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
Vlorë region
Result See aftermath
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 (MIA)
Principality of Albania Aristidh Ruçi
Principality of Albania Xhemal Aranitasi
Principality of Albania Ahmet Zogu[1]		 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[2] About 25,000 troops,[3] with only a fraction engaged due to an outbreak of malaria[4]
Casualties and losses
750–3,000 killed 2,000 killed, most of which died due to malaria[5]
Events leading to World War II
 1910s
 1920s
 1930s

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.[6] 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 confirmed 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.[7][8] 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.[9] Both the Albanian committee and the Italian foreign ministry claimed victory and expressed satisfaction with the agreements;[10][11] 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. ^ "1933 | Ahmed Zogu: King Zog Tells his Story". www.albanianhistory.net. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  2. ^ Krasniqi, Kolë (2019). Islamist Extremism in Kosovo and the Countries of the Region. Cham: Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-18569-5. OCLC 1119613159.
  3. ^ Marmullaku, Ramadan (1975). Albania and the Albanians. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books. ISBN 0-208-01558-2. OCLC 1963173.
  4. ^ Vincenzo Gallinari, l'esercito italiano nel primo dopoguerra, 1918-1920, p.157
  5. ^ Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd, editor, Burke's Royal Families of the World, Volume 1: Europe & Latin America (London, UK: Burke's Peerage Ltd, 1977), page 106
  6. ^ Paolini M., I fatti di Ancona e l'11º Bersaglieri (giugno 1920), in "Quaderni di Resistenza Marche", n. 4 novembre 1982.
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Treaties of Tirana
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.