Ethiopia was not Mussolini's preferred target in the early 1930s. His expansionist ambitions gravitated more towards the Balkans, and Yugoslavia in particular. But diplomatic and military realities, the pressure of an emerging fascist rival, and Italy's own weakness forced his attention towards East Africa as an alternative. 

Bibliography for this episode: 

1. Gooch, John Mussolini and His Generals Cambridge University Press, 2007

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