Although the army faced security problems in many parts of the country since 1975, the real testrncame in 1977 when most of Eritrea fell into the hands of the insurgents and the guerrillarnoperation in the Ogaden developed into a full-scale invasion by Somalia. By 1977, therefore, thernarmy appeared to be on the verge of total defeat.rnThe response to this national emergency had a long-lasting impact on the army s organization,rnoperation and equipment. The conscription, training and deployment of a huge militia forcernwithin a short time and the crucial role it played in defeating Somalia came to influence thernDarg s belief in military organization, placing the premium on quantity rather than quality.rnMeanwhile the Darg's quest for a reliable arms supplier bound Ethiopia to the Soviet Unionrnwhich supplied the army with enormous weaponry as well as military advisers for more than arndecade. Although they significantly contributed to the defeat of Somalia, the Soviet militaryrnadvisers failed to plan a successful counter-insurgency operation in northern Ethiopia .rnThe application of conventional military tactics and strategy in the war against the northernrninsurgents brought about only temporary relief. The huge campaigns, such as the Red Star andrnBahra Nagash Operations, showed that military might alone could not stamp out the insurgency.rnInsurgents could only lose the war when permanently isolated from the local population. Thernarmy failed to attain that fundamental goal.rnInternally, the army had a number of serious institutional problems. Not only did these internalrnproblems undermine the army's capabilities but they also demoralized the combatants. Besides,rnwar weariness and disillusionment made the army vulnerable to the insurgents onslaught.rnThe fall of Afabet in 1988 marked the beginning of the end. It was followed by the Sherernmilitary disaster. The coup attempt that occurred soon was aborted within hours. Thernappointment of new commanders and the deployment of additional conscripts could not reversernthe worsening military situation. The fall of Me~ewa into EPLF hands in February 1990 madernthe collapse of the Second Revolutionary Army (SRA) imminent. Elsewhere other army unitsrncontinued to lose additional battles Finally in May 1991 the thiopian army one of the largest and most heavily armed in Africa,rndisintegrated following the flight of Mangestu H. Maryam to Zimbabwe