Jump to content

LANÇ counter-offensive in Albania (1944)

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
LANÇ counter-offensive in Albania
Part of World War II in Albania and the Albanian Civil War (1943–1944)

Albanian Partisans marching in liberated Tirana
Datemid-June – 29 November 1944
Location
Albania
Result

LANÇ victory

Belligerents
LANÇ
Support:
United Kingdom  Royal Air Force
Bulgaria
 Yugoslav Partisans		  Germany
Balli Kombëtar
Commanders and leaders
Enver Hoxha
Mehmet Shehu
Spiro Moisiu		 Nazi Germany Maximilian von Weichs
Nazi Germany Alexander Löhr
Mit'hat Frashëri
Ali Këlcyra
Strength
40,000 men[1] 700,000+ troops stationed[2][3]
(way less participated in combat)

The LANÇ counter-offensive in Albania during 1944 was a large-scale counter-offensive organized by the National Liberation Movement of Albania with the goal of liberating Albania from German occupation and recapture their lands lost during the German offensive in the winter of 1943-44, as well as defeat the nationalist Balli Kombëtar.[4]

Background

[edit]
Main article: German winter offensive in Albania (1943–1944)

During the winter of 1943 and 1944, the Wehrmacht together with Balli Kombëtar carried out an offensive against the communist Albanian partisans. The Germans led several successful operations against LANÇ forces capturing most of Albania.[5]

The Ballists also ambushed members of the British SOE, killing lieutenant Arthur Nicholls and many other British soldiers.[6] Another account suggests that the event took place later, in January 1944.[7][8]

On 29 May 1944, the National Liberation Front held the Congress of Përmet, which chose an Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation to act as Albania's administration and legislature.[9]

Counter-offensive

[edit]

During mid-June 1944, LANÇ forces commanded by Enver Hoxha and Mehmet Shehu mounted a counter-offensive against the German-Ballist forces.[4]

The first operation that the communists undertook was against the nationalist Balli Kombëtar in Southern Albania during Summer 1944 which ultimately led to the Albanian partisans capturing the region. During this operation the LANÇ forces liberated Vlorë after a short-battle with the German forces.[10]

Scattered Ballist forces regrouped in Pezë, Tirana where they gathered reinforcements before retreating towards Northern Albania and Kosovo, leading to clashes breaking out in during 21-23 September Kukës.[11]

In July 1944 German forces occupied Peshkopi, however later that month they were kicked out by communist. Fighting went on to continue in the Dibër region which lasted until early September which ultimately led to the LANÇ troops capturing the region.[12] During the same time, communist forces ambushed a group of German troops near the town of Librazhd, killing 200 men and capturing the town.[13]

On 15 October 1944, LANÇ forces, together with the Yugoslav Partisans and Bulgaria, mounted an Operation in Kosovo against the German army, Ballists and the Government of National Salvation. The operation lasted until 22 November, with the communist Albanians mounting an offensive against the Ballists in the Dukagjin region, attacking their forces in the Gjakova highlands. The operation was an allied success and led to the allies capturing Kosovo.[14][15]

On 23 October, during the Operation, 131 LANÇ soldiers were captured and executed by the SS Skanderbeg.[5]

After the defeat in Kosovo, most Balli Kombëtar forces dissolved with its main leaders, Mit'hat Frashëri and Ali Këlcyra fleeing Albania.[16]

The final engagements of the counter-offensive occurred during the month of November. On 17 November 1944, after a 19-day battle which started on 28 October, LANÇ liberated Tirana from the Germans, killing 2000 Nazi troops and capturing all of Central Albania. Afterwards, communist troops also liberated Krujë. The final city under German occupation was Shkodër which was liberated by LANÇ forces on 29 November 1944, marking the end of the German occupation of Albania[17][5][18]

Aftermath

[edit]

After the war, anti-communist forces organized the Committee of the Mountains, which led anti-communist movements in the northern regions of Albania. In 1945-1946, two major anti-communist uprisings took place in Postribë and Koplik, but both failed. The communist regime created the "Forcat e Ndjekjes" (Pursuit Forces) to track and eliminate anti-communist leaders, particularly Muharrem Bajraktari and Gjon Markagjoni.[19]

Enver Hoxha set up a communist regime in Albania in 1945, with Albania remaining under communism until 1989.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Dingu, Kadri (2001). Lufta antifashiste nacional çlirimtare (in Albanian). Albania: epopeja e lavdishme e popullit shqiptar. p. 296. ... Ne tetor 1944 forcat partizane kishin arritur mbi 40.000 vete (Albanian), In October 1944, the partisan forces had reached over 40,000 people (English)
  2. ^ Günther Dahms, Hellmuth (1965). Geschichte des Zweiten Weltkriegs (in German). University of California: R. Wunderlich. p. 199.
  3. ^ Gjergi, Gjon. "ENVER HOXHA, COMMISSIONER AND COMMANDER OF UNCH, EXCELLED AS A GREAT MILITARY STRATEGIST IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR" (PDF). Anëtar i Byrosë Politike të PKSH. 10: 1.
  4. ^ a b c Marmullaku, Ramadan (1975). Albania and the Albanians. Archon Books. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-208-01558-7.
  5. ^ a b c Fischer, Bernd Jürgen (1999). Albania at War, 1939–1945. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. ISBN 978-1-85065-531-2.
  6. ^ Lucas, Peter (2015-02-16). The OSS in World War II Albania: Covert Operations and Collaboration with Communist Partisans. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0943-0.
  7. ^ West, Nigel (2014-02-18). Historical Dictionary of British Intelligence. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7897-6.
  8. ^ Petrov, Bisser (2006-01-01). "Great Britain and resistance in Albania, 1943-1944". Études balkaniques: 99.
  9. ^ "Kongresi i Përmetit, vendimet që ndryshuan Shqipërinë/ "T'i ndalohet ish-Mbretit Zog kthimi në Shqipëri, të mos njihet asnjë qeveri brenda ose…"". Panorama. Panorama.
  10. ^ Miranda Vickers (28 January 2011). The Albanians: A Modern History. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-0-85773-655-0.
  11. ^ Balli kombëtar - Lufta civile
  12. ^ Sinani, Rakip (2005). Dibra dhe dibranët në faqet e historisë [Dibër and the Dibrans in the Pages of History] (in Albanian). Tiranë: KTISTALINA-KH. p. 221–240. ISBN 99943-625-8-5.
  13. ^ Pearson, Owen (2006-07-11). Albania in Occupation and War: From Fascism to Communism 1940-1945. I.B.Tauris. p. 271. ISBN 978-1-84511-104-5. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  14. ^ Biddiscombe, Alexander (2006). The SS Hunter Battalions: The Hidden History of the Nazi Resistance Movement 1944–45. Tempus. ISBN 9780752439389.
  15. ^ "Kosovska Operacija".
  16. ^ Robert Elsie. "Mid'hat bey Frashëri:The Epirus Question - the Martyrdom of a People". Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  17. ^ ""Betejën për çlirimin e Tiranës e udhëhoqi Mehmet Shehu"" (in Albanian). Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  18. ^ Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies (1982). History of the Party of Labour of Albania (2 ed.). 8 Nëntori. OCLC 475822596.
  19. ^ "Mark Gjomarku: Ja si do taçlirojmë Shqipërinë nga komunistët - Shqiptarja.com". 2018-11-12. Archived from the original on 2018-11-12. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=LANÇ_counter-offensive_in_Albania_(1944)&oldid=1284956258"