Monday, April 7, 2014

This Day in WWII History: Apr 7, 1939: Italy invades Albania

 File:Italian army.PNG

On this day in 1939, in an effort to mimic Hitler's conquest of Prague, Benito Mussolini's troops, though badly organized, invade and occupy Albania.

File:Durazzo, Albania, April 1939, Italian soldiers entering the city.jpg

 File:Flag of Albania (1939-1943).svg

 File:Ciano arriving in Albania on April 1939.jpg

Although the invasion of Albania was intended as but a prelude to greater conquests in the Balkans, it proved a costly enterprise for Il Duce. Albania was already dependent on Italy's economy, so had little to offer the invaders. And future exploits in neighboring nations, in Greece in particular, proved to be disastrous for the Italians.

 File:Ahmet-Zogu-1895---1961.jpg

 File:Albanian Kingdom (1939).svg

 File:Alfredo guzzoni.jpg

 File:Albania, April 1939, Italian soldiers disembarking from ships.jpg

Taken from: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italy-invades-albania [07.04.2014]

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