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| Italian forces landing in Durrës, April 7, 1939 |
Eighty-three years ago, on Friday, April 7, 1939, Albania was attacked by Fascist Italy.
Commemorating this historic date the National Historical Museum (NHM) has brought back some facts from those early days of the occupation.
According to the information of the NHM, the Italian troops were commanded by General Alfredo Guzzoni, who had ready an army of 40 thousand soldiers and numerous weapons.
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| Italian fascist forces landing in Durrës, April 7, 1939 |
The morning of April 7, 1939, marked the act of Italian military attack against Albania. Bloody fighting was recorded in Durrës, but also in Shengjin, Vlora and Saranda.
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| Italian fascist forces landing in Durrës, April 7, 1939 |
In Durrës, Italian troops were met with fire by Mujo Ulqinaku, captain of the navy and the Major Abaz Kupi. After several hours of resistance and fighting, the city of Durrës was occupied. Albania, like all other countries, would go through the ordeal of World War II, but the opposition to the occupation in the first days would rank it in the Great Anti-Fascist Alliance, and this remains one of the most undeniable values in our modern history.