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Occupation of Baltic Republics

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The occupation of Baltic Republics generally refers to the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) in the first phases of World War II.

Contents

History of the occupation

Before the beginning of World War II Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed an ostensible non-aggression treaty known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. In the secret appendix of the pact, Germany and the Soviet Union divided up Eastern Europe into spheres of influence: in Northern Europe, Finland, Estonia, Latvia (and, according to a later adjustment, Lithuania) were designated as falling in the Soviet zone. Poland was to be partitioned in the event of its "political rearrangement."

After the occupation and partition of Poland, the Soviet Union started pressuring Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to accept territorial changes and Soviet bases on their soil. Eventually all states except Finland signed pacts of "defence and mutual assistance", which permitted the Soviet Union to station troops on their soil. After moving Red Army units into the Baltic states, the Soviet Union tried to occupy Finland by force in the Winter War of 1940, but had to settle for annexing Finnish Karelia and renting an isolated base in Hanko at the southwestern cape of Mainland Finland.

The spring of 1940 saw the German occupation of Denmark and Norway as well as a blitz through the Low Countries to France. The direct Soviet aggression against the Baltic countries occurred on 14-17 June 1940 when the world’s attention was focused on the military actions in Western Europe where Paris fell to the Germans on 14 June. Accusing Estonia of forming a conspiracy together with Latvia and Lithuania against the Soviet Union, the latter presented an ultimatum, demanding new concessions which included allowing more troops to enter the three countries. In the conditions of international isolation, the governments surrendered without offering any military resistance, and within a few days, the countries were invaded and occupied by several hundred thousand soldiers of the Red Army. A few days later days, led by Stalin’s close associates, the local communist supporters and those brought in from Russia, formally forced the Baltic governments to resign and proclaimed new "people's governments" in the three occupied countries. In the following month, parliamentary "elections" were conducted by local communists loyal to the Soviet Union and all non-communist candidates were disqualified. Outright fraud was also used in some voting places, to hide the fact that parts of the population were boycotting the rigged elections. The result was that all three Baltic states had communist majorities in their parliaments, and in August these three parliaments unanimously "appealed" to the Soviet government to become parts of the Soviet Union. The appeals were satisfied and the three republics were formally annexed into the Soviet Union.

The events in the Baltic Republics were not isolated. Also in Finland and the Scandinavian peninsula the great powers demanded adjustments of neutrality and sovereignty: Germany had pressured Sweden to grant transit rights for material and personnel transportation between Norway and ports of southern Sweden during the fighting in Norway, and achieved this after Norway's defeat. Immediately thereafter, the Soviet Union began to pressure Finland for transfer rights over land between the Hanko naval base and the Soviet border, established as a Finnish concession in the Moscow Peace Treaty, as well as for control of the Petsamo nickel mine. In August, Finland granted transfer rights to German troops travelling between Northern Norway and ports of Gulf of Bothnia in a diplomatic effort to improve relations with Nazi Germany that had been chilly since the mid-1930s, due to ideological differences, which was clearly demonstrated when the Third Reich sided with the Soviet Union during the Winter War. Finland now managed to increase the political contacts with Germany, which was seen as the only hope against Soviet occupation. In September, Finland and the Soviet Union came to an agreement on Hanko transitations. When the Soviet foreign minister, Molotov, in November 1940, requested German acceptance, and passive support, for finishing the invasion of Finland, Hitler declined as he saw Finland as a potential ally in the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union. The negotiations for Petsamo mines stalled for several months, until indirect German support allowed the Finns to let those negotiations lapse.

Germany occupied the Baltic Republics after Operation Barbarossa commencing the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. In the one year of Soviet occupation, from June 1940 to June 1941, approximately 50,000 people were imprisoned or executed.

German occupation policy in the area was also harsh. German authorities collaborated with some nationalist elements in the area who helped the Germans because they saw them as a chance to avoid domination by the USSR and communists. Other nationalists turned against the Germans as their occupation became increasingly brutal. In 1944 and 1945, the Red Army reoccupied the Baltic states and they became republics within the Soviet Union. The Soviet occupation remained fairly brutal until Stalin's death in 1953.

Historical considerations

The fate of small countries in Northern Europe varied considerably. Denmark and Norway were occupied by Germany; Sweden had to make some concessions but with skilful foreign policy and a credible military it was able to stay out of the war.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union and it was 50 years before they regained their independence. The United States,in conformity with the principles of Stimson Doctrine (Sumner Welles' Declaration of July 23, 1940), as well as a number of other Western countries never formally recognized the annexation, but did not interfere. Three Baltic States in 1940-1991 continued to exist as states de jure according of international law all time of its factual occupation and annexation. Therefore some diplomatic and consular representations of the Baltic States continued to function in 1940 - 1991 in some Western countries (USA, Australia, etc.), dealing with a limited part of state functions of the Republic of Estonia, Republic of Latvia, and Republic of Lithuania accordingly. In July - August 1940, Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian envoys who continued to be accredited to the USA and UK governments made official protests against Soviet occupation and annexation of their countries. Members of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian diplomatic services in Western countries continued to formulate and express the official opinion of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and protected the interests of these countries and their citizens abroad all time during 1940-1991, i. e., until the restoration of independence of the Baltic States.

Finland was geographically much worse placed than Sweden, and had to suffer two wars: the (Winter War and the Continuation War) with territorial losses, and had to bend its foreign policy for the Soviet Union after the war (Finlandization), but it remained independent, capitalist and had a democratic political system after World War II.

Timeline of the occupation

See also

External links

 

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