It was not until the afternoon of September 9 that the General Staff of the Royal Italian Army issued an order, instructing the larger formations to assemble in specific locations and emphasizing the need for swift movements.

Amidst the turmoil of command and control within the Italian forces, a small convoy from the German army arrived at the outskirts of Tirana.

The specific details of these discussions are not publicly documented, but it is evident that the headquarters of the Royal Italian Army in Albania faced considerable uncertainty from the outset.

The sole guidance given to the Italian troops was a verbal order to "have faith in their superiors, maintain calm and not provoke disturbances through of premature acts.

"[citation needed] Regrettably, this instruction proved inadequate, further exacerbating confusion, chaos, and ultimately leading to the tragic fate of the Italian army in Albania.

[1] On September 10, 1943, General Rossi, leading the Eastern Army Group, issued an order for his troops to surrender their weapons and equipment to the Germans.

The third group, primarily composed of militia and air force members, opted to embrace fascism and collaborate with the Germans against their fellow Italians.