FATIMA JINNAH WOMEN UNIVERSITY

DYNAMICS OF GEOPOLITICS (ASSIGNMENT)

SUBMI TT ED TO : SI R RIZWA N SH ARIF

SUBMI TT ED BY : MISHAL HU MA YUN

REGI ST RA TI ON NO: 2020- BD DS-027

DE PA RT ME NT : ( BS) DEFEN SE AND DI PL OMA TIC ST UDI ES

SE ME ST ER: II
 VLORA WAR
 Vlora War was fought between Albania and Italy in 1920.
OBJECTIVES OF BOTH PRINCIPALITIES OF ALBANIA AND ITALY
Albania
 The Young Turk revolution in 1908
was one of the reasons for rebellion
against the Ottoman Empire which
at that time ruled sections of Albania,
due to this there was a raise in tax for
conscription and other issues.
 This caused the Albanians to rise in
revolt in 1910 and again in 1912. In
1912 the revolt occurred because of
the failure of Ottoman Empire in
the Italian-Turkish war and also
because of the Balkan war.
 Due to this Albania’s land and cities
were beginning to get occupied by
Serbs, Greeks, Montenegrins and
Bulgarians which led to Albanian
declaration of Independence on
November 28th 1912 which was not
recognized until the Treaty of
Bucharest.
 Still only 40% percent of the
Albanian ethnic land was governed
by the state and the other nation was
still occupied by Great Powers each
trying to push their forces.
Italy
 Before entering the First World War
Italy had signed a secret treaty,
known as the treaty of London in
which Italy was subjected to
promise to declare war against
Austria-Hungary and Germany
within the time frame of a month, at
the price of some territorial land. The
land of Albania according to this
treaty was promised to Italy.
 Italy did not wanted to let go of
Albanian territories due to their
prime location constituting of the
Adriatic Sea, which gave advantage
to Italy over its enemies who were
also trying to invade Albania from
other locations but to keep a strong
hold Italy wanted full power over
Albanian region.
 After the World War 1 ended, the
issue of Albanian territory was still
kept hanging and Albania was
considered to be held under Italian
forces without any objection by
other nations and Italy even thought
  The Greek soon invaded the South
by support of the British and
Muslims, who further managed to
pin Asad Pasha, the minister to the
nation’s capital Terrazzo by late
November of 1914. Pasha was rescued
by Italian warships, but Italy itself
invaded Valona in December 1914.
This gave them access to the coastline
from Valona to Terrazzo.
 On November 28 1919 when an event
for Declaration of Independence was
held Italian armies burst into
outrage and tortured the ordinary
citizen, tore Albanian flags and
wrapped them around dogs to make
them roam in Valona causing an
outrage in masses for patriotic
purposes.
 Sensing the revolt Italian armies in
early April and May of 1920
performed series of arrests in town
of Valona.
to completely dictate Albanian
lands, even the Paris Peace
Conference in 1920 bought no fruit
to the problem.
 Italian armies held large occupation of
military and political possession in
Albanian lands and had occupied the
lands since December 1914.
 Italy did not want to drop its claims
to the Albanian lands just like other
allied powers did so it deployed its
armies in Albanian territories and kept
strict check on civilians so they did
not cause an uproar.

REVISIONIST OR STATUS QUO?

If we look at the dimensions of objectives of both parties both of these are revisionist states.
Albania wanted to seek freedom for the Italian occupation and also wanted to be liberated by
all allied powers hence, it wanted to seek change from its current position. Italy on the other
hand was also a revisionist state as it wanted to gain full charge of Albanian territories and
wanted to invade Albania fully so it wanted to change from its current scenario and wanted more
power over the land.

WHO WON/LOST THE WAR?

The war started on June 4th 1920 and ended on August 2nd 1920 with Italy signing an
Albanian-Italian protocol according to which Italy would retreat from Albania following the
defeat of Italy a ceasefire was announced on 5th August 1920. Albanians kept on fighting for
three months under the leadership of Qazim Koculi. The Italian army was pushed back by the
4000 Albanian fighters who fought in different regions in groups to regain their lands back.
They fought against oppression and through united effort for their nation they proved themselves
against the Italian army which was more equipped and more in numbers but the patriotic
Albanians gave way to history by winning this victorious battle that added to Albania’s
independence.

ANNOTATED MAP