Italian invasion of Albania

Italian invasion of Albania was a brief military campaign launched by the Kingdom of Italy against the Albanian Kingdom in April 1939. The conflict resulted in the swift occupation of the country and the forced exile of King Zog I, ending Albanian sovereignty. Albania was subsequently transformed into an Italian protectorate, personally united with the Italian crown under Victor Emmanuel III.

Background

Italian interest in Albania was long-standing, viewing it as a strategic bridgehead in the Balkans and across the Adriatic Sea from Apulia. The Treaty of London had promised Italy parts of Albania during World War I, and throughout the 1920s, Italy increased its economic and political influence, culminating in the First Treaty of Tirana in 1926 and the Second Treaty of Tirana in 1927, which effectively made Albania an Italian satellite. Under Benito Mussolini, the Fascist regime sought to create a new Roman Empire and saw Albania as a crucial component. Tensions escalated in 1939 after King Zog refused further Italian demands for economic control and the stationing of troops, coinciding with Italy's desire to counter Nazi Germany's growing influence in the region following the Anschluss and the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia.

Invasion

The invasion began in the early hours of 7 April 1939, Good Friday, as a large Italian fleet, including the battleships Giulio Cesare and Conte di Cavour, approached the Albanian coast. Troops under General Alfredo Guzzoni landed simultaneously at the key ports of Durrës, Vlorë, Shëngjin, and Sarandë. The main Albanian resistance occurred at Durrës, where gendarmes and volunteers led by Colonel Xhemal Aranitasi fought fiercely against the Regia Marina and the "Livorno" Division. Despite some initial setbacks, Italian forces, supported by heavy naval bombardment and aerial attacks from the Regia Aeronautica, overwhelmed the disorganized Albanian defenders. King Zog, his wife Queen Geraldine, and their infant son Leka fled to Greece on 8 April. By 10 April, Italian columns from Shkodër and Elbasan converged on the capital, Tirana, which fell without major combat. Organized resistance ceased by 12 April.

Aftermath

The swift conquest was followed by a rapid political reorganization. On 12 April, the Albanian Parliament, under duress, voted to depose the House of Zogu and offer the Albanian crown to Victor Emmanuel III, creating a personal union. A formal ceremony in the Parliament building solidified the union. Albania was governed by a series of Italian viceroys, beginning with Francesco Jacomoni. The country was integrated into Italy's economic and military sphere; its army was incorporated into the Royal Italian Army, and its territory was used as a base for the later invasion of Greece in 1940. The occupation fostered the growth of Albanian resistance, including communist groups that would later form the basis of the National Liberation Movement under Enver Hoxha. The Italian protectorate lasted until the Armistice of Cassibile in 1943, after which Nazi Germany occupied Albania.

See also

* Italian protectorate of Albania (1939–1943) * Leka, Crown Prince of Albania * Albanian Kingdom (1928–1939) * Axis occupation of Albania * Albanian Resistance during World War II

Category:1939 in Albania Category:1939 in Italy Category:Invasions by Italy Category:April 1939 events