| Second Italian spring offensive | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Greco-Italian War of World War II | |||||||||
 Italian soldiers advancing in Albania, April 1941 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
Italy |
Greece | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Ugo Cavallero
Carlo Geloso
Alessandro Pirzio Biroli |
Alexandros Papagos
Ioannis Pitsikas
Georgios Tsolakoglou
 | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
11th Army
9th Army |
Epirus Army Section
Western Macedonia Section | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 5,747 [1] | Unknown | ||||||||
The Second Italian spring offensive was a offensive fought by Italy and Greece from 13 to 23 April 1941. The Italians failed to break the stalemate after the First Italian spring offensive in March 1941. With the German intervention in Greece.The Italians launched a second offensive in Southern Albania resulting in Italian victory.
After the failed Italian spring offensive in March 1941. Mussolini ordered Cavallero, that the Italian forces in Albania must stay on defensive posture as the German invasion of Greece is getting prepared. On April 4, Hitler insisted Mussolini that the Italian resistance in Albania would be the outmost importance of the Operation Marita. Since the first weeks of April. The Greek Commander-in-Chief Alexandros Papagos launched furious attacks towards Elbasan, Berat and Valona. Despite some success, the Greek forces in Albania lost the offensive capacity as the Italian defences was strong. As the German invasion of Greece was launched. Cavallero ordered Biroli , commander of the 9th Army to launch an offensive towards Western Macedonia , while Geloso's 11th Army would launch an attack aiming towards Argirocastro. [2]
On 13 April, the Italian forces began the second spring offensive. The Italian offensive was slowed due to the Greek rearguard troops left by the retreating Greeks in Albania. The town of Koritza was taken on 14th, Bilishti on 15th, but Erseke fell on 17th which the Greek troops offered resistance, Klisura fell on the same day . The advance was then aimed towards Leskovik to Perati, where Italian troops faced opposition from Greek forces. The XXV Army Corps entered the Greek territory on 21 April. [3] [4]
Greece originally surrendered to Germany , which Mussolini protested that Greece must also surrender to Italy. General Wilhelm List spoke to Mussolini that another surrender agreement will be drawn with the Italians.
The surrender agreement was formally signed on 23 April . General Tsolakoglou for Greece, General Alfred Jodl for Germany, and General Alberto Ferrero for Italy. [5]
| Second Italian spring offensive | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Greco-Italian War of World War II | |||||||||
|
Italian soldiers advancing in Albania, April 1941 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
|
Italy |
Greece | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Ugo Cavallero
Carlo Geloso
Alessandro Pirzio Biroli |
Alexandros Papagos
Ioannis Pitsikas
Georgios Tsolakoglou
| ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
11th Army
9th Army |
Epirus Army Section
Western Macedonia Section | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 5,747 [1] | Unknown | ||||||||
The Second Italian spring offensive was a offensive fought by Italy and Greece from 13 to 23 April 1941. The Italians failed to break the stalemate after the First Italian spring offensive in March 1941. With the German intervention in Greece.The Italians launched a second offensive in Southern Albania resulting in Italian victory.
After the failed Italian spring offensive in March 1941. Mussolini ordered Cavallero, that the Italian forces in Albania must stay on defensive posture as the German invasion of Greece is getting prepared. On April 4, Hitler insisted Mussolini that the Italian resistance in Albania would be the outmost importance of the Operation Marita. Since the first weeks of April. The Greek Commander-in-Chief Alexandros Papagos launched furious attacks towards Elbasan, Berat and Valona. Despite some success, the Greek forces in Albania lost the offensive capacity as the Italian defences was strong. As the German invasion of Greece was launched. Cavallero ordered Biroli , commander of the 9th Army to launch an offensive towards Western Macedonia , while Geloso's 11th Army would launch an attack aiming towards Argirocastro. [2]
On 13 April, the Italian forces began the second spring offensive. The Italian offensive was slowed due to the Greek rearguard troops left by the retreating Greeks in Albania. The town of Koritza was taken on 14th, Bilishti on 15th, but Erseke fell on 17th which the Greek troops offered resistance, Klisura fell on the same day . The advance was then aimed towards Leskovik to Perati, where Italian troops faced opposition from Greek forces. The XXV Army Corps entered the Greek territory on 21 April. [3] [4]
Greece originally surrendered to Germany , which Mussolini protested that Greece must also surrender to Italy. General Wilhelm List spoke to Mussolini that another surrender agreement will be drawn with the Italians.
The surrender agreement was formally signed on 23 April . General Tsolakoglou for Greece, General Alfred Jodl for Germany, and General Alberto Ferrero for Italy. [5]