Corfu incident

International crisis 27 August-27 September 1923 that marked the first assertion of power in foreign affairs by the Italian fascist government. In 1923 an international commission was determining the frontier between Greece and Albania. On 27 August 1923, its chief, Italian general Tellini, was found (with four of his staff) murdered near the Albanian border, but on Greek territory. The Italian government under Benito Mussolini, backed by Italians, fascist and antifascist, sent an ultimatum to the Greek government demanding compensation, which was rejected. On 31 August Mussolini ordered the Italian bombardment and occupation of the Greek island of Corfu. The Greeks appealed to the League of Nations and, under pressure from Britain and France, Mussolini withdrew from Corfu on 27 September 1923. Greece had to accept most of the Italian demands, including the payment of a large indemnity.