Vlora War

Vlora War

Clockwise from top: Italian base; Albanian soldiers; Italian cannons captured by Albanian irregulars during one of the battles
DateJune 4 – August 2, 1920
Location
Result
Territorial
changes
  • Vlorë relinquished to Albania by Italy
  • The Saseno Island formally annexed by Italy
  • Belligerents
    Principality of Albania Albanian nationalists Kingdom of Italy Italy
    Commanders and leaders
    Principality of Albania Qazim Koculi
    Principality of Albania Ahmet Lepenica
    Principality of Albania Selam Musai 
    Principality of Albania Spiro Jorgo Koleka
    Principality of Albania Fani Shuka
    Principality of Albania Aristidh Ruçi
    Principality of Albania Javer Hurshiti
    Principality of Albania Aqif Përmeti
    Kingdom of Italy Giovanni Giolitti
    Kingdom of Italy Settimio Piacentini
    Kingdom of Italy Enrico Gotti 
    Strength
    10,000 troops, of which 3,000–4,000 engaged[1] About 25,000 troops,[2] with only a fraction engaged due to an outbreak of malaria[3]
    Casualties and losses
    Unknown Unknown

    The Vlora War was a military conflict in the Vlorë region of Albania between the Kingdom of Italy and Albanian nationalists. Vlorë, occupied by Italy since 1914, was attacked four times by Albanian nationalists. While repelling the attacks, the Italian troops suffered from an outbreak of malaria and could not receive support as the Bersaglieri of Ancona refused to be sent to Albania, in the context of the Biennio Rosso agitations.[4] Italian prime minister Giovanni Giolitti, considering the occupation of Vlorë pointless and unpopular, negotiated a treaty of compromise with the Albanians. This resulted in Italy abandoning its plans to make Albania a mandate and ending the occupation of Vlorë, while it retained diplomatic protection over Albania to ensure its independence and annexed the island of Saseno. The armistice agreement was ratified a year later by the Conference of Ambassadors of the League of Nations, confirming Albanian sovereignty and the Italian special interests. The Vlora War is considered an important moment in the history of the Albania's independence.[5][6] At the same time, the 1920 treaty of Tirana is considered the first of the Treaties of Tirana that gradually brought Albania into the Italian sphere of influence.[7] Both the Albanian committee and the Italian foreign ministry claimed victory and expressed satisfaction with the agreements;[8][9] many authors do not treat these clashes as forming an actual conflict and the very concept of a "Vlora War" is rare in historiography.

    1. ^ Krasniqi, Kolë (2019). Islamist Extremism in Kosovo and the Countries of the Region. Cham: Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-18569-5. OCLC 1119613159.
    2. ^ Marmullaku, Ramadan (1975). Albania and the Albanians. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books. ISBN 0-208-01558-2. OCLC 1963173.
    3. ^ Vincenzo Gallinari, l'esercito italiano nel primo dopoguerra, 1918-1920, p.157
    4. ^ Paolini M., I fatti di Ancona e l'11º Bersaglieri (giugno 1920), in "Quaderni di Resistenza Marche", n. 4 novembre 1982.
    5. ^ Albanian identities: myth and history Authors Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers, Bernd Jürgen Fischer Editors Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers, Bernd Jürgen Fischer Edition illustrated Publisher C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 2002 ISBN 1-85065-572-3, ISBN 978-1-85065-572-5
    6. ^ Ruggero Giacomini, La rivolta dei bersaglieri e le Giornate Rosse - I moti di Ancona dell'estate del 1920 e l'indipendenza dell'Albania, Assemblea legislativa delle Marche, Ancona 2010.
    7. ^ Treaties of Tirana
    8. ^ Arhire, Sorin; Roşu, Tudor, eds. (2019). The Paris Peace Conference (1919-1920) and Its Aftermath: Settlements, Problems and Perceptions. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 112. ISBN 9781527543959. ... the political quarrel turned into an armed conflict, which ended with the unexpected victory of the Albanians.
    9. ^ In a speech in parliament, the Italian foreign minister announced complete success in the military operations and negotiations leading to the agreements. Carlo Sforza: portrait of a diplomat. University of Michigan. Zeno, L. (1999).  p.240.

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