Albania
Italian Occupation
As Germany annexed Austria and moved against Czechoslovakia,
Italy saw itself becoming a second-rate member of the Axis. After
Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia without notifying Mussolini in advance,
the Italian dictator decided in early 1939 to proceed with his
own annexation of Albania. Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III criticized
the plan to take Albania as an unnecessary risk.
Rome, however, delivered Tiranė an ultimatum on March 25, 1939,
demanding that it accede to Italy's occupation of Albania. Zog
refused to accept money in exchange for countenancing a full Italian
takeover and colonization of Albania, and on April 7, 1939, Mussolini's
troops invaded Albania. Despite some stubborn resistance, especially
at Durrės, the Italians made short shrift of the Albanians. Unwilling
to become an Italian puppet, King Zog, his wife, Queen Geraldine
Apponyi, and their infant son Skander fled to Greece and eventually
to London. On April 12, the Albanian parliament voted to unite
the country with Italy. Victor Emmanuel III took the Albanian
crown, and the Italians set up a fascist government under Shefqet
Verlaci and soon absorbed Albania's military and diplomatic service
into Italy's.
After the German army defeated Poland, Denmark, and France, a
still-jealous Mussolini decided to use Albania as a springboard
to invade Greece. The Italians launched their attack on October
28, 1940, and at a meeting of the two fascist dictators in Florence,
Mussolini stunned Hitler with his announcement of the Italian
invasion. Mussolini counted on a quick victory, but Greek resistance
fighters halted the Italian army in its tracks and soon advanced
into Albania. The Greeks took Korēė and Gjirokastėr and threatened
to drive the Italians from the port city of Vlorė. The chauvinism
of the Greek troops fighting in Albania cooled the Albanians'
enthusiasm for fighting the Italians and the Greeks, and Mussolini's
forces soon established a stable front in central Albania. In
April 1941, Germany and its allies crushed both Greece and Yugoslavia,
and a month later the Axis gave Albania control of Kosovo. Thus
Albanian nationalists ironically witnessed the realization of
their dreams of uniting most of the Albanian-populated lands during
the Axis occupation of their country.
Data as of April 1992
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