Mussolini's Defeat at Hill 731, March 1941: How the Greeks Halted Italy's Albanian Offensive

John Carr

Des 2020 · Pen and Sword Military

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This WWII history examines the most consequential and hard-fought battle between Greek and Italian forces in Albania.

On March 9th, 1941, the Italians launched their Spring Offensive, designed to stem four months of humiliating reverses. Watched by Mussolini himself, the operation’s objective was a pair of parallel valleys dominated by the Greek-held Hill 731. The Italian Eighth Corps, part of Geloso’s 11th Army, had the task of seizing the heights, spearheaded by 38 (Puglie) Division. Holding the position was the Greek 1 Division of II Corps, with 4 and 6 Division on the flanks.

For seventeen days, after a massive artillery barrage, the Italians threw themselves against the Evzones on the hill—only to be repeatedly smashed with appalling losses. It was a merciless fight at close quarters, where bayonets held the place of honor but the battered Greeks held.

Mussolini had wanted a spring victory to impress the Führer. Instead, the bloody debacle of Hill 731 could well have contributed to Hitler’s decision to postpone his invasion of Russia. John Carr sheds light on this consequential episode in the Mediterranean theater of operations.

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John Carr has enjoyed a career as a journalist, correspondent and broadcaster (The Times, Wall Street Journal Europe, Vatican Radio), mainly in the Mediterranean and particularly Greece, where he now resides. He is the author of 'On Spartan Wings: The Royal Hellenic Air Force in World War II'; 'Spartas Kings'; 'The Defence and Fall of Greece 1940-41'; 'RHNS Averof' and 'Fighting Emperors of Byzantium', all published by Pen & Sword.