The Corfu Channel Incident: A Cold War Prelude
Corfu, a Greek island with a rich historical tapestry, has been a witness to numerous battles among former empires. During World War II, it was occupied by the Italians and then the Germans, both of whom eventually abandoned the island. Throughout the conflict, Corfu also hosted a small British naval base, providing shelter to ships engaged in combating the Axis navies.
Directly opposite Corfu’s eastern coast lies Albania. In the aftermath of World War II, Albania found itself under the control of Colonel-General Enver Hoxha, a communist-aligned tyrant who kept his people isolated from the rest of the world. Hoxha established a rigid perimeter, sternly warning that any vessel venturing near would face severe consequences. Britain, fresh off their recent victory against the Axis powers, chose to disregard the warning, only to quickly realize their error. The ensuing confrontation, consisting of three separate incidents, is now regarded by historians as the opening volley of the Cold War.
From the mid-1940s, Albania was governed by Enver Hoxha, a communist and authoritarian leader who transformed the nation into an isolated faction with Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union as its sole allies. During this time, Hoxha prohibited foreign aid loans, nationalized all local industry, restricted travel, and constructed a booby-trapped barrier around the country situated 600 yards within the actual border. Additionally, he asserted that the Corfu Channel fell within his nation’s territorial waters and insisted that any vessel traversing the passage should seek Albania’s permission.
The first incident occurred on May 15, 1946, a full year after the war had concluded in Europe. Two Royal Navy Cruisers, HMS Orion and HMS Superb, navigated the Corfu Channel, which had been previously cleared of German contact mines. Their marine equipment indicated the waters were safe, and their north to south course would bring them within a mere mile of the Albanian coast. Suddenly, a deckhand aboard Superb spotted white smoke billowing from the Albanian hills, followed by a loud bang and a sizable plume of water erupting 200 yards away from the ship’s stern. The Albanians were firing at them. The British cruisers, which recorded at least 12 shots fired at them as they hastily retreated, refrained from retaliating, knowing that doing so would signal more significant conflict between the two nations.
The second incident transpired on October 22, 1946. A Royal Navy flotilla, consisting of Cruisers HMS Mauritius and HMS Leander and other destroyers, was ordered to sail northward through the Corfu Channel. Their mission was to test the Albanian response to their right of passage, with instructions to retaliate if attacked. As the flotilla sailed near the Albanian coast in what they believed to be a mine-free zone, disaster struck. The destroyer HMS Saumarez collided with a mine, suffering extensive damage and requiring a tow to a nearby harbor. About an hour later, HMS Volage also struck a mine and sustained heavy damage, with her bow completely blown off. The two incidents combined resulted in 84 casualties and numerous injuries.
The third incident, known as Operation Retail, was a mine-sweeping operation conducted within Albanian territorial waters but without the Albanian government’s authorization. The task force included an aircraft carrier, cruisers, other warships for protection, and a French naval officer serving as a neutral observer. Upon reaching the area, the group meticulously scoured the Corfu channel, uncovering 24 contact mines anchored just 12 feet below the surface. Further examination revealed that the mines were of German origin, recently painted, and had lubricated mooring cables but showed no signs of rust or marine growth. As a result, investigators deduced that the minefield must have been laid shortly before the tragic events involving Saumarez and Volage.
Following the third incident in the Corfu Channel, Britain brought the case to the United Nations Security Council, seeking an admission of guilt and repercussions for Albania. However, the Soviet Union and Poland, both communist countries, opposed any declaration that Albania was criminally responsible for the human and material losses resulting from the incidents. Nonetheless, the resolution passed with a majority, marking the first salvo in the Cold War against the West.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, the British government took the Corfu Channel case to the International Court of Justice. After three years of legal proceedings, the courts ruled in favor of Britain over Albania. Consequently, Albania was ordered to pay 847,000 pounds to Britain for ship repairs and compensation to the families of the deceased. However, the initial jubilation of victory soon transformed into frustration as the International Court lacked the authority to enforce this ruling. It was left to the United Kingdom and Albania to negotiate the judgment’s execution.
For years, the Corfu Channel incident remained unresolved, and Hoxha remained the tyrannical leader of Albania until he passed away in 1985. With the end of the Cold War, diplomatic relations between the two nations were finally established on May 29, 1991, and the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania ceased to exist the following year. On May 8, 1992, Britain and Albania finally came to an agreement on the Corfu Channel case after 46 long years. Both nations expressed their regret together following extensive negotiations. The gold was finally returned to Albania after its leaders agreed to pay 2 million dollars in delayed reparations.
Today, the Corfu Channel incident and the subsequent legal case are regarded as one of the first events of the Cold War. It serves as a stark reminder of the tensions that marked the beginning of a new era in global politics, setting the stage for the ideological battles that would define the second half of the 20th century.
