Albanian Army in 1980 (communism)

Albanian Army in 1980 (communism)

Albanian People's Army
Rank	7th in the world

Albanian military in 1980
Enver Hoxha (i ri).jpg
Established	1944
Disbanded	1991
Parts	Albanian People's Ground Force Albanian People's Navy Albanian People's Air Force
Headquarters	Tirana,Albania
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Enver Hoxha
Serving soldiers
Active employees/soldiers	61,000
Reserve personnel	1,850,000

The Albanian People's Army (Albanian: Ushtria Popullore Shqiptare, UPSh) was the national army of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania from 1946 to 1990. Like the militaries of other Communist states, the UPSh was subjected to the nation's ruling party, in this case the Party of Labour of Albania. In fact, as in other Communist states, the Party considered the military to be a creation of the Party itself. The UPSh consisted of the Ground Forces, the Navy and the Air Force. The militia of the UPSh was the Voluntary Forces of Popular Self-Defense (FVVP), and affiliate military structures included the Armed School Youth (RSHA) and Civil Defense of the Republic (MCR). After the fall of communism in Albania, the UPSh was replaced by the Albanian Armed Forces.

Early years

After 1946, Albania became a part of the Eastern Bloc and under Soviet influence. In its early years, it consisted of ex-Partisans associated with the Albanian National Liberation Army (UNÇSH). Most communist party elites had high ranks in the UPSh. The ideology of Marxism–Leninism was enforced strictly by political commissars to increase government control over the UPSh.

Cultural Revolution

Beginning on 1 May 1966 (International Workers Day), the military ranks were changed to the ranks of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) during the Cultural and Ideological Revolution. One of the things that changed during the period was the role of the military commander was smaller due to the role of the political commissars.

Foreign military relations

Before 1948 the UPSh was heavily funded by Yugoslavia. After relations declined between the two countries Albania turned to the Soviet Union for military aid. In 1960, as the Sino-Soviet split and the Albanian–Soviet split was unfolding, the UPSh switched its military alliance from the Soviet Armed Forces to the PLA. Concerned that Premier Nikita Khrushchev and Chairman Leonid Brezhnev were liberalizing their foreign policy approach to Yugoslavia and after condemning the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia the UPSh withdrew entirely from the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact military alliance on behalf of the country.

Fall of communism

In February 1991, during a meeting of hardline communists at the local military academy, rumors of a possible coup d'état by the UPSh came up, which resulted in a pro-democracy crowd gathering outside the school, prompting soldiers to fire on civilians, killing four.

In 1991 the native rank system was reestablished under President Ramiz Alia.

Leadership

Commander-in-chief:

• Enver Hoxha (8 November 1941 – 11 April 1985)
• Ramiz Alia (13 April 1985 – 4 May 1991)

Ministers of People's Defence:

• Enver Hoxha (22 October 1944 – 1 August 1953)
• Beqir Balluku (1 August 1953 – 29 October 1974)
• Mehmet Shehu (29 October 1974 – 26 April 1980)
• Kadri Hazbiu (26 April 1980 – 14 October 1982)
• Prokop Murra (14 October 1982 – 9 July 1990)
• Kiço Mustaqi (9 July 1990 – 12 May 1991)
• Ndriçim Karakaçi (12 May 1991 – 11 June 1991)
• Ndriçim Karakaçi (11 June 1991 – 18 December 1991)

Chief of the General Staff:

• Spiro Moisiu (24 May 1944 – August 1946)
• Mehmet Shehu (August 1946 – January 28, 1948)
• Beqir Balluku (28 January 1948 – November 1952)
• Petrit Dume (1952–1954)
• Arif Mema Hasko (1954–1956)
• Petrit Dume (1956 – July 1974)
• Sami Meçollari (July 1974 – December 1974)
• Veli Llakaj (1974 – 13 October 1982)
• Kiço Mustaqi (13 October 1982 – February 1991)

The First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania was the de facto Commander-in-Chief of the UPSh despite the role of head of a nation's military traditionally being vested in the head of state or head of government. According to the 1976 Albanian Constitution, the People's Assembly (the unicameral legislature) had the ultimate authority to declare a state of emergency or war. Under the same constitution, the office of First Secretary was attributed the title of Commander-in-Chief of the UPSh and Chairman of the Defence Council. The minister of defense was traditionally one of two Deputy Prime Ministers and a member of the PPSH Politburo.

Components

The combined strength of the UPSh by 1990 was 48,000 troops, half of which were conscripts, with over 375,000 suited for service.

The UPSh had the following structure:

• I-Army Strategic Operational Unit:
  • First Coast Guard Corps in Fier
  • Second Infantry Corps in Gjirokastra
  • Third Infantry Corps in Korça
  • Fourth Coast Guard Corps in Tirana
  • Fifth Infantry Corps in Pukë
  • Sixth Infantry Corps in Tirana
  • Seventh Infantry Corps in Burrel
  • Eighth Infantry Corps in Elbasan
  • Ninth Infantry Corps in Shkodra
• Air Defense Command in Tirana
• Combat Aviation Command in Tirana
• Combat Fleet Command in Tirana
• Command of Tirana City
• Sazan Island Command
• 5 Army Supply Bases
• II-Strategic Operational Units of the Army
  • 74 Infantry Brigades
  • 19 Assault Brigades
  • 13 Artillery Brigades
  • 23 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiments
  • 3 Engineer Brigades
  • 1 Detection Brigade
  • 6 Anti-Tank Regiments
  • 4 Coastal Artillery Regiments
  • 5 Aviation Regiments
  • 1 Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment
  • 1 Chemical Defense Regiment
  • 1 Radio Detection Regiment
  • 1 Electronic Intelligence Regiment
  • 8 School Youth Brigades
  • 5 University Youth Brigades
  • 6 Volunteer Forces Brigades