Notes for Italian expansion: Albania - IB | RevisionDojo
Italian expansion: Albania Notes
Italian Expansion: Albania, Pact of Steel and Entry into the Second World War
Invasion of Albania (April 1939)
The Invasion of Albania (April 1939) - Events
Albania was under Italian control since 1927, when Mussolini had established a semi protectorate with King Zog leading a client state.
This means that Albania was nominally politically independent, but was heavily influenced and controlled by Italy in economic and militarily terms.
When Mussolini went into Albania in 1939, he wasn’t looking for resources.
Albania had small oil reserves, which were especially valuable in the 1930s for military and industrial purposes.
It also possessed chromium, copper, bitumen, and iron ore, which Italy saw as useful for its war economy.
Nevertheless, the main asset that Albania had was its location: controlling it gave Italy access to the Balkans, the Adriatic, and a forward base for future military campaigns, particularly toward Greece and Yugoslavia.
Also, Mussolini was keen on showing Hitler, who had recently expanded into Czechoslovakia, that he could keep pace with German expansion while recovering the glory of the Roman Empire.
The invasion was swift, met with no strong resistance, and Albania fell in a matter of days.
Historiography
Why did Mussolini invade Albania?
For the intentionalists, Albania was another step in the long-term expansionist goals rooted in fascist ideology and imperial ambition.
In this sense, Albania should be seen as part of Mussolini’s consistent plan to:
Build a new Roman Empire.
Dominate the Balkans.
Assert Italy’s place as a great power alongside Nazi Germany.
For the structuralists, Mussolini was opportunistic and reactive, driven by domestic pressures, such as economic instability, the need to distract from internal weaknesses, and competition with Hitler.
The invasion of Albania was not the result of a long-term plan, but rather a last-minute show of force to compensate for Italy’s declining prestige and growing subservience to Germany.
For historians like Denis Mack Smith, the invasion is symptomatic of Italy's weak strategic planning and reliance on spectacle over substance.
The Invasion of Albania (April 1939)
The Invasion of Albania (April 1939) - Responses
Unlock the rest of this chapter with aFreeaccount
Nice try, unfortunately this paywall isn't as easy to bypass as you think. Want to help devleop the site? Join the team at https://revisiondojo.com/join-us. exercitation voluptate cillum ullamco excepteur sint officia do tempor Lorem irure minim Lorem elit id voluptate reprehenderit voluptate laboris in nostrud qui non Lorem nostrud laborum culpa sit occaecat reprehenderit
Definition
Paywall
(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.
anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Note
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident
Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit.
Tip
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.
End of article
Want a cheatsheet?
View a summary cheatsheet for Italian expansion - Events and Responses
Flashcards
Remember key concepts with flashcards
15 flashcards
What was the main goal of Italian expansion in Albania?
Lesson
Recap your knowledge with an interactive lesson
6 minute activity
Note
Mussolini's Motivations for Invading Albania
Mussolini was frustrated by Hitler's unilateral actions, such as the occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
He sought to reassert Italy's influence and demonstrate its power by mirroring German expansion.
DefinitionItalian satellite stateA country that is nominally independent but heavily influenced or controlled by another, more powerful country.
ExampleAlbania had been an Italian satellite state since the 1920s, with its economy and military heavily dependent on Italy.
NoteWhen analyzing motives for invasion, consider both immediate triggers (e.g., Hitler's actions) and long-term strategic goals (e.g., control of the Adriatic).
