Vlora War

The Vlora War was a military conflict in the Vlora region of Albania between the Kingdom of Italy and Albanian nationalists, who were divided into small groups of fighters. The war lasted three months until an armistice, whose terms forced Italy to give up plans to turn Albania into a mandate and relinquish Vlorë. In exchange, Italy retained a diplomatic protection over Albania to guarantee the country's independence and was allowed to annex the island of Saseno. This settlement was confirmed within the League of Nations by the Conference of Ambassadors a year later. The Vlora War is seen as a turning point in the establishment of Albanian independence. Background Before entering the First World War as an ally of Triple Entente, the Kingdom of Italy had signed the secret Treaty of London: Italy promised to declare war against Germany and Austria-Hungary within a month in exchange for some territorial gains at the end of the war. The promised territories of Albania to Italy were treated in Articles 6 and 7 of the treaty: Article 6 Italy shall receive full sovereignty over Valona, the island of Saseno and surrounding territory.... Article 7 Having obtained the Trentino and Istria by Article 4, Dalmatia and the Adriatic islands by Article 5, and also the gulf of Valona, Italy undertakes, in the event a small, autonomous, and neutralized state being formed in Albania Italy not to oppose the possible desire of France, Great Britain, and Russia to repartition the northern and the southern districts of Albania between Montenegro, Serbia, and Greece. The southern coast of Albania, from the frontier of the Italian territory of Valona to Cape Stilos, is to be neutralized. The Italy will be conceded the right of concluding the foreign relations of Albania; in any case, Italy will be bound to secure for Albania a territory sufficiently extensive to enable its frontiers to join those of Greece and Serbia to the west of Lake Ochrida .. In 1920 in allies in the Paris Peace Conference had still reached no decision on Albania's future, but Italy's claims to sovereignty over Vlorë had never been seriously challenged. Italian Prime Minister Francesco Saverio Nitti had also hoped to obtain a mandate over the rest of the country according to the secret Treaty of London.