Corfu incident

Not to be confused with Corfu Channel incident.
Corfu incident of 1923
Part of the interwar period

Corfu, one of the Ionian Islands
DateAugust 29 – September 27, 1923
Location
Corfu, Kingdom of Greece
39°40′N 19°45′E / 39.667°N 19.750°E / 39.667; 19.750
Result Agreement between Italy and Greece under the auspices of the League of Nations
Belligerents
 Italy
Diplomatic Support:
 Albania[1]		  Greece
Commanders and leaders
Benito Mussolini
Emilio Solari		 Stylianos Gonatas
Strength
  • 150 infantry troops[10]
    • Casualties and losses
    None 16 civilians killed, 30 wounded and 2 amputated (per Greek sources)[11]
    20 civilians killed and 32 wounded (reported)[3][12]
    Corfu is located in Greece
    Corfu
    Corfu
    class=notpageimage|
    Location within Greece
    Events leading to World War II
     1910s
     1920s
     1930s

    The Corfu incident (Greek: κατάληψη της Κέρκυρας, romanized: Katalipsi tis Kerkyras, Italian: crisi di Corfù) was a 1923 diplomatic and military crisis between Greece and Italy. It was triggered when Enrico Tellini, an Italian general heading a commission to resolve a border dispute between Albania and Greece, was murdered in Greek territory along with two other officers of his staff. In response, Benito Mussolini issued an ultimatum to Greece and, when it was not accepted in whole, dispatched forces to bombard and occupy Corfu. Mussolini defied the League of Nations and stated Italy would leave if it arbitrated in the crisis, and the Conference of Ambassadors instead eventually tendered an agreement favouring Italy. This was an early demonstration of the League's weakness when dealing with larger powers.

    1. ^ "THE ALBANIAN FRONTIER". The Examiner. Launceston, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 3 September 1923. p. 5 Edition: DAILY. Retrieved 21 April 2013."It is announced that Albania has reinforced the Greco-Albanian frontier. Guards prohibit passage across the frontier. A Greek courier carrying delimitation commission papers has been prevented passing."
    2. ^ a b c d e f Gooch, John (December 2007). Mussolini and his Generals: The Armed Forces and Fascist Foreign Policy, 1922-1940. Cambridge University Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-0521856027.
    3. ^ a b c "BOMBARDMENT OF CORFU". The Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 1 October 1935. p. 6. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
    4. ^ "GREEK FORT AT CORFU SHELLED BY ITALIAN WARSHIPS". Rochester Evening Journal And The Post Express. 4 September 1923. p. 2."Aeroplanes aided in the attack."
    5. ^ "CORFU OCCUPIED AFTER BOMBARDMENT; 15 GREEK CIVILIANS KILLED, MANY WOUNDED". Providence News. 1 September 1923. p. 37."As the landing of the Italians was carried out, fire also was opened from planes above the town."
    6. ^ "CORFU OCCUPIED AFTER BOMBARDMENT; 15 GREEK CIVILIANS KILLED, MANY WOUNDED". Providence News. 1 September 1923. p. 37."With firing from the fleet and airplanes."
    7. ^ "ITALIAN NAVY GUNS KILLED ARMENIANS ORPHANS IN CORFU". The Montreal Gazette. 5 September 1923. p. 10. "...and six batteries of light artillery."
    8. ^ "LEAGUE CHALLENGED". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 6 September 1923. p. 9. Retrieved 21 March 2013. "Eight thousand troops were landed."
    9. ^ "ITALIAN NAVY GUNS KILLED ARMENIANS ORPHANS IN CORFU". The Montreal Gazette. 5 September 1923. p. 10. "...when i left the Italians had landed 10,000 troops"
    10. ^ "5000 ITALIAN TROOPS HAVE LANDED AT CORFU GREEK GARRISON FLED". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 3 September 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
    11. ^ "Οταν οι Ιταλοί κατέλαβαν την Κέρκυρα το 1923". TO BHMA. 25 April 2010.
    12. ^ "American Scores Bombardment Of Corfu Civilians". Meriden Morning Record. 4 September 1923. p. 1. "the number killed reached twenty, nine of these were killed outright and eleven died at the hospital. Thirty-two wounded are now in hospitals and there were perhaps fifty slightly wounded."