Part Twenty
Memorie.al / The United States of America had given a firm order in 1950 that Tito should have no influence in Albania. In a declassified document, details are shown from one of the CIA’s plans to overthrow the communist regime. The entire aim was to prevent the Soviets from coming out into the Balkans and for this reason the attempts to overthrow Enver Hoxha’s regime began. However, in a document it is shown how the CIA was seeking to prepare the government, which would be installed immediately as soon as the current one fell. According to them, the stance of a period without government constituted a risk and for this reason it was sought that the replacement government be ready, on the other hand the roles that Great Britain and France would have are also shown.
CIA operations, year 1950
The current policy of the USA regarding Albania has as its objective the re-establishment of Albania’s independence through the overthrow of the current regime and its replacement with a government acceptable to the people of Albania. This government would enjoy the support of the United States, as long as it remained friendly to the United States and its objectives, and hostile to the Soviet Union and its objectives. The US government views positively the undertaking of steps for the realization of its policy in Albania.
The economic support that the USA would give to a non-communist Albania would be small if we take into consideration the USA’s obligations in other countries. In pursuit of this policy, the USA must act in cooperation with Great Britain and the two countries must take full responsibility and not delegate responsibility to other nations, however friendly they may be to the USA. But nevertheless the use of means and the taking of assistance from other countries like France and Italy is possible.
The taking of measures
The United States and the allies must take preliminary measures to stop Tito’s intervention in Albania; this risk can be reduced if measures are taken against the creation of a power vacuum in Albania, that is to say there should be no interval between the disappearance of Hoxha and the coming of the power of the Western-oriented Albanians. Before the presentation of the plan to the National Security Council, consultations must be made with the military establishment and General Van Fleet.
Operations
Secret contacts must be created with the various emigration groups with the aim of organizing a united front of all Albanian anti-communists, without political distinctions. The National Front group headed by Mit’hat Frashëri, appears as the most qualified to take the leadership of the united front. Other groups must be invited for cooperation and to accept Frashëri’s leadership, in the effort for the liberation of Albania from the domination of the communists.
The seat of the National Committee must be created in the proper city, possibly Trieste, and other branches must be created in New York, Paris, Cairo and possibly Athens. In due time, the governments of Athens and Rome are to be informed about our benevolent intentions regarding the united Albanian committee, with the aim of stopping their interventions in the activities of the committee. The British government must be informed, initially informally, to be assured about the mindset for Albania and the general program of policies.
Trust must be gained for closer cooperation in the continuation of actions. The French government must be informed, initially informally, to be assured about the mindset for Albania and to inform it about the creation of the Albanian National Committee. The measure of the involvement of the French government must be determined, mainly in the secret operations, if the need arises.
Propaganda
“Voice of America” must begin daily programs for Albania. The Albanian committee must appoint a liaison officer for information on the preparation of programs for Albania. The news in question must follow these lines: How much Albania has been disappointed by those who were chosen in power in 1945; Favorable references to the activities of the Albanian National Committee; Reports with facts on the activities of Albanian resistance in Albania, but sufficiently delayed in time to avoid putting these people at risk;
The great mass of all-Slavism that exists outside Albania; The current and past proof of the USA’s friendship for the Albanian people; reference to the exact definition of “democracy”, to ensure that audiences in Albania are not confused since the word may sound new, and after the wide propaganda for the regime’s “new democracy”; other issues that may arise during events, which can be used to keep the programs dynamic and to encourage resistance to the communists.
The tasks of the National Committee
After the formation of the national committee, it must carry out these activities: The Committee is to set up and operate a daily newspaper, with funds given secretly by us; The secret distribution of the newspaper is to be organized in Tirana and in the main cities, like Durrës, Vlora and Shkodër. No special efforts should be made for other forms of propaganda, since the mass of illiteracy in the country is high and the risks are great;
Plans are to be drafted for assistance to the committee for the creation of a radio station in Italy that can enter the waves of Radio Tirana and possibly also Radio Belgrade, this transmitter is to operate secretly and must be mobile, the Italian government is to be informed of its existence and invited not to intervene; The Committee will begin connections with elements in Albania, using its Albanian person, with the aim of evaluating the current situation of the clandestine forces, the means at disposal and the anti-communist activities.
The objective of the committee must be the development of a secret network of resistance elements, based on the spirit of national opposition to the communists. If the current elements cannot be organized on such bases, steps are to be undertaken for organization on other bases. The Committee must keep us continuously informed on the situation and the activity of the resistance groups; The Committee must work for the neutralization of the pro-Tito guerrilla activities, taking into consideration the services of Said Kryeziu in Rome and Muharrem Bajraktari in Greece, two brothers in the Albanian guerrilla group at Tito’s side.
Coordination of the allies
The clandestine intelligence operations by the British and American agencies must continue in Albania, and be kept separate from the other operations, in order to control the information received from the committee and its agencies. In due time, determined by us and the British and French allies, the Committee must begin the preparations for action with the aim of overthrowing the regime in Albania. The measure and nature of the armed forces that will be needed will depend on the situation at the time of the organization of the operation.
In due time and with our approval, the Committee must draft the plans for the taking over of the governmental administration in Albania, draft plans for the inclusion of the resistance groups and guerrilla leaders, for the elimination of the communists from the administration and the creation of an effective police force etc. Support is to be given conditioned on the fulfillment of the Committee’s obligations towards us; that is, as soon as it arrives in Albania and in consultation with us, to declare itself a provisional government, to carry out the new elections of the parliament and to write the Constitution.
A referendum is to be held for the institutional issues. After the proclamation of the provisional government Albania will recognize the agreements between Albania and the United States of April 7, 1939; will recognize the borders of Albania that remain as those that were on April 7, 1939. Detailed projects are to be developed and coordinated with the military establishment, so that the environments are used for the reception of weapons and ammunition. No American or British military personnel will be sent openly to Albania, until the formation of the provisional government by the Committee.
Shortly before, or at the same time as the actions in the above paragraph, steps are to be taken through the American and British diplomatic channels, for the promise that Greece will not raise its territorial claims for the south of Albania and will not intervene in any form during the crisis that may occur. The State Department must begin the plans for full support to the Committee after the arrival in Albania, while during this time there must be no open relations of the Department with the Committee. The plans must also include the creation of the competent staff of the American Mission in Tirana, as well as measures for the membership of Albania in the United Nations and other international agencies.
Resistance to the current regime
The dissatisfaction among the Albanian people continues to be wide and in the recent years there have been several cases of open resistance to the regime. Even the regime itself has accepted the existence of “diversant” elements and attacks on the army and civilian supply caravans. The most serious incident of resistance was the bomb in the Soviet embassy in February 1951, but local killings and sabotages have also been a challenge for the communist authorities. Up to now Hoxha’s regime has known how to face the opposition movements, implementing numerous repressive measures.
For example, minister Shehu has created several special pursuit battalions that operate in the mountainous areas against individual resistance groups. The anti-communist refugees have reported on the existence of several resistance groups with names like; “National League of the Mountains”, “Freedom”, “Skënderbeu”, “The Call”, but there is no specific information on them. It does not appear that there is cooperation between the dissident groups with all their common desire for the removal of Hoxha’s regime.
Among the Albanian groups in emigration, the most important appears to be the National Committee for “Free Albania”, with the European seat in Rome, which is composed of three groups: 1) The Agrarian Democratic Party/National Front, which have more followers in the South of Albania, 2) The Legality Party (pro-King Zog) which is stronger in the center of Albania, and 3) The League of peasants and villagers that is supported in the north of the country and in the Yugoslav provinces where Albanians live.
All the groups have as their aim the creation of a free and independent Albania, but they have differences among one another for the type of the new government. The activities of the Committee within Albania have been only distribution of propaganda and some subversive efforts by its agents. Their most effective operation has been the release of propaganda leaflets, which has caused quite a lot of enthusiasm within the country, and has prompted notes of protest against Italian officials or also the departure of people from Albania.
The rebellions
The majority of the communists appear to be ready to cooperate with any organization that has in plan the overthrow of the regime, for reasons of disappointment with the government, the belief that the USSR will not risk entering into war for the sake of Albania, or because they believe that Hoxha’s power will fall soon and they expect to give account to the other government that will come afterward. The government no longer trusts even the police and it is reported that more than a quarter of the police are in favor of the revolution.
It is reported that ninety percent of the people are ready to act against the government, but they seek assurance that there will be no territorial concessions to Greece, Yugoslavia and Italy. The population is confused by the various sponsorships that the foreign groups that enter the country secretly have, therefore they believe that if these groups do not unite, more harm than favor could be caused to the country. The government has done a lot of propaganda during this time, accusing that the Committee for “Free Albania” works for Greece and has in mind to return to it Northern Epirus.
Likewise, it propagates that the Italian groups will return Italian influence to the country and the Yugoslav ones will give the region of Kosovo to Yugoslavia. Since the arrested members of the previous groups of agents have told the investigators about those who have helped them within the country, the citizens are afraid to help the various groups of agents and have reported them to the authorities. The Yugoslav groups do not have the claimed influence in the northern areas and neither are those sent by the Greeks considered favored.
The divisions among the communists
The Albanian Communist Party as a result of debates is divided. Small groups of partisans of 15-20 people are placed in the mountains. There is terror and hunger; no one is sure for his life. The army of the country is composed of 25 thousand people but the government does not have much trust in its troops, therefore during the displacements from one location to another the soldiers do not have their weapons loaded.
The number of Russian specialists in the country has reached 1000. As can be seen from the above, Albania is directed by a small clique of communists, that has no connection with its people. This group also has debates among itself. The dissatisfaction of the people grows day by day. As soon as the signal of revolt is given, the Albanian people will put an end to the communists within several days. Tito will not move because Enver Hoxha’s Albania represents for him the main enemy. We must assume that Tito will secretly help the removal of the regime of Hoxha and his company.
But the following conditions are absolutely necessary: Greece, if it is possible, must solemnly declare that it recognizes the borders of Albania of 1913, that is to say those before the Italian occupation of 1939, renouncing its claims for Northern Epirus (the fertile provinces of Korça and Gjirokastra), and begin a new policy of friendship with the new democratic Albania.
Such a declaration has great importance since the Albanian people prefer better to suffer under the communist heel, from the fear of the Greek occupation of the south of the country. The declaration is to be announced by radio and by the press, encouraging the Albanian people to create the necessary conditions for the revolution. This initiative must be carried out by the Albanian forces outside the country (in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Syria), the number of which is to be 1500 to 2000 people.
Direct contact must be established with the qualified leaders of the resistance, within and outside the country. In every region of Albania there are people who possess absolute authority over their provinces. The armaments, ammunition and other supplies will be secured by the Allies. The consequences of a successful coup d’état are: A heavy blow to Russian imperialism and an excellent example for other countries that suffer under the Soviet heel; The end of the civil war in Greece; The capture of the important base on the island of Sazan./ Memorie.al
Continued in the coming issue
