1940 Italian army attacks Greece through Albania. Germany, with support of Italy and other allies defeat Greece and Yugoslavia. Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslav communist leader, directs organizing of Albanian communists. Communist Party organizes National Liberation Movement, a popular front resistance organization. Non-communist nationalist groups form to resist the Italian occupation.
German forces invade and occupy Albania.
Communist Partisans, supplied with British weapons, gain control of southern Albania. Communist forces enter central and northern Albania. Communists establish provisional government with Hoxha as prime minister. Germans withdraw from Tirana, communists enter capital. Communist provisional government adopts laws allowing state regulation of commercial enterprises, foreign and domestic trade.