Albanian-Greek Border War

Albanian-Greek Border War
	Part of the Cold War and the Greek Civil War
Date	August 2, 1949 - September 5, 1949
Location	Greek-Albanian border
Result	Albanian Victory; Greece fails to invade Northern Epirus.;
Territorial; changes	Albania regains all lost territories.
Belligerents
Albania	Kingdom of Greece
Commanders and leaders
Enver Hoxha; Mehmet Shehu; Memo Nexhepi	Nikitas Agapitidhis ; Georgios Anastasopulos; Kostandin Balkanos
Strength
10,000 soldiers	70,000 soldiers ; 50 aircraft; 80 tanks; 400 artillery
Casualties and losses
2 officers killed; 6 soldiers killed	300 killed; 500 wounded; 270 POW

The Albanian-Greek Border War was a conflict during the Cold War and a part of Operation Pyrsos of the Greek Civil War. The conflict was between the Kingdom of Greece and Communist Albania. The War lasted from August 2nd, 1949 until September 5th of the same year.^[1] This war resulted in a victory for Communist Albania and withdrawal of Greek forces from the south of Albania.

Background

Prior to this event, during 1946 through 1949 a civil war broke out in the Kingdom of Greece between the Monarchist government forces and the Communist Party of Greece. This war was mainly fought in Greek territory, but it had spillover into Albanian territory. Albania at the time was under a Communist regime, and along with Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, they supported the Communist forces in Greece.

War

The first Greek attack in Albanian lands was initiated by Greek forces on August 2nd, 1949. The main goal of this war was the annexation of Northern Epirus, an area located in South Albania which Greeks consider as a historical part of Greece and Greek history. The Ministry of the Albanian People's army had issued that on August 3rd, 1949, after 7 hours of fighting, The Hellenic Army had advanced 300-400 meters into Albanian land, capturing the village of Vidohove.^[4] Later on, at 18:30 of the same day, the Albanian People's Army launched a counter-attack on the Hellenic Forces and followed them to the border to "decide the situation".

In another report of the Albanian People's Army on August 6th, 1949 it was said that during August 4th, the Greeks continued to provoke the Albanian Army at the Southern border. The Hellenic Army had captured the sector of Bozhigrad and they were heading towards Leskovik. With artillery and air support, the Albanian Army successfully launched another counterattack on the Hellenic forces, kicking them out of the Albanian part of the border.^[5]

The Communist Greek forces requested the Cham Albanians living in Epirus to support them against Communist Albania and launch one final attack on the Albanian border. This attack was initiated on August 31st, 1949 on the Gramos mountain. This attack was unsuccessful and it resulted in the withdrawal of the Greek Democratic Army from Albania, and it also marked the end of the Greek Civil War.^[6]

Aftermath

After the end of the War, during the withdrawal of the Greek armies, the prisoners of the Greek Communist forces joined in with the prisoners of the Monarchist Army. Tirana accused the Greek prisoners of trying to enter Albanian territory, but Athens said that these prisoners were caught in Greek territories.^[7]

References

↑ https://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "On August 2, 1949, Greece attacked Albania, but the Greeks encountered resistance. This armed conflict that lasted until September 5, where hundreds were killed and wounded (both on the Albanian and Greek sides), has been recognized by Albanian historiography and by the propaganda of the communist regime as "Provocations of August 1949"!"
↑ https://www.gazetatema.net/2016/12/04/fotot-roberit-greke-te-provokacioneve-te-gushtit-1949-dhe-shperblimi-qesharak-i-greqise
↑ https://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "The Greeks are said to have attacked with over 70 armed forces, over 50 aircraft, 80 tanks and an artillery echelon of nearly 400 gunners – mostly cannons. The Albanian state is reported to have mobilized and deployed 10 soldiers in the defensive war, while keeping another 30 in readiness near the attacked area."
↑ https://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "In an Operational Communiqué of the Ministry of the Armed Forces of the People's Republic of Albania, issued on August 3, 1949, Albanian "heroism" was thus propagated: "After seven hours of very fierce fighting with the border guard units of the People's Protection Division, they were able to enter the depth of our land up to 300-400 meters, taking quota 1309 and beating the village of Vidohove with artillery. At 18:30, our forces attack the monarcho-fascists who had entered our land, follow them to the border and decide the situation"."
↑ https://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "Meanwhile, in a communique of August 6, it is stated: "On August 4, 1949, the Greek monarcho-fascists continued their vile provocations against our country on the southern border. In the sector of Bozhigrad and in the direction of Leskovik, near the pyramids No. 11-12-13 and 14. Supported by artillery and aviation, with superior forces they attacked quota 1425 and quota 1309. The counterattacks of our forces broke the monarcho-fascists, taking them out of the border"."
↑ https://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "In fact, General Markos (Markos Vafeiadis), the main communist figure of Greece, had been several times in Tirana where, among other things, he asked the Chams to fight alongside them - on the border at Mount Gramos. Thus, in August, the last Greek partisan forces are attacked, which retreat inside the Albanian territory. This withdrawal and the attack on August 31 that defeated the resistance in Gramos marks the end of the Greek Civil War."
↑ https://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "During the withdrawal of the communist forces, the prisoners of the National Army were also sent to Albania. These prisoners joined the prisoners who were captured by the Army of the People's Republic of Albania, during the "provocations". Talks about their release ran into difficulties, because Tirana accused them of entering the territory of Albania, while Athens justified itself that those prisoners were caught in Greek territory. Their delivery takes place in August 1956."

Sources

"1949: Greek "provocations" and the great betrayal." (https://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/)
"FOTOT/ Robërit grekë të provokacioneve të gushtit 1949 dhe shpërblimi qesharak i Greqisë" (https://www.gazetatema.net/2016/12/04/fotot-roberit-greke-te-provokacioneve-te-gushtit-1949-dhe-shperblimi-qesharak-i-greqise)

[1] ttps://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "On August 2, 1949, Greece attacked Albania, but the Greeks encountered resistance. This armed conflict that lasted until September 5, where hundreds were killed and wounded (both on the Albanian and Greek sides), has been recognized by Albanian historiography and by the propaganda of the communist regime as "Provocations of August 1949"!"

[2] ttps://www.gazetatema.net/2016/12/04/fotot-roberit-greke-te-provokacioneve-te-gushtit-1949-dhe-shperblimi-qesharak-i-greqise

[3] ttps://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "The Greeks are said to have attacked with over 70 armed forces, over 50 aircraft, 80 tanks and an artillery echelon of nearly 400 gunners – mostly cannons. The Albanian state is reported to have mobilized and deployed 10 soldiers in the defensive war, while keeping another 30 in readiness near the attacked area."

[4] ttps://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "In an Operational Communiqué of the Ministry of the Armed Forces of the People's Republic of Albania, issued on August 3, 1949, Albanian "heroism" was thus propagated: "After seven hours of very fierce fighting with the border guard units of the People's Protection Division, they were able to enter the depth of our land up to 300-400 meters, taking quota 1309 and beating the village of Vidohove with artillery. At 18:30, our forces attack the monarcho-fascists who had entered our land, follow them to the border and decide the situation"."

[5] ttps://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "Meanwhile, in a communique of August 6, it is stated: "On August 4, 1949, the Greek monarcho-fascists continued their vile provocations against our country on the southern border. In the sector of Bozhigrad and in the direction of Leskovik, near the pyramids No. 11-12-13 and 14. Supported by artillery and aviation, with superior forces they attacked quota 1425 and quota 1309. The counterattacks of our forces broke the monarcho-fascists, taking them out of the border"."

[6] ttps://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "In fact, General Markos (Markos Vafeiadis), the main communist figure of Greece, had been several times in Tirana where, among other things, he asked the Chams to fight alongside them - on the border at Mount Gramos. Thus, in August, the last Greek partisan forces are attacked, which retreat inside the Albanian territory. This withdrawal and the attack on August 31 that defeated the resistance in Gramos marks the end of the Greek Civil War."

[7] ttps://telegrafi.com/en/the-year-1949%2C-the-Greek-provocations-and-the-great-betrayal/ "During the withdrawal of the communist forces, the prisoners of the National Army were also sent to Albania. These prisoners joined the prisoners who were captured by the Army of the People's Republic of Albania, during the "provocations". Talks about their release ran into difficulties, because Tirana accused them of entering the territory of Albania, while Athens justified itself that those prisoners were caught in Greek territory. Their delivery takes place in August 1956."

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