Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia gained independence after the 1917 Russian Revolution. But Soviet Russia and later the USSR never gave up trying to regain these territories. And according to the secret protocol to the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, in which these republics were classified as part of the Soviet sphere of influence, the USSR received a chance to achieve this, which it did not fail to take advantage of.

Implementing the Soviet-German secret agreements, the Soviet Union began preparations for the annexation of the Baltic countries in the fall of 1939. After the Red Army occupied the eastern voivodeships in Poland, the USSR began to border on all the Baltic states. Soviet troops were moved to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. At the end of September, these countries were asked in the form of an ultimatum to conclude treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with the USSR. On September 24, Molotov told Estonian Foreign Minister Karl Selter, who arrived in Moscow: “The Soviet Union needs to expand its security system, for which it needs access to the Baltic Sea... Do not force the Soviet Union to use force in order to achieve its goals.”

On September 25, Stalin informed the German ambassador, Count Friedrich-Werner von der Schulenburg, that “the Soviet Union will immediately take up the solution of the problem of the Baltic states in accordance with the protocol of August 23.”

Treaties of mutual assistance with the Baltic states were concluded under the threat of the use of force.

On September 28, a Soviet-Estonian mutual assistance pact was concluded. A 25,000-strong Soviet military contingent was introduced into Estonia. Stalin said to Selter upon his departure from Moscow: “With you it could turn out like with Poland. Poland was a great power. Where is Poland now?

On October 5, a mutual assistance pact was signed with Latvia. A 25,000-strong Soviet military contingent entered the country.

And on October 10, the “Agreement on the transfer of the city of Vilna and the Vilna region to the Lithuanian Republic and on mutual assistance between the Soviet Union and Lithuania” was signed with Lithuania. When Lithuanian Foreign Minister Juozas Urbšis stated that the proposed terms of the treaty amounted to the occupation of Lithuania, Stalin countered that “The Soviet Union does not intend to threaten the independence of Lithuania. Vice versa. The Soviet troops brought in will be a genuine guarantee for Lithuania that the Soviet Union will protect it in the event of an attack, so that the troops will serve the security of Lithuania itself.” And he added with a grin: “Our garrisons will help you suppress the communist uprising if it occurs in Lithuania.” 20 thousand Red Army soldiers also entered Lithuania.

After Germany defeated France with lightning speed in May 1940, Stalin decided to expedite the annexation of the Baltic states and Bessarabia. On June 4, strong groups of Soviet troops, under the guise of exercises, began to advance to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. On June 14, Lithuania, and on June 16 - Latvia and Estonia, were presented with ultimatums of similar content with the demand to allow significant Soviet military contingents into their territory, 9-12 divisions in each country, and to form new, pro-Soviet governments with the participation of communists, although the number Communist parties consisted of 100-200 people in each of the republics. The pretext for the ultimatums was provocations allegedly carried out against Soviet troops stationed in the Baltics. But this excuse was sewn with white thread. It was alleged, for example, that the Lithuanian police kidnapped two Soviet tank crews, Shmovgonets and Nosov. But already on May 27, they returned to their unit and stated that they had been kept in the basement for a day, trying to obtain information about the Soviet tank brigade. At the same time, Nosov mysteriously turned into Pisarev.

The ultimatums were accepted. On June 15, Soviet troops entered Lithuania, and on June 17 - into Latvia and Estonia. In Lithuania, President Antanas Smetana demanded to reject the ultimatum and provide armed resistance, but, not receiving the support of the majority of the cabinet, he fled to Germany.

From 6 to 9 Soviet divisions were introduced into each country (previously, each country had an infantry division and a tank brigade). There was no resistance offered. The creation of pro-Soviet governments on Red Army bayonets was presented by Soviet propaganda as “people's revolutions,” which were described as demonstrations with the seizure of government buildings, organized by local communists with the help of Soviet troops. These “revolutions” were carried out under the supervision of representatives of the Soviet government: Vladimir Dekanozov in Lithuania, Andrei Vyshinsky in Latvia, and Andrei Zhdanov in Estonia.

The armies of the Baltic states could not really provide armed resistance to Soviet aggression either in the fall of 1939, or even more so in the summer of 1940. In three countries, in the event of mobilization, 360 thousand people could be put under arms. However, unlike Finland, the Baltic states did not have their own military industry, nor did they even have sufficient stocks of small arms to arm so many people. If Finland could also receive supplies of weapons and military equipment through Sweden and Norway, then the route to the Baltic states through the Baltic Sea was closed by the Soviet fleet, and Germany complied with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and refused assistance to the Baltic states. In addition, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia did not have border fortifications, and their territory was much more accessible to invasion than the forested and swampy territory of Finland.

The new pro-Soviet governments held elections to local parliaments according to the principle of one candidate from an indestructible bloc of non-party members per seat. Moreover, this bloc in all three Baltic states was called the same - “Union of Working People”, and the elections were held on the same day - July 14. People in civilian clothes present at the polling stations took note of those who crossed out candidates or threw empty ballots into ballot boxes. Nobel laureate Polish writer Czeslaw Milosz, who was in Lithuania at that time, recalled: “In the elections it was possible to vote for the only official list of “working people” - with the same programs in all three republics. They had to vote because each voter had a stamp in their passport. The absence of a stamp certified that the owner of the passport was an enemy of the people who had evaded the elections and thereby revealed his enemy nature.” Naturally, the communists received more than 90% of the votes in all three republics - in Estonia 92.8%, in Latvia 97%, and in Lithuania even 99%! Turnout was also impressive - 84% in Estonia, 95% in Latvia and 95.5% in Lithuania.

It is not surprising that on July 21-22, three parliaments approved the declaration of Estonia's accession to the USSR. By the way, all these acts contradicted the constitutions of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which stated that issues of independence and changes in the political system can only be resolved through a national referendum. But Moscow was in a hurry to annex the Baltic states and did not pay attention to formalities. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR satisfied the appeals written in Moscow for the admission of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to the Union in the period from August 3 to 6, 1940.

At first, many Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians saw the Red Army as protection against German aggression. The workers were glad to see the opening of enterprises that had been idle due to the World War and the resulting crisis. However, soon, already in November 1940, the population of the Baltic states was completely ruined. Then local currencies were equated to the ruble at sharply reduced rates. Also, the nationalization of industry and trade led to inflation and shortages of goods. The redistribution of land from wealthier peasants to the poorest, the forced relocation of farmers to villages and repressions against the clergy and intelligentsia caused armed resistance. Detachments of “forest brothers” appeared, so named in memory of the rebels of 1905.

And already in August 1940, the deportations of Jews and other national minorities began, and on June 14, 1941, it was the turn of the Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians. 10 thousand people were deported from Estonia, 17.5 thousand people from Lithuania and 16.9 thousand people from Latvia. 10,161 people were displaced and 5,263 were arrested. 46.5% of the deportees were women, 15% were children under 10 years of age. The total number of deceased victims of deportation was 4884 people (34% of the total), of which 341 people were shot.

The Soviet Union's seizure of the Baltic countries was fundamentally no different from Germany's seizure of Austria in 1938, Czechoslovakia in 1939, and Luxembourg and Denmark in 1940, also carried out peacefully. The fact of occupation (meaning the seizure of territory against the will of the population of these countries), which was a violation of international law and an act of aggression, was recognized as a crime at the Nuremberg trials and was blamed on the main Nazi war criminals. As in the case of the Baltic states, the Anschluss of Austria was preceded by an ultimatum to create a pro-German government in Vienna led by the Nazi Seyss-Inquart. And it already invited German troops to Austria, which had not previously been in the country at all. The annexation of Austria was carried out in such a form that it was immediately incorporated into the Reich and divided into several Reichsgau (regions). Similarly, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, after a short period of occupation, were included in the USSR as union republics. The Czech Republic, Denmark and Norway were turned into protectorates, which did not prevent both during the war and after it from talking about these countries as occupied by Germany. This formulation was also reflected in the verdict of the Nuremberg trials of the main Nazi war criminals in 1946.

Unlike Nazi Germany, whose consent was guaranteed by the secret protocol of August 23, 1939, most Western governments regarded the occupation and annexation as illegal and continued to recognize the existence of an independent Republic of Latvia de jure. Already on July 23, 1940, US Deputy Secretary of State Samner Welles condemned the “dishonorable processes” by which “the political independence and territorial integrity of the three small Baltic Republics ... were deliberately destroyed in advance by one of their more powerful neighbors.” Non-recognition of occupation and annexation continued until 1991, when Latvia regained its independence and full independence.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia consider the entry of Soviet troops and the subsequent annexation of the Baltic countries to the USSR as one of Stalin’s many crimes.

On April 15, 1795, Catherine II signed the Manifesto on the accession of Lithuania and Courland to Russia.

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russia and Jamois was the official name of the state that existed from the 13th century to 1795. Today, its territory includes Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine. According to the most common version, the Lithuanian state was founded around 1240 by Prince Mindovg, who united the Lithuanian tribes and began to progressively annex the fragmented Russian principalities. This policy was continued by the descendants of Mindaugas, especially the great princes Gediminas (1316 - 1341), Olgerd (1345 - 1377) and Vytautas (1392 - 1430). Under them, Lithuania annexed the lands of White, Black and Red Rus', and also conquered the mother of Russian cities - Kyiv - from the Tatars.

The official language of the Grand Duchy was Russian (that’s what it was called in documents; Ukrainian and Belarusian nationalists call it “Old Ukrainian” and “Old Belarusian”, respectively). Since 1385, several unions have been concluded between Lithuania and Poland. The Lithuanian gentry began to adopt the Polish language, the Polish culture, and move from Orthodoxy to Catholicism. The local population was subjected to oppression on religious grounds.

Several centuries earlier than in Muscovite Rus', serfdom was introduced in Lithuania (following the example of the possessions of the Livonian Order): Orthodox Russian peasants became the personal property of the Polonized gentry, who converted to Catholicism. Religious uprisings were raging in Lithuania, and the remaining Orthodox gentry cried out to Russia. In 1558, the Livonian War began.

During the Livonian War, suffering significant defeats from Russian troops, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1569 agreed to sign the Union of Lublin: Ukraine completely seceded from the principality of Poland, and the lands of Lithuania and Belarus that remained within the principality were included with Poland in the confederal Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, subordinating foreign policy of Poland.

The results of the Livonian War of 1558 - 1583 secured the position of the Baltic states for a century and a half before the start of the Northern War of 1700 - 1721.

The annexation of the Baltic states to Russia during the Northern War coincided with the implementation of Peter's reforms. Then Livonia and Estland became part of the Russian Empire. Peter I himself tried to establish relations with the local German nobility, descendants of German knights, in a non-military way. Estonia and Vidzeme were the first to be annexed following the war in 1721. And only 54 years later, following the results of the third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia became part of the Russian Empire. This happened after Catherine II signed the manifesto of April 15, 1795.

After joining Russia, the Baltic nobility received the rights and privileges of the Russian nobility without any restrictions. Moreover, the Baltic Germans (mainly descendants of German knights from the Livonia and Courland provinces) were, if not more influential, then, in any case, no less influential than the Russians, a nationality in the Empire: numerous Catherine II dignitaries of the Empire were of Baltic origin. Catherine II carried out a number of administrative reforms regarding the management of provinces, the rights of cities, where the independence of governors increased, but actual power, in the realities of time, was in the hands of the local, Baltic nobility.

By 1917, the Baltic lands were divided into Estland (center in Reval - now Tallinn), Livonia (center in Riga), Courland (center in Mitau - now Jelgava) and Vilna provinces (center in Vilna - now Vilnius). The provinces were characterized by a highly mixed population: by the beginning of the 20th century, about four million people lived in the provinces, about half of them were Lutherans, about a quarter were Catholics, and about 16% were Orthodox. The provinces were inhabited by Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Germans, Russians, Poles; in the Vilna province there was a relatively high proportion of the Jewish population. In the Russian Empire, the population of the Baltic provinces was never subjected to any discrimination. On the contrary, in the Estland and Livonia provinces, serfdom was abolished, for example, much earlier than in the rest of Russia - already in 1819. Provided the local population knew the Russian language, there were no restrictions on admission to the civil service. The imperial government actively developed local industry.

Riga shared with Kiev the right to be the third most important administrative, cultural and industrial center of the Empire after St. Petersburg and Moscow. The tsarist government treated local customs and legal orders with great respect.

But already in 1940, after the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the inclusion of the Baltic states into the USSR followed.

In 1990, the Baltic states proclaimed the restoration of state sovereignty, and after the collapse of the USSR, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania received both actual and legal independence.

Glorious story, what did Rus' receive? Fascist marches?

Have you forgotten who liberated them from the Nazis?

Last year, the anniversary year, when Crimea returned home,

We remembered in the victorious war parade the sacred bitter smoke,

how our villages were burning, fear was splashing in the eyes of the children,

life became scary, gloomy, everything turned to dust with fire.

An eerie line of people stretched out in the dust of the roads

Even the birds disappeared from the fields - the vile enemy stepped onto the threshold.

He ranked himself among the supercaste, destroying everything around him,

bombed, shot, burned without thinking that everything would come back to haunt me later.

More than once the Slovenian people have entered into mortal combat with the enemy -

They were always beaten by the “Trojan Horse” - after all, their father’s house was behind them.

The Swede drowned in the lake slurry, Mamai ran headlong from the fields,

The French were driven to Paris, the Germans were driven “beyond the border.”

Now America is itching - I don’t feel sorry for European countries

and thinks that she will manage and get away with her vile plan.

They are more obedient than sheep when they dance to Uncle Sam's tune,

ready to support the Ottomans as part of their harem.

They don’t feel sorry for their people, because if “God forbid,”

by the will of the "old Freak" they will not be able to do anything,

and they will grab it in full when the steel roller passes

According to their weak-willed position, they will forget to look to the East.

And it’s a pity that people close to us were dragged into this pandemonium,

who, together with Russia, without fear, boldly drove out all the rabble.

Having disgustingly stupefied his people, pitted people against each other in his own country,

and greedily pocketed the money, changing life abruptly for the worse,

on a chocolate, sweet throne sits a decrepit Baskak,

at a turning point in the country's life - a ghoul swells from money.

And Uncle Sam, hiding his smile, accused Rus' of all sins,

does not see death, does not hear crying, does not see blood on his hands.

The main task is to approve the military budget,

what will happen to Ukraine, to Poland - there is no more indifferent problem.

The overseas chaos cannot continue for long,

Sam doesn't have long to smile - there's a limit to everything.

And at this difficult time, Russia’s spirit is only strengthening,

It’s safer to have foundations in the country - not to take Russia out of fear.

Russia does not want to fight, but we must also understand

to those who rattle their armor that they will not be able to break Rus'.

Today the world is closer to a split - it is very important to resist here

everyone from a fatal injection - and this should be understood.

History is full of vices, there is no need to study them,

but for ignorance of the lessons, he can be severely punished.

And the more deadly the means are in the hands, the more deceptive the desire

war games, like once in childhood... And everyone will die as punishment.

Rus' remembers its brothers.

Non-citizens?

However, it will be intolerant.

Putin will come and restore order.

The accession of the Baltic states to the USSR - the inclusion of the independent Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia and most of the territory of modern Lithuania - into the USSR, which was a consequence of the signing by the USSR and Germany in August-September 1939 of the Non-Aggression Treaty and the Treaty of Friendship and Borders, the secret protocols of which recorded the delimitation of the spheres of interest of these two powers in Eastern Europe.

Immediately following the signing of treaties with Germany on August 23, 1939 and September 28, 1939, the USSR turned first to Estonia (September 27, 1939), then to Latvia (October 2, 1939) and Lithuania (October 3, 1939). with a proposal to conclude agreements on mutual assistance. The corresponding pacts were signed with Estonia on September 28, 1939, with Latvia on October 5, 1939 and Lithuania on October 10, 1939. The pacts provided for mutual assistance in the event of “a direct attack or threat of attack by any great European powers", providing assistance with weapons and military materials, as well as the creation of military, naval and air bases of the USSR with the introduction of a "strictly limited number" of Soviet armed forces: to Estonia - up to 25,000, to Latvia - up to 25,000, to Lithuania – up to 20,000 people. The parties pledged “not to enter into any alliances or participate in coalitions directed against one of the Contracting Parties.” The Soviet-Lithuanian Pact provided for the transfer to Lithuania of the city of Vilna (Vilnius) and the Vilna region. Almost immediately after the signing of mutual assistance agreements, negotiations began on the basing of Soviet troops in the Baltic states. At the same time, trade agreements were signed during this period that were beneficial for the three Baltic republics.

For the USSR, the pacts were a form of inclusion of the Baltic states in the Soviet sphere of influence. Initially, the Soviet side observed the external attributes of independence of the pact partners. Diplomatic representatives maintained only a minimum of contacts with the now legal communist parties and others. However, from the spring of 1940, a transition to more specific forms of Soviet control was indicated. The signal for this was the statement of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs of the USSR on May 30, 1940, in which Lithuania was accused of non-compliance with the pact and an unfriendly attitude towards Soviet military personnel.

The denouement came in the summer of 1940. On June 4, 1940, under the guise of exercises, the troops of the Leningrad, Kalinin and Belorussian Special Military Districts were alerted and began moving to the borders of the Baltic states.

Soon the Soviet government presented an ultimatum to Lithuania (June 14, 1940), Latvia and Estonia (June 16, 1940). In basic terms, the meaning of the ultimatums was the same - the governments of these states were accused of gross violation of the terms of the Mutual Assistance Treaties previously concluded with the USSR, and a demand was put forward to form governments capable of ensuring the implementation of these treaties, as well as to allow additional contingents of troops into the territory of these countries. The terms were accepted. On June 15, 1940, additional contingents of Soviet troops were introduced into Lithuania, and on June 17, 1940 into Latvia and Estonia.

Lithuanian President A. Smetona insisted on organizing resistance to Soviet troops, however, having received a refusal from most of the government, he fled to Germany, and his Latvian and Estonian colleagues - K. Ulmanis and K. Päts - cooperated with the new government (both were soon repressed ), like the Lithuanian Prime Minister A. Merkys. In all three countries, friendly to the USSR, but not communist governments were formed, headed, respectively, by J. Paleckis (Lithuania), A. Kirchenstein (Latvia) and I. Vares (Estonia).

The new governments lifted bans on communist parties and demonstrations and called early parliamentary elections. In the elections held on July 14, 1940 in all three states, the victory was won by the pro-communist Blocs (Unions) of the working people - the only electoral lists admitted to the elections. According to official data, in Lithuania the turnout was 95.51%, of which 99.19% voted for the Working People's Union, in Latvia the turnout was 94.8%, while 97.8% of the votes were cast for the Working People's Bloc, in Estonia the turnout was 84.1%, with 92.8% of the votes cast for the Union of Working People.

The newly elected parliaments already on July 21-22, 1940 proclaimed the creation of the Estonian SSR, Latvian SSR and Lithuanian SSR and adopted the Declaration of Entry into the USSR. On August 3-6, 1940, in accordance with the decisions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, these republics were admitted to the Soviet Union. From the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian armies, the Lithuanian (29th Infantry), Latvian (24th Infantry) and Estonian (22nd Infantry) territorial corps were formed, which became part of the PribOVO.

The entry of the Baltic states into the USSR was not recognized by the USA, the Vatican and a number of other countries. It was recognized de jure by Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, Iran, India, Australia, New Zealand, de facto by Great Britain and a number of other countries. In exile (in the USA, Great Britain, etc.) some diplomatic missions of the pre-war Baltic states continued to operate.

Currently, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania consider the actions of the USSR to be occupation followed by annexation. The Council of Europe in its resolutions characterized the process of the Baltic states joining the USSR as occupation, forced incorporation and annexation. In 1983, the European Parliament condemned it as an occupation, and subsequently (2007) used such concepts as “occupation” and “illegal incorporation” in this regard.

The official position of the Russian Foreign Ministry is that the accession of the Baltic countries to the USSR did not contradict the norms of international law as of 1940, and also that the entry of these countries into the USSR received official international recognition. This position is based on the de facto recognition of the integrity of the borders of the USSR as of June 1941 at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences by the participating states, as well as on the recognition in 1975 of the inviolability of European borders by the participants in the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

In the period between the two world wars, the Baltic states became the object of the struggle of the great European powers (England, France and Germany) for influence in the region. In the first decade after Germany's defeat in World War I, there was a strong Anglo-French influence in the Baltic states, which was subsequently hampered by the growing influence of neighboring Germany in the early 1930s. The Soviet leadership, in turn, tried to resist it, taking into account the strategic importance of the region. By the end of the 1930s. Germany and the USSR actually became the main rivals in the struggle for influence in the Baltic states.

Failure "Eastern Pact" was caused by differences in the interests of the contracting parties. Thus, the Anglo-French missions received detailed secret instructions from their general staffs, which defined the goals and nature of the negotiations - a note from the French general staff said, in particular, that along with a number of political benefits that England and France would receive in connection with the accession of the USSR, this would allow it to be drawn into the conflict: “it is not in our interests for it to remain outside the conflict, keeping its forces intact.” The Soviet Union, which considered at least two Baltic republics - Estonia and Latvia - as a sphere of its national interests, defended this position in the negotiations, but did not meet with understanding from its partners. As for the governments of the Baltic states themselves, they preferred guarantees from Germany, with which they were bound by a system of economic agreements and non-aggression treaties. According to Churchill, “The obstacle to the conclusion of such an agreement (with the USSR) was the horror that these very border states experienced of Soviet help in the form of Soviet armies that could pass through their territories to protect them from the Germans and simultaneously include them in the Soviet-communist system. After all, they were the most vehement opponents of this system. Poland, Romania, Finland and the three Baltic states did not know what they feared more - German aggression or Russian salvation." .

Simultaneously with negotiations with Great Britain and France, the Soviet Union in the summer of 1939 intensified steps towards rapprochement with Germany. The result of this policy was the signing of a non-aggression treaty between Germany and the USSR on August 23, 1939. According to the secret additional protocols to the treaty, Estonia, Latvia, Finland and eastern Poland were included in the Soviet sphere of interests, Lithuania and western Poland - in the German sphere of interests); by the time the treaty was signed, the Klaipeda (Memel) region of Lithuania was already occupied by Germany (March 1939).

1939. The beginning of the war in Europe

Mutual Assistance Pacts and Treaty of Friendship and Borders

Independent Baltic states on the map of the Small Soviet Encyclopedia. April 1940

As a result of the actual division of Polish territory between Germany and the USSR, the Soviet borders moved far to the west, and the USSR began to border on the third Baltic state - Lithuania. Initially, Germany intended to turn Lithuania into its protectorate, but on September 25, during Soviet-German contacts on resolving the Polish problem, the USSR proposed to begin negotiations on Germany’s renunciation of claims to Lithuania in exchange for the territories of the Warsaw and Lublin voivodeships. On this day, the German Ambassador to the USSR, Count Schulenburg, sent a telegram to the German Foreign Ministry, in which he said that he had been summoned to the Kremlin, where Stalin pointed out this proposal as a subject for future negotiations and added that if Germany agreed, “the Soviet Union would immediately will take on the solution of the problem of the Baltic states in accordance with the protocol of August 23.”

The situation in the Baltic states themselves was alarming and contradictory. Against the background of rumors about the impending Soviet-German division of the Baltic states, which were refuted by diplomats of both sides, part of the ruling circles of the Baltic states was ready to continue rapprochement with Germany, many were anti-German and counted on the USSR’s help in maintaining the balance of power in the region and national independence, while Leftist forces operating underground were ready to support joining the USSR.

Meanwhile, on the Soviet border with Estonia and Latvia, a Soviet military group was created, which included the forces of the 8th Army (Kingisepp direction, Leningrad Military District), 7th Army (Pskov direction, Kalinin Military District) and the 3rd Army (Belarusian Front).

In conditions when Latvia and Finland refused to provide support to Estonia, England and France (who were at war with Germany) were unable to provide it, and Germany recommended accepting the Soviet proposal, the Estonian government entered into negotiations in Moscow, which resulted in September 28 A Mutual Assistance Pact was concluded, providing for the creation of Soviet military bases on the territory of Estonia and the deployment of a Soviet contingent of up to 25 thousand people on them. On the same day, the Soviet-German Treaty “On Friendship and Border” was signed, fixing the division of Poland. According to the secret protocol to it, the conditions for the division of spheres of influence were revised: Lithuania moved into the sphere of influence of the USSR in exchange for Polish lands east of the Vistula, which went to Germany. At the end of negotiations with the Estonian delegation, Stalin told Selter: “The Estonian government acted wisely and for the benefit of the Estonian people by concluding an agreement with the Soviet Union. It could work out with you like with Poland. Poland was a great power. Where is Poland now?

On October 5, the USSR invited Finland to also consider the possibility of concluding a mutual assistance pact with the USSR. Negotiations began on October 11, but Finland rejected the USSR's proposals both for a pact and for the lease and exchange of territories, which led to the Maynila Incident, which became the reason for the USSR's denunciation of the non-aggression pact with Finland and the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940.

Almost immediately after the signing of mutual assistance agreements, negotiations began on the basing of Soviet troops in the Baltic states.

The fact that the Russian armies were to stand on this line was absolutely necessary for the security of Russia against the Nazi threat. Be that as it may, this line exists, and an Eastern Front has been created, which Nazi Germany will not dare attack. When Mr. Ribbentrop was called to Moscow last week, he had to learn and accept the fact that the implementation of Nazi plans in relation to the Baltic countries and Ukraine must be completely stopped.

Original text(English)

That the Russian armies should stand on this line was clearly necessary for the safety of Russia against the Nazi menace. At any rate, the line is there, and an Eastern front has been created which Nazi Germany does not dare assail. When Herr von Ribbentrop was summoned to Moscow last week it was to learn the fact, and to accept the fact, that the Nazi designs upon the Baltic States and upon the Ukraine must come to a dead stop.

The Soviet leadership also stated that the Baltic countries did not comply with the signed agreements and were pursuing anti-Soviet policies. For example, the political union between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (the Baltic Entente) was characterized as having an anti-Soviet orientation and violating mutual assistance treaties with the USSR.

A limited contingent of the Red Army (for example, in Latvia it numbered 20,000) was introduced with the permission of the presidents of the Baltic countries, and agreements were concluded. Thus, on November 5, 1939, the Riga newspaper “Newspaper for Everyone” published a message in the article “Soviet troops went to their bases”:

On the basis of a friendly agreement concluded between Latvia and the USSR on mutual assistance, the first echelons of Soviet troops passed through the Zilupe border station on October 29, 1939. To welcome the Soviet troops, a guard of honor with a military band was formed...

A little later, in the same newspaper on November 26, 1939, in the article “Freedom and Independence”, dedicated to the celebrations of November 18, the President of Latvia published a speech by President Kārlis Ulmanis, in which he stated:

...The recently concluded mutual assistance treaty with the Soviet Union strengthens the security of our and its borders...

Ultimatums of the summer of 1940 and the removal of the Baltic governments

Entry of the Baltic states into the USSR

The new governments lifted bans on communist parties and demonstrations and called early parliamentary elections. In the elections held on July 14 in all three states, the pro-communist Blocs (Unions) of the working people won - the only electoral lists admitted to the elections. According to official data, in Estonia the turnout was 84.1%, with 92.8% of the votes cast for the Union of Working People, in Lithuania the turnout was 95.51%, of which 99.19% voted for the Union of Working People, in Latvia the turnout was 94.8%, 97.8% of the votes were cast for the Working People's Bloc. The elections in Latvia, according to information from V. Mangulis, were falsified.

The newly elected parliaments already on July 21-22 proclaimed the creation of the Estonian SSR, Latvian SSR and Lithuanian SSR and adopted the Declaration of Entry into the USSR. On August 3-6, 1940, in accordance with the decisions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, these republics were admitted to the Soviet Union. From the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian armies, the Lithuanian (29th Infantry), Latvian (24th Infantry) and Estonian (22nd Infantry) territorial corps were formed, which became part of the PribOVO.

The entry of the Baltic states into the USSR was not recognized by the USA, the Vatican and a number of other countries. Recognized him de jure Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, India, Iran, New Zealand, Finland, de facto- Great Britain and a number of other countries. In exile (in the USA, Great Britain, etc.), some diplomatic missions of the pre-war Baltic states continued to operate; after World War II, the Estonian government in exile was created.

Consequences

The annexation of the Baltic states with the USSR delayed the emergence of the Baltic states allied to the Third Reich, planned by Hitler

After the Baltic states joined the USSR, the socialist economic transformations already completed in the rest of the country and repressions against the intelligentsia, clergy, former politicians, officers, and wealthy peasants moved here. In 1941, “due to the presence in the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian SSR of a significant number of former members of various counter-revolutionary nationalist parties, former police officers, gendarmes, landowners, factory owners, large officials of the former state apparatus of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and other persons leading subversive anti-Soviet work and used by foreign intelligence services for espionage purposes,” deportations of the population were carried out. . A significant part of those repressed were Russians living in the Baltic states, mainly white emigrants.

In the Baltic republics, just before the start of the war, an operation was completed to evict the “unreliable and counter-revolutionary element” - just over 10 thousand people were expelled from Estonia, about 17.5 thousand from Lithuania, from Latvia - according to various estimates from 15.4 to 16.5 thousands of people. This operation was completed by June 21, 1941.

In the summer of 1941, after the German attack on the USSR, in Lithuania and Latvia in the first days of the German offensive there were performances of the “fifth column” which resulted in the proclamation of short-lived “loyal to Greater Germany” states, in Estonia, where Soviet troops defended longer, this process almost immediately was replaced by inclusion in the Reichskommissariat Ostland like the other two.

Modern politics

Differences in assessment of the events of 1940 and the subsequent history of the Baltic countries within the USSR are a source of unrelenting tension in relations between Russia and the Baltic states. In Latvia and Estonia, many issues regarding the legal status of Russian-speaking residents - migrants of the 1940-1991 era - have not yet been resolved. and their descendants (see Non-citizens (Latvia) and Non-citizens (Estonia)), since only citizens of the pre-war Latvian and Estonian Republics and their descendants were recognized as citizens of these states (in Estonia, citizens of the ESSR also supported the independence of the Republic of Estonia in the referendum on March 3, 1991) , the rest were deprived of civil rights, which created a unique situation for modern Europe, the existence of discrimination regimes on its territory. .

European Union bodies and commissions have repeatedly addressed Latvia and Estonia with official recommendations, which indicated the inadmissibility of continuing the legal practice of segregation of non-citizens.

The fact that law enforcement agencies of the Baltic states initiated criminal cases against former employees of the Soviet state security agencies living here, accused of participating in repressions and crimes against the local population during World War II, received a special public response in Russia. The illegality of these accusations was confirmed in the international Strasbourg court

Opinion of historians and political scientists

Some foreign historians and political scientists, as well as some modern Russian researchers, characterize this process as the occupation and annexation of independent states by the Soviet Union, carried out gradually, as a result of a series of military-diplomatic and economic steps and against the backdrop of the Second World War unfolding in Europe. In this regard, the term is sometimes used in journalism Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, reflecting this point of view. Modern politicians also talk about incorporation, as a softer version of joining. According to the former head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry Janis Jurkans, “The American-Baltic Charter contains the word incorporation". Baltic historians emphasize the facts of violation of democratic norms during the holding of early parliamentary elections, held at the same time in all three states in the conditions of a significant Soviet military presence, as well as the fact that in the elections held on July 14 and 15, 1940, it was allowed only one list of candidates nominated from the “Bloc of Working People”, and all other alternative lists were rejected. Baltic sources believe that the election results were falsified and did not reflect the will of the people. For example, the text posted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia provides information that “ In Moscow, the Soviet news agency TASS gave information about the mentioned election results twelve hours before the start of vote counting in Latvia". He also cites the opinion of Dietrich André Loeber - one of the former soldiers of the Abwehr sabotage and reconnaissance unit Brandenburg 800 in 1941-1945 - that the annexation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was fundamentally illegal: since it is based on intervention and occupation. . From this it is concluded that the decisions of the Baltic parliaments to join the USSR were predetermined in advance.

Soviet, as well as some modern Russian historians, insist on the voluntary nature of the entry of the Baltic states into the USSR, arguing that it received final formalization in the summer of 1940 on the basis of decisions of the highest legislative bodies of these countries, which received the broadest voter support in the elections for the entire existence of independent Baltic states. Some researchers, while not calling the events voluntary, do not agree with their qualification as occupation. The Russian Foreign Ministry considers the accession of the Baltic states to the USSR as consistent with the norms of international law of that time.

Otto Latsis, a famous scientist and publicist, stated in an interview with Radio Liberty - Free Europe in May 2005:

Took place incorporation Latvia, but not occupation"

see also

Notes

1. Semiryaga M.I.. - Secrets of Stalin's diplomacy. 1939-1941. - Chapter VI: Troubled Summer, M.: Higher School, 1992. - 303 p. - Circulation 50,000 copies.
2. Guryanov A. E. The scale of deportation of the population deep into the USSR in May-June 1941, memo.ru
3. Michael Keating, John McGarry Minority nationalism and the changing international order. - Oxford University Press, 2001. - P. 343. - 366 p. - ISBN 0199242143
4. Jeff Chinn, Robert John Kaiser Russians as the new minority: ethnicity and nationalism in the Soviet successor states. - Westview Press, 1996. - P. 93. - 308 p. - ISBN 0813322480
5. Great Historical Encyclopedia: For schoolchildren and students, page 602: "Molotov"
6. Treaty between Germany and the USSR
7. http://www.historycommission.ee/temp/pdf/conclusions_ru_1940-1941.pdf 1940-1941, Conclusions // Estonian International Commission for Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity]
8. http://www.am.gov.lv/en/latvia/history/occupation-aspects/
9. http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/policy/4641/4661/4671/?print=on
10. • “Resolution regarding the Baltic States adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe” September 29, 1960
    • Resolution 1455 (2005) "Honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation" June 22, 2005
11. (English) European Parliament (January 13, 1983). "Resolution on the situation in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania." Official Journal of the European Communities C 42/78.
12. (English) European Parliament resolution on the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe on 8 May 1945
13. (English) European Parliament resolution of 24 May 2007 on Estonia
14. Russian Foreign Ministry: The West recognized the Baltic states as part of the USSR
15. Archive of USSR Foreign Policy. The Case of the Anglo-French-Soviet Negotiations, 1939 (vol. III), l. 32 - 33. quoted from:
16. Archive of USSR Foreign Policy. The Case of the Anglo-French-Soviet Negotiations, 1939 (vol. III), l. 240. quoted from: Military literature: Research: Zhilin P. A. How Nazi Germany prepared an attack on the Soviet Union
17. Winston Churchill. Memoirs
18. Meltyukhov Mikhail Ivanovich. Stalin's missed chance. The Soviet Union and the struggle for Europe: 1939-1941
19. Telegram No. 442 of September 25 from Schulenburg to the German Foreign Ministry // Subject to announcement: USSR - Germany. 1939-1941: Documents and materials. Comp. Yu. Felshtinsky. M.: Moscow. worker, 1991.
20. Mutual assistance pact between the USSR and the Republic of Estonia // Plenipotentiary representatives report... - M., International Relations, 1990 - pp. 62-64
21. Mutual assistance pact between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Republic of Latvia // Plenipotentiary representatives report... - M., International Relations, 1990 - pp. 84-87
22. Agreement on the transfer to the Lithuanian Republic of the city of Vilna and the Vilna region and on mutual assistance between the Soviet Union and Lithuania // Plenipotentiary representatives report ... - M., International Relations, 1990 - pp. 92-98

More recently, Russia and the Baltic countries were part of one state. Now everyone goes their own historical path. Nevertheless, we are concerned about the economic, political and social realities of neighboring states. Let's figure out which countries are part of the Baltic states, learn about their population, history, and also follow their path to independence.

Baltic countries: list

Some of our fellow citizens have a reasonable question: “What countries are the Baltics?” This question may seem stupid to some, but in fact, not everything is so simple.

When the Baltic countries are mentioned, they primarily mean Latvia with its capital in Riga, Lithuania with its capital in Vilnius and Estonia with its capital in Tallinn. That is, post-Soviet state entities located on the eastern coast of the Baltic. Many other states (Russia, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland) also have access to the Baltic Sea, but they are not included in the Baltic countries. But sometimes the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation belongs to this region.

Where is the Baltics located?

Which Baltic countries and their adjacent territories are located on the eastern coast of the Baltic waters. The area of ​​the largest of them, Lithuania, is 65.3 thousand km². Estonia has the smallest territory - 45.2 thousand square meters. km. The area of ​​Latvia is 64.6 thousand km².

All Baltic countries have a land border with the Russian Federation. In addition, Lithuania neighbors Poland and Belarus, which also borders Latvia, and Estonia shares a maritime border with Finland.

The Baltic countries are located from north to south in this order: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Moreover, Latvia has a border with two other states, but they are not adjacent to each other.

Baltic population

Now let's find out what categories the population of the Baltic countries consists of based on various demographic characteristics.

First of all, let's find out the number of inhabitants who inhabit the states, the list of which is presented below:

• Lithuania - 2.9 million people;
• Latvia - 2.0 million people;
• Estonia - 1.3 million people.

Thus, we see that Lithuania has the largest population, and Estonia has the smallest.

Using simple mathematical calculations, comparing the area of ​​territory and the number of inhabitants of these countries, we can come to the conclusion that Lithuania has the highest population density, and Latvia and Estonia are approximately equal in this indicator, with a slight advantage for Latvia.

The titular and largest nationalities in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are, respectively, Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians. The first two ethnic groups belong to the Baltic group of the Indo-European language family, and Estonians belong to the Baltic-Finnish group of the Finno-Ugric language tree. The largest national minority in Latvia and Estonia are Russians. In Lithuania they occupy the second largest number after the Poles.

History of the Baltics

Since ancient times, the Baltic states were inhabited by various Baltic and Finno-Ugric tribes: Aukstait, Zeimaty, Latgalian, Curonian, Livonian, and Estonian. In the struggle with neighboring countries, only Lithuania managed to formalize its own statehood, which later became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth under the terms of a union. The ancestors of modern Latvians and Estonians immediately fell under the rule of the German Livonian Order of Crusader Knights, and then, as a result of the Livonian and Northern War, the territories in which they lived were divided between the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Denmark, Sweden and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In addition, from part of the former order lands, a vassal duchy was formed - Courland, which existed until 1795. The ruling class here was the German nobility. By that time, the Baltic states were almost completely part of the Russian Empire.

All lands were divided into Livonia, Courland and Estliad provinces. The Vilna province stood apart, inhabited mainly by Slavs and having no access to the Baltic Sea.

After the death of the Russian Empire, as a result of the February and October uprisings of 1917, the Baltic countries also gained independence. The list of events that preceded this outcome would take a long time to list, and it would be superfluous for our review. The main thing to understand is that during 1918-1920 independent states were organized - the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian republics. They ceased to exist in 1939-1940, when they were annexed to the USSR as Soviet republics as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. This is how the Lithuanian SSR, Latvian SSR and Estonian SSR were formed. Until the beginning of the 90s, these state entities were part of the USSR, but among certain circles of the intelligentsia there was always hope for independence.

Declaration of Independence of Estonia

Now let's talk about a period of history that is closer to us, namely the period of time when the independence of the Baltic countries was proclaimed.

Estonia was the first to take the path of secession from the USSR. Active protests against the Soviet central government began in 1987. Already in November 1988, the Supreme Council of the ESSR issued the first Declaration of Sovereignty among the Soviet republics. This event did not yet mean secession from the USSR, but this act proclaimed the priority of republican laws over all-Union laws. It was Estonia that gave birth to the phenomenon that later became known as the “parade of sovereignties.”

At the end of March 1990, the Law “On the State Status of Estonia” was issued, and on May 8, 1990, its independence was declared, and the country returned to its old name - the Republic of Estonia. Even earlier, similar acts were adopted by Lithuania and Latvia.

In March 1991, a consultative referendum was held in which the majority of citizens voting were in favor of secession from the USSR. But in fact, independence was restored only with the beginning of the August Putsch - August 20, 1991. It was then that the resolution on Estonia's independence was adopted. In September, the government of the USSR officially recognized the secession, and on the 17th of the same month, the Republic of Estonia became a full member of the UN. Thus, the country's independence was completely restored.

Establishment of Lithuania's independence

The initiator of the restoration of Lithuanian independence was the public organization “Sąjūdis”, formed in 1988. On May 26, 1989, the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR proclaimed the act “On the State Sovereignty of Lithuania”. This meant that in the event of a conflict between republican and all-Union legislation, priority was given to the former. Lithuania became the second republic of the USSR to take up the baton from Estonia in the “parade of sovereignties.”

Already in March 1990, an act was adopted to restore the independence of Lithuania, which became the first Soviet republic to declare secession from the Union. From that moment on, it became officially known as the Republic of Lithuania.

Naturally, the central authorities of the Soviet Union recognized this act as invalid and demanded its cancellation. With the help of individual army units, the USSR government tried to regain control over the republic. In its actions, it also relied on citizens who disagreed with the policy of secession within Lithuania itself. An armed confrontation began, during which 15 people died. But the army did not dare to attack the parliament building.

After the August Putsch in September 1991, the USSR fully recognized the independence of Lithuania, and on September 17 it joined the UN.

Independence of Latvia

In the Latvian SSR, the independence movement was initiated by the organization “People's Front of Latvia,” which was created in 1988. On July 29, 1989, the Supreme Council of the Republic, following the parliaments of Estonia and Lithuania, proclaimed the third Declaration of Sovereignty in the USSR.

At the very beginning of May 1990, the Republican Supreme Council adopted the Declaration on the restoration of state independence. That is, in fact, Latvia, following Lithuania, announced its secession from the USSR. But in reality this happened only after a year and a half. On May 3, 1991, a referendum-type survey was conducted, in which the majority of respondents were in favor of the independence of the republic. During the coup of the State Emergency Committee on August 21, 1991, Latvia actually managed to achieve independence. On September 6, 1991, like the rest of the Baltic countries, the Soviet government recognized it as independent.

Period of independence of the Baltic countries

After restoring their state independence, all the Baltic countries chose the Western course of economic and political development. At the same time, the Soviet past in these states was constantly condemned, and relations with the Russian Federation remained quite tense. The Russian population of these countries has limited rights.

In 2004, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were admitted to the European Union and the military-political NATO bloc.

Economy of the Baltic countries

At the moment, the Baltic countries have the highest standard of living of the population among all post-Soviet states. Moreover, this is happening despite the fact that a significant part of the infrastructure remaining after Soviet times was destroyed or ceased to function for other reasons, and after the global economic crisis of 2008, the economy of the Baltic countries is going through far from the best times.

Estonia has the highest standard of living among the Baltic countries, and Latvia has the lowest.

Differences between the Baltic countries

Despite the territorial proximity and common history, we should not forget that the Baltic countries are separate states with their own national characteristics.

For example, in Lithuania, unlike other Baltic states, there is a very large Polish community, which is second in size only to the titular nation, but in Estonia and Latvia, on the contrary, Russians predominate among national minorities. In addition, in Lithuania, citizenship was granted to all persons living on its territory at the time of independence. But in Latvia and Estonia, only the descendants of those people who lived in the republics before joining the USSR had such a right.

In addition, it should be said that Estonia, unlike other Baltic countries, is quite strongly focused on the Scandinavian states.

General conclusions

All those who carefully read this material will no longer ask: “What countries are the Baltics?” These are states that have had a rather complex history, filled with the struggle for independence and national identity. Naturally, this could not but leave its mark on the Baltic peoples themselves. It was this struggle that had a key influence on the current political choice of the Baltic states, as well as on the mentality of the peoples who inhabit them.