Balkan League

During the Great War, the powers that made up the Balkan League were mostly on the victorious side, with only Romania having started the conflict on the compulsion of Austria and Ukraine. Following the war, Italy had demanded territory that would later encompass Yugoslavia, with the refusal of which caused a major rift between Italy and their allies. Bulgaria, being on the defeated side, held resentment and territorial claims on major sectors of its neighbors. As a result, the nations of Greece, Yugoslavia, Turkey, and Romania formed the League, renouncing any claims on each other, in order to contain Bulgaria.

With the rise of Benito Mussolini, Italy pressed their claims in Ethiopia and Albania. With the claims on the latter, the Balkan League shifted their focus to include Italy. These measures went as far as the signing of the Salonika Treaty, allowing the rearmament of Bulgaria. After Italy invaded and annexed Ethiopia in 1939, the sights were turned towards Albania. Though Albania was invited to join the League, Italian influence in the nation prevented as much.

Italy would invade and later annex Albania in 1941. King Zog I of Albania fled to Greece, where he established a government in exile. Italy then began to court Romania, offering to mediate territorial gains with Hungary over Transylvania in exchange for Romania leaving the League. The Romanian prime minister agreed, and formally withdrew from the alliance.

During the World War, Italy invaded Greece beginning in 1944. However, Greece surprised the world by holding back the Italians, even as far as invading Albania. Yugoslavia honored their alliance and likewise invaded from the north. King Zog was never restored to the throne of Albania, and Greece and Yugoslavia retained their territorial gains.

The Balkan League consists of the following nations:

Former Members: