Editing History of Albania (section)

=== Italian penetration ===

The Italian invasion of Albania in April 1939 was the conclusion of centuries of Italian interest in the country and twenty years of direct, if unsuccessful, economic and political participation in Albania, primarily under Benito Mussolini. The Straits of Otranto, which cross the Adriatic Sea and connect Albania and southern Italy by forty miles, have always operated as a bridge rather than a barrier, offering escape, cultural exchange, and an easy invasion path. Before [[World War I]] Italy and [[Austria-Hungary]] had been instrumental in the creation of an independent Albanian state. At the outbreak of war, Italy had seized the chance to occupy the southern half of Albania, to avoid it being captured by the Austro-Hungarians. That success did not last long, as post-war domestic problems, Albanian resistance, and pressure from United States President [[Woodrow Wilson]], forced Italy to pull out in 1920.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://countrystudies.us/albania/25.htm |title=Albania: A Country Study: Albania's Reemergence after World War I, Library of Congress |access-date=25 January 2011 |archive-date=7 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807032027/http://countrystudies.us/albania/25.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

When Mussolini took power in Italy he turned with renewed interest to Albania. Italy began penetration of Albania's economy in 1925, when Albania agreed to allow it to exploit its mineral resources.<ref name="LoC">{{cite web|url= http://countrystudies.us/albania/28.htm |work=Albania: A Country Study|title= Italian Penetration|publisher= Library of Congress|editor1-first=Raymond |editor1-last=Zickel|editor2-last=Iwaskiw|editor2-first=Walter R.|year = 1994}}</ref> That was followed by the First Treaty of Tirana in 1926 and the Second Treaty of Tirana in 1927, whereby Italy and Albania entered into a defensive alliance.<ref name= "LoC" /> The Albanian government and economy were subsidised by Italian loans, the Albanian army was trained by Italian military instructors, and Italian colonial settlement was encouraged. Despite strong Italian influence, Zog refused to completely give in to Italian pressure.<ref>Fischer, B. J: ''Albania at War, 1939–1945'', page 7. Hurst, 1999</ref> In 1931 he openly stood up to the Italians, refusing to renew the 1926 Treaty of Tirana. After Albania signed trade agreements with [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] and [[Second Hellenic Republic|Greece]] in 1934, Mussolini made a failed attempt to intimidate the Albanians by sending a fleet of warships to Albania.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://countrystudies.us/albania/29.htm |work =Albania: A Country Study|title = Zog's Kingdom|publisher= Library of Congress|editor1-first= Raymond|editor1-last = Zickel|editor2-first= Walter R.|editor2-last = Iwaskiw|year = 1994}}</ref>

As [[Nazi Germany]] [[Anschluss|annexed Austria]] and [[German occupation of Czechoslovakia|moved against]] [[Czechoslovakia]], Italy saw itself becoming a second-rate member of the Axis.<ref name="LoC2">{{cite web|url = http://countrystudies.us/albania/30.htm |work =Albania: A Country Study|title= Italian Occupation|publisher= Library of Congress|editor1-first= Raymond |editor1-last = Zickel|editor2-first= Walter R.|editor2-last = Iwaskiw|year = 1994}}</ref> The imminent birth of an Albanian royal child meanwhile threatened to give Zog a lasting dynasty. After Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia (15 March 1939) without notifying Mussolini in advance, the Italian dictator decided to proceed with his own annexation of Albania. Italy's King [[Victor Emmanuel III of Italy|Victor Emmanuel III]] criticized the plan to take Albania as an unnecessary risk. Rome, however, delivered Tirana an ultimatum on 25 March 1939, demanding that it accede to Italy's occupation of Albania. Zog refused to accept money in exchange for countenancing a full Italian takeover and colonization of Albania.