Italy and War of Vlora during 1920

• Author: Xhilda Shuka
• Position: Institute of History, University Centre of Albanological Studies, Tirana, Albania
• Pages: 325-336

Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences

IIPCCL Publishing, Tirana-Albania

Vol. 2 No. 2

July 2016

ISSN 2410-3918

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

325

Italy and War of Vlora during 1920

Xhilda Shuka

Institute of History

University Centre of Albanological Studies, Tirana, Albania

Abstract

ItalyplayedspecialaentiontotheprovinceofVloraduringWorldWarIbecauseofitsgreat

strategic importance in the Adriatic Sea. Italy had deployed in October 1914 in Sazan and had

occupied Vlore since December 1914. But for the Albanian people, the liberation of Vlora was a

key moment for its survival. It was the victorious War of Vlora in 1920, following the decisions

oftheCongressofLushnjawhichreconrmedAlbaniasindependenceandwhichputAlbania

in the course of a normal independent country. The important role of the war in direct confron-

tationwiththeItalianpolitical andmilitaryforcesofthe timeareintendedtobe reectedin

this article based on historical arguments and new perspective of our days.

KeywordsWarofVloraItalyLushnjaCongresstheNationalDefenseCommiee

Introduction

Italian occupation over Vlora was part of the requirements of Rome to the Adriatic

Sea possession. Entente’s diplomats approved this request of Rome. As a consequence

thestatementofthisrequestintheSecretTreatyofLondonwaslikeItalywilltake

full sovereignty over Vlora, Sazan Island and over a vast territory, enough to ensure

theprotectionofthesepointsitwasstatedintheVIarticleoftheTreatyofApril

(Sonnino, 1974, 209).

This request was also accepted by the Russian Empire, with some remarks.

RepresentativesofRussiasrelatedtheapprovaloftheapplicationofRomeregarding

Vlora, with other Italian territory on the east coast of the Adriatic, especially on the

Dalmatian coast. Russian diplomacy was ready to accept the passage of the Vlora

region under the sovereignty of Italy, aiming that Rome would give up or would limit

its claims to Dalmatia (Çami, 2007, 63). Besides Vlora, Italy asked the secret Treaty of

London also the mandate on truncated Albanian state that would emerge from the

Peace Conference.

Feelings of anger that seized the broad masses of the people because of the new plans

for tearing Albania, was the reason for unleashing a powerful patriotic movement on

a high national basis. But the center of the movement for the protection of territorial

integrity and national rights became the city of Vlora. Even earlier the people of Vlora

had shown a total dissatisfaction and opposition to the Italian occupation, despite the

appearing of Italian politics as a protective of Albanian interests.

OnNovemberonthethanniversaryoftheDeclarationofIndependence

in Vlora was organized an event in commemoration of this event. But the most

powerful manifestation was organized a year later, on November 28, 1919, which

the Italian army violently suppressed hurting ordinary people. Not only that, but the