In just 10 years:**
**- 90–95% of all cattle in Sub-Saharan Africa died.**
**- Roughly 10% of the continent's human population starved to death.**
This meant European empires didn't have to conquer thriving nations; they walked into a starving, post-apocalyptic wasteland.
This is the absolute linchpin to the success of colonialism in Africa, yet it is almost entirely erased from mainstream history books.
#local
In 1887, Italian troops imported Rinderpest-infected cattle into the port of Massawa (Eritrea), unleashing the virus into a continent whose cattle had zero natural immunity.
It began at the port of Massawa, spread throughout the highlands of Ethiopia, and eventually made its way all throughout the continent.
In Ethiopia, 90% of the cattle died, resulting in 1/3 of Ethiopia's population starving to death. This crippled Ethiopia from pushing Italy out of the region, resulting in Italy walking in unopposed and creating the colony of Eritrea. This is documented in Ethiopian history as 'Kifu Qen', which means 'The Evil Day'.
**For Sub-Saharan Africa, In just 10 years:**
**- 90–95% of all cattle in Sub-Saharan Africa died.**
**- Roughly 10% of the continent's human population starved to death.**
This meant European empires didn't have to conquer thriving nations; they walked into a starving, post-apocalyptic wasteland.
This is the absolute linchpin to the success of colonialism in Africa, yet it is almost entirely erased from mainstream history books.
#local
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