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

When were Tellini and 4 of his staff assassinated in corfu?

Answer 5

17th August 1923

Question 6

How did BM react to the assassinations in corfu?

Answer 6

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 7

Terms of the corfu ultimatum

Answer 7

• 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 8

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

Answer 8

• 24 hours to accept the terms

- 5 days to pay the 50M lire

Question 9

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

Answer 9

“extravagant-much worse than the ultimatum after Sarajevo”

Question 10

Did the Greek govt accept the terms of the corfu ultimatum?

Answer 10

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 11

How did BM retaliate to the corfu crisis

Answer 11

Ordered the bombardment and occupation of Corfu.

Question 12

When did Italy bomb and occupy Corfu?

Answer 12

31st August 1933

Question 13

What did Mussolini tell the British press in Rome about Corfu?

Answer 13

• 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 14

How did the European powers react to the Corfu Crisis?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Why was BM in a difficult position with corfu?

Answer 15

-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 16

What would happen if Fascism collapsed?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What was the outcome of the Ambassadors’ Conference?

Answer 17

• 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 18

Define indemnity.

Answer 18

compensation

Question 19

When did Italian forces withdraw from Corfu?

Answer 19

September 1923

Question 20

Yes, the CC was a clear victory for BM…

Answer 20

• 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 21

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

Answer 21

-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 22

What did the corfu crisis display for the first time?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

The crisis indicated what about Fascist Italy’s FP?

Answer 23

That its aims represented a threat to peace.