in 1936 he was forced to flee to British protection. He appealed twice (in 1936 and 1938) to the League of Nations for action against Italy, both times in vain. In 1940, after Italy entered World War II, he returned to Africa with British aid. In 1941, he reentered Ethiopia and regained his throne. In the postwar period, he instituted social and political reforms, such as establishing a national assembly in 1955. In the 1960s and 1970s, he directed his efforts at pan African aims, particularly through the Organization of African Unity. In 1960, a revolt by a group of young intellectuals and army officers was crushed -- they had demanded an end to oppression and poverty. In 1974, however, the army was successful in seizing control, and Haile Selassie was progressively stripped of his powers and finally, on Sept. 12, 1974, deposed. He died under house arrest in 1975 ("Haile Selassie" http://www.infoplease.com).
The early period of Haile Selassie's rule was a hopeful one for African na
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