Pictorial Review, Volume II, Number 4: Imperial Ethiopian Navy graduation at Massawa (Amharic-English poster distributed in Addis Ababa)
A bilingual Amharic-English picture-sheet on the graduation of 36 sub-lieutenants of the Imperial Ethiopian Navy at Massawa. Photographs show the Emperor reviewing the men, presenting a sword to a graduate, an Orthodox blessing of the Navy's colours, a Norwegian admiral receiving a ceremonial spear and shield, and two coast guard cutters. The text quotes the Emperor thanking the US Government and Ambassador. The tell is testimonial: the Emperor's thanks for US vessels and equipment are quoted.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- March 8, 1959
- Period
- Cold War
- Made by
- U.S. Information Agency (predecessor: State Department International Information and Educational Exchange Program), Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East series
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Eisenhower Administration
- Leader
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Audience
- Foreign public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- Cold War
- Source
- Unidentified Source blurred: contractors, cutouts, buried disclosure
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 306, Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work; NARA RG 306)
U.S. Information Agency / Department of State, March 8, 1959. National Archives, Record Group 306 (NAID 6948753, 306-PPB-14h).
Text on the object
ስዕላዊ፡ መጽሔት። PICTORIAL REVIEW Volume II Number 4 Ethiopia's Navy took a big step forward with the graduation at Massawa in January of 36 young men who completed a three-year course and won their sub-lieutenant stripes. His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I, attended the ceremonies at Haile Selassie I Naval Base and College where he presented swords to the young officers who form the nucleus of the growing Imperial Ethiopian Navy officer corps. In his address at the ceremony, His Majesty extended his thanks to "Ras Andargatchew, who has toiled unceasingly in preparing the physical structures which comprise this institution; to the, Government of the United States of Americad which has generously contributed the vessels and equipment utilized in the training program; to the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. Don C. Bliss, who has cooperated wholeheartedly in the implementation of this program; to Commander Iskander Desta who has with diligence carried out the orders for the development of the school, and finally, to those devoted Norwegian and American officers and men who have instructed and trained the cadets who study here." Guests at the graduation included high Ethiopian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and officers and men from British, French and American ships which came to Massawa especially for the ceremony. His Majesty reviews men of the Imperial Ethiopian Navy. Behind him is His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince. His Imperial Majesty in the uniform of Admiral commanding the Imperial Ethiopian Navy. His Imperial Majesty presents a sword to a new sub-lieutenant. At extreme right is Commander Iskander Desta, deputy commander of the Imperial Ethiopian Navy. The Imperial Ethiopian Navy's new Colors, presented by His Majesty, are blessed in a traditional orthodox ceremony. Norwegian Admiral Jacobsen receives a ceremonial spear and shield from Commander Iskander Desta. Earlier, the Admiral had presented Commander Iskander with a Norwegian decoration. These two coast guard cutters were provided for Ethiopia under the United States Military Assistance Program. They are used for training and coastal patrol work.
Masthead Amharic 'ስዕላዊ መጽሔት' reads, literally, 'Pictorial Magazine'; the English text is as printed.
Amharic body text and captions (parallel to the English) are not transcribed; only the Amharic masthead is.
