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Albania
World War I and Its Effects on Albania
Political chaos engulfed Albania after the outbreak of World
War I. Surrounded in by insurgents Durrës, Prince Wilhelm departed
the country in September 1914, just six months after arriving,
and subsequently joined the German army and served on the Eastern
Front. The Albanian people split along religious and tribal lines
after the prince's departure. Muslims demanded a Muslim prince
and looked to Turkey as the protector of the privileges they had
enjoyed. Other Albanians became little more than agents of Italy
and Serbia. Still others, including many beys and clan chiefs,
recognized no superior authority. In late 1914, Greece occupied
southern Albania, including Korçë and Gjirokastër. Italy occupied
Vlorë, and Serbia and Montenegro occupied parts of northern Albania
until a Central Powers offensive scattered the Serbian army, which
was evacuated by the French to Thessaloniki. Austro-Hungarian
and Bulgarian forces then occupied about two-thirds of the country.
Under the secret Treaty of London signed in April 1915, the Triple
Entente powers promised Italy that it would gain Vlorë and nearby
lands and a protectorate over Albania in exchange for entering
the war against Austria-Hungary. Serbia and Montenegro were promised
much of northern Albania, and Greece was promised much of the
country's southern half. The treaty left a tiny Albanian state
that would be represented by Italy in its relations with the other
major powers. In September 1918, Entente forces broke through
the Central Powers' lines north of Thessaloniki, and within days
Austro-Hungarian forces began to withdraw from Albania. When the
war ended on November 11, 1918, Italy's army had occupied most
of Albania; Serbia held much of the country's northern mountains;
Greece occupied a sliver of land within Albania's 1913 borders;
and French forces occupied Korçë and Shkodër as well as other
with sizable Albanian populations, regions such as Kosovo, which
were later handed over to Serbia.
Data as of April 1992
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