The Albanian forces triumphantly entered the city of Vlora, emptied of the invading troops. The Vlora War began on June 5, 1920. It was an armed struggle of the Albanian people for the liberation of the province of Vlora from the Italian invaders and for its administrative union with the rest of Albania. Along with the province of Vlora, the Italian government was forced to withdraw the military garrisons from Saranda, Durrës and Shëngjin. The Albanian forces were greeted with cheers by thousands of citizens and villagers and by representatives of all the provinces of the country, who had come to Vlora to celebrate together this great victory of the entire Albanian people. The Vlora War together with the Lushnja Congress proved that the Albanian people had reached such a level of political development and national consciousness, that they proved that they deserved the Independence Proclaimed on November 28, 1912, that it was fully worthy of having the independent national state and ready to defend it by any means, even in the face of the most powerful opponents. The events of the War of Vlora simultaneously testified to the strength of the union of all layers of the Albanian people to face the external danger. They also showed how right was the orientation of those Albanian political circles, which with their wisdom and determination led the Albanian people in the organization of armed resistance and in the victory of the War of Vlora in 1920. The liberation war of Vlora is ranked among the greatest events of the national history of the 20th century, which had a decisive role in the protection of the territorial integrity of Albania and in the restoration of its independence. (In the photo: Participation in the Vlora war of volunteer forces from different regions of the country.)
Text: The history of the Albanian people – Vol. III, Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Toena“, Tirana, 2007, page 165-167.
Photo: © Academy of Sciences of Albania
Graphic processing: AHCF
