Corfu Crisis 1923

Question 1

Since 1912, Albania had been independent of…

Answer 1

Turkey

Question 2

What did the LoN do in 1921?

Answer 2

Entrusted the guardianship of Albania’s independence to Italy.

Question 3

What was the on-going dispute between Albania and Greece about?

Answer 3

the location of their common frontier.

Question 4

When was the dispute put before the LoN?

Answer 4

1921

Question 5

Name the institution the LoN referred the dispute to?

Answer 5

The Conference of the Ambassadors of Britain, France, Italy and Japan.

Question 6

What did this institution decide?

Answer 6

To send a commission made up of Greeks, Albanians and Italians to the disputed region to settle the issue.

Question 7

Who was appointed to lead the commission?

Answer 7

An Italian general, Enrico Tellini

Question 8

When were Tellini and 4 of his staff assassinated?

Answer 8

17th August 1923

Question 9

How did BM react to the assassination?

Answer 9

Even though there was evidence to suggest the murderers were Albanian, he used it as an opportunity to hold the Greek govt responsible and an ultimatum was sent to Athens.

Question 10

Terms of the ultimatum

Answer 10

• The Greek govt must issue an official apology for the crime.
• Members of the Greek gov should attend the victims’ funerals.
• The murderers should be apprehended within 5 days & automatically executed.
• The Greek fleet must salute the Italian flag.
• Payment of a 50M lire compensation

Question 11

How long were the Greeks given to respond to the ultimatum?

Answer 11

• 24 hours to accept the terms

- 5 days to pay the 50M lire

Question 12

What did the French PM, Raymond Poincare, describe the terms as?

Answer 12

“extravagant-much worse than the ultimatum after Sarajevo”

Question 13

Did the Greek govt accept the terms of the ultimatum?

Answer 13

accepted most of the terms bar automatically executing the murders. Also thought 50M lire was too steep- suggested amount should be set by the LoN.

Question 14

How did BM retaliate?

Answer 14

Ordered the bombardment and occupation of Corfu.

Question 15

What was the admiral he sent to oversee the occupation?

Answer 15

Admiral Emilio Solari

Question 16

When did Italy bomb and occupy Corfu?

Answer 16

31st August 1933

Question 17

Where did some of the bombs land?

Answer 17

On orphanages and refugee camps.

Question 18

How many citizens were killed in the bombardment?

Answer 18

16

Question 19

How many citizens were wounded in the bombardment?

Answer 19

30

Question 20

International opinion with regard to Italy’s actions was…

Answer 20

…divided.

Question 21

What did many foreign powers think of BM’s actions?

Answer 21

They were critical of BM’s gunboat diplomacy and thought it ill-advised and impulsive.

Question 22

Where was there some support for BM’s actions?

Answer 22

British and French press.

Question 23

What did The Observer applaud BM for?

Answer 23

his “virile direction of his country’s affairs”.

Question 24

What did he tell the British press in Rome?

Answer 24

• That the British govt would’ve done the same if British officers had been murdered in Greece.
• He wanted it known that he didn’t want the matter referred to the LoN as he believed it to be out of their jurisdiction.
• If it was referred then Italy would resign from the LoN.

Question 25

How did the European powers react to the Corfu Crisis?

Answer 25

They, led by Britain and her Med fleet, demanded that BM withdraw.

Question 26

Why was BM in a difficult position?

Answer 26

-His 1st international crisis he’d faced and if he failed to get his way (the 50M lire), it’d reflect badly on the F regime and public opinion might turn against him.

Question 27

How did a British Diplomat sum up BM’s precarious position?

Answer 27

“the whole Fascist fabric might collapse like a deck of cards”

Question 28

What would happen if Fascism collapsed?

Answer 28

A return to political instability and encourage a reappearance of the threat of Communism.

Question 29

Whose hands did the LoN fortunately (for BM) place the manner in?

Answer 29

The Ambassadors’ Conference

Question 30

What was the outcome of the Ambassadors’ Conference?

Answer 30

• They largely supported the Italian case and stated that the indemnity had to be paid.
• But BM never received a full apology from the Greek govt.
• Italian troops withdrew from Corfu.

Question 31

Define indemnity.

Answer 31

compensation

Question 32

When did Italian forces withdraw from Corfu?

Answer 32

September 1933

Question 33

Yes, the CC was a clear victory for BM…

Answer 33

• It appeared that this display of strength had allowed Italy’s F regime to win its first international crisis: added further to his domestic popularity and international prestige abroad.
• His policy of bombardment and occupation got him what he wanted: 50M lire indemnity.

Question 34

No, the CC was not a clear victory for BM…

Answer 34

-It showed that although BM was able to bully smaller powers, he was unable to stand to the great powers,
who demanded that he withdrew from Corfu.
-This realisation annoyed BM but it made him aware of the necessity of good relations with Britain, at least in the short term.
-BM v. fortunate that the British foreign sec, Austen Chamberlain, was an admirer of Fascism and was inclined to look tolerably on BM’s actions.
-BM never received an official apology from the Greek govt.

Question 35

What did the crisis display for the first time?

Answer 35

The weakness of the LoN when faced by the aggression of a member state (NOT A GOOD OMEN FOR THE FUTURE)

Question 36

The crisis indicated what about Fascist Italy’s FP?

Answer 36

That its aims represented a threat to peace.