ALBANIA: OCCUPIED BY FASCIST ITALY

Albania: Occupied by Fascist Italy



Albania: Occupied by Fascist Italy

Introduction

The modern Albania is a country that has existed for less than a century. It was born from the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in 1912. It holds a centuries-old historical and cultural tradition. The Balkan wars of 1912-13 opened the way to independence of this state. Until then it was divided by the different clans that had only occasionally united in the face of common threats. It followed the revolution of the Young Turks led by Ismail Kemal. This division, political and territorial, already found in the Byzantine era (Keegan, 2006) .

The region has always made it easy prey to the neighboring powers. It had tried on several occasions to extend their influence to the detriment of local governments. This is despite the harshness of the land, and above all to the strong bonds of loyalty inside the clan. Later, it managed to maintain control of their territories. The same Sultan, who was able to assert his power only with the defeat of the national hero Scanderbeg, always had to ensure a wide autonomy within the country. The "Beys" South and "bajraktars" north seeking greater freedom with the weakening of the Ottoman Empire. A group of 83 Muslim and Christian delegates solemnly proclaimed the birth of the autonomous state of 'Albania in November 28, 1912. This new state entity was later enshrined in the London Conference of 1913 during which the representatives of Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France and Italy, established the boundaries of the new state (Keegan, 2006).

Discussion

In the early years of the young state, there were two figures that characterize the evolution of the Albanian society. Orthodox Bishop Noli, who enjoyed the support in Western countries, and the more traditional Ahmed Bey Zogu who later became President (1925-1928) and then as King Zog. King Zog controls exercised over the country. He secured a degree of stability for many years. The government of King Zog, however, was a real dictatorship, which collapsed on the eve of World War II in the face of expansionist ambitions of the Italian fascist regime. It was replaced a few years later, by the new dictator and "father" of the country, Enver Hoxha (Zabecki, 2009).

The years of Hoxha's communist regime were characterized by an intensification of the closure of the country which was gradually moving away from the other states of the Marxist faith. The total isolation came after the break in relations with the Republic of China (1978). In this time of Hoxha, Albania developed its own characteristics both politically and socially, becoming in 1967 the first atheist country in the world. In accordance with the "nationalist sectarianism, which he wanted as the" Father of the Nation, "was the" Marxism the theology of this religion”.

Hoxha's successor, Ramiz Alia (who led the country from 1985 to early 1991), it could not prevent the opening (and fall) of the Communist regimes in other Eastern European countries. Those European countries also did not evoke a desire in Albania. There was a change that promptly made her way through a series of anti-government demonstrations in the capital and largest city in northern Shkodra. This process of opening was realized in March 1991 and the first multiparty ...