英国与意大利对曼德海峡的争夺及其影响(1914-1938)

The Competition between Britain and Italy over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and Its Impact(1914-1938)

自19世纪晚期以来,意大利开始介入红海南部事务。墨索里尼上台之后继续将曼德海峡作为突破地中海、向海外扩张、挑战英国霸权的关键环节。意大利先是以阿西尔战争为契机,企图利用也门夺取费拉桑群岛;然后在意埃战争期间又阴谋获得海峡东侧的赛义德酋长角和穆哈港;最后试图通过经济渗透的方式控制也门,实现对曼德海峡的全面掌控。这些做法对一战之后英帝国内部脆弱的海上交通安全构成了重大威胁。对曼德海峡控制权的争夺反映出英意两国在国家战略目标上的重大冲突,这是导致两国关系恶化并最终走向战争的重要原因之一。

Since the late nineteenth century, Italy had begun to get involved in the southern Red Sea affairs. After Mussolini came to power, he continued the previous practice, regarding the Bab al-Mandeb Strait as a key link to break through the Mediterranean, expand overseas and challenge the British hegemony. At first Italy attempted to seize the Farasan Islands with the aid of Yemen at the opportunity of the Asir War, then plotted to acquire the Sheikh Said and Port Mocha during the Italian-Ethiopian War, and finally tried to achieve full control of the Strait through economic infiltration to Yemen. These practices posed a major threat to the fragile maritime traffic safety within the British Empire after the World War I. The contest for the Bab al-Mandeb Strait reflected the major conflict between Britain and Italy in their national strategic objectives, which was one of the important reasons leading to the deterioration of relations and the eventual war between the two countries.