 The British initially maintained the Italian administration of Eritrea, but the country soon started to be involved in a violent process of independence (from the British in the late 1940s and after 1952 from the Ethiopians, who annexed Eritrea in that year).During the last years of World War II, Vincenzo di Meglio defended the Italians of Eritrea politically and successively promoted the independence of Eritrea.After the war he was named Director of the "Commitato Rappresentativo Italiani dell' Eritrea" (CRIE).