Greek forces held Hill 731 against repeated Italian assaults for over two weeks, helping defeat the Primavera offensive in March 1941.
Key Facts
- Operation name
- Operation Primavera
- Battle start date
- 9 March 1941
- Duration
- Over two weeks
- Distance from Klisura
- 20 km north
- Hill elevation
- 731 metres m
- Nearby landmark
- Mount Trebeshinë
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In early 1941, Italy sought to reverse its failing campaign against Greece. The Kingdom of Italy launched Operation Primavera on 9 March 1941, targeting a critical mountain pass leading into the Kalpaki valley in southern Albania, hoping to break the Greek defensive line and restore momentum to the Greco-Italian War.
Italian forces repeatedly attacked Hill 731, a strategically vital position 20 km north of Klisura at the foot of Mount Trebeshinë. Despite deploying superior numbers over more than two weeks of sustained assault, Italian troops failed to dislodge the Greek defenders, who held the hill throughout the offensive.
The failure to capture Hill 731 contributed directly to the collapse of Operation Primavera. Italian forces were repulsed and unable to achieve their strategic objectives, further undermining Italy's military position in Albania and demonstrating the resilience of the Greek defensive line in the Greco-Italian War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent