Enver Hoxha

Hoxha formally proclaimed the People's Republic of Albania, ending the monarchy and establishing a one-party communist state. He became First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania, consolidating total control over the country's political, economic, and social life.

Hoxha sided with Stalin against Tito, breaking Albania's alliance with Yugoslavia. This led to the expulsion of Yugoslav advisors and a shift in Albanian foreign policy toward the Soviet Union, isolating Albania from its neighbor.

Hoxha broke relations with the Soviet Union after Khrushchev's de-Stalinization campaign. Albania aligned with China, receiving economic and military aid. This move further isolated Albania from the Eastern Bloc.

Hoxha declared Albania the world's first atheist state, banning all religious institutions and practices. Churches, mosques, and monasteries were closed or converted to other uses. Religious leaders were persecuted, and religious observance was criminalized.

Hoxha ordered the construction of hundreds of thousands of concrete bunkers across Albania as a defense against potential invasion. This massive project consumed significant national resources and became a symbol of his paranoid rule.

Hoxha broke with China after Mao's death, denouncing the new Chinese leadership as revisionist. Albania became one of the most isolated countries in the world, pursuing a policy of self-reliance and autarky.