Page "Enver Hoxha" Paragraph 41

After the break with Yugoslavia, Hoxha aligned himself with the Soviet Union, for which he had a great admiration.

From 1948 – 1960, $ 200 million in Soviet aid would be given to Albania for technical and infrastructural expansion.

Albania was admitted on 22 February 1949, to the Comecon and Albania remained important both as a way to put pressure on Yugoslavia and also to serve as a pro-Soviet force in the Adriatic Sea.

A submarine base was built on the island of Sazan near Vlorë, posing a possible threat to the United States ' Sixth Fleet.

Relations continued to remain close until the death of Stalin on 5 March 1953.

His death was met with national mourning in Albania.

Hoxha assembled the entire population in the capital's largest square, requested that they kneel, and made them take a two-thousand word oath of " eternal fidelity " and " gratitude " to their " beloved father " and " great liberator " to whom the people owed " everything.