Ethiopia, Debre Markos. 1976. Ethiopian peasant army mustering or gathering barefoot, with no shoes. Many sent by the new Marxist communist government, The Derg, (Lt. Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam) to Eritrea to fight the rebels. Here they have 45-year-old Italian WW2 bolt action rifles, bullet belts & some old Italian uniforms. Sitting down are some young boys wearing animal skins.
In 1976 a 35,000-man peasant army was thrown against the Eritreans. It collapsed with great losses. Drafted, untrained Ethiopian peasants on the way to put down the rebels.
Size: 3265px × 2123px
Photo credit: © Jan Traylen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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