Italian invasion of Albania

The Italian occupation of Albania from 7 April to 12 April 1939 was a short campaign of the Kingdom of Italy against the Kingdom of Albania. The occupation followed because of the imperialist policy of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini of Italy. Albania had the well-armed Italian army to oppose hardly anything and was overrun within a few days. The Albanian King Ahmet Zog was forced to flee into exile in Greece. He never returned to Albania.

Prehistory

Even before the occupation of Albania, Italy had such an impact in Albania that the Kingdom of Albania was a de facto Italian protectorate. This was because Albanian President Ahmet Zogu wanted to limit the influence of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in Albania after he came to power in 1925. He was now looking at the major European powers for a suitable partner for this project. Zogu found this partner in Italy, which was ruled by the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in 1922. Mussolini pursued expansionary interests in the Balkans and Albania now offered the possibility to take direct influence. Also Zogu desperately needed donors to invest in the country and to be able to deny his government spending and thereby stabilize his rule.

1925, Rome and Tirana, a secret military agreement. 1926 and 1927 Albania had signed the two so-called Tiranapakte. This Italy took over practically the protection of the country to the outside and brought in Albania continue its dependence. 1928 could be proclaimed king Zog of the Albanians. This, however, could not conceal the growing influence of Mussolini.

After the invasion of the German Empire in Czechoslovakia and the annexation of Austria to Italy saw as ever-smaller partner in the Pact of Steel. So Mussolini after the German invasion of Czechoslovakia approved the annexation of Albania. Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III. rejected the plan because it was his opinion connected with unnecessary risks. Nevertheless, Mussolini demanded by Zog to tolerate the military occupation of Albania by Italy. This would have meant the task of the sovereignty of Albania. Zog refused to accept the Italian ultimatum.

The invasion

On April 7, Italian forces attacked led by General Alfredo Guzzoni simultaneously to the Albanian port of Saranda city, Vlora, Durres, Shëngjin. The Albanian Armed Forces were poorly trained and equipped. Many cadres and instructors were Italians. Thus, Albania had the Italian army to oppose hardly anything.

Zogu urged the civilian population in a radio call to resistance. This proved to be ineffective because at that time very few people had a radio receiver. Only in the city of Durres made ​​a group of civilians and policemen under the head of the local gendarmerie Mujo Ulqinaku significant resistance. They managed to delay the landing of the Italian ships to five hours.

That same day, Ahmet Zogu fled with his family and 2000 members of the government, consultants and officers into exile in Greece. On April 8, Italian troops took Tirana. Until April 12, the entire country was in the hands of the Italian troops.

The Albanian Parliament approved the dismissal Zog on April 12. The Albanian crown was the Italian king Victor Emmanuel III. given. Albania should be governed in the future in personal union with Italy.

Follow

Albania was now under the full control of Italy. It was installed an Italian governors. Under this an Albanian puppet government was formed; Prime Minister was the landowner Shefqet Vërlaci. Albania had to follow on the side of the Axis powers in World War II Italy. On October 28, 1940 Italy invaded Greece from Albania, which the Greek - Italian war began. In the same year the Italian troops but were pushed back far into Albania.

In the German Balkan campaign from April 1941 Yugoslavia and Greece were occupied by German troops. Kosovo and the region around Ulcinj in Montenegro and parts of present-day Macedonia were connected to Albania. This state structure was called Greater Albania. After the Italian capitulation on September 8, 1943 occupied units of the German Wehrmacht Albania and the Italian troops disarmed.

After the invasion in 1939, the first guerrilla groups of the dismissed police and army officers Abaz Kupi, Myslim Peza and Muharram Bajraktari were formed. These guerrilla groups were combined for National Liberation Army, which was in 1944 liberate their country without the help of Allied troops.

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