Why is there hostility between Russia and the Baltic states?
Upvote:6
It's nothing the Baltic states did. They were caught between a paranoid and a land-hungry bully.
The Baltic states had the misfortune to be caught between two of the largest belligerents of WWII, the Soviet Union and Germany. In an attempt to buy time, in August 1939 the USSR and Germany signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact to split up Eastern Europe into spheres of influence giving each side a buffer zone against the other. Shortly after they signed the German-Soviet Frontier Treaty to make some modifications.
The Germans wanted Lebensraum. The Soviets wanted a buffer zone against the inevitable German invasion. The Baltic states wanted to retain their independence.
The Soviets didn't believe the Baltic states would be able to resist a German invasion, or thought they'd ally with the Germans. The Baltic states didn't believe their independence would survive a military pact with the Soviets. Unfortunately, that was all true.
Shortly after the invasion of Poland, the Soviets accused the Baltics of not actually being neutral and demanded they sign "Mutual Assistance Treaties" (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) which theoretically protected the Baltic states, but just allowed the Soviets to establish military bases on Baltic soil which they would then use in June 1940 to take over those countries.
They tried the same thing with Finland fearing the Finns would either ally with Germany or the Germans would simply bowl them over as they did other neutral countries. Not being boxed in, and assuming the Swedes and Western Allies would come to their aid, the Finns politely rejected the offer recognizing it would lead to the loss of their sovereignty. The Soviets, suspecting Finland had already allied with Germany, trumped up a bunch of charges and invaded in winter of 1939 starting the disastrous Russo-Finnish Winter War.
The humiliating defeat for the Finns led to them becoming co-belligerents (not really allies, just fighting against the same enemy) with the Germans to recapture territory lost in the Winter War, exactly what the Soviets feared. This was known as the Continuation War.
In the end, only Finland kept their sovereignty.
More post
- 📝 Why was the Soviet Marine Infantry disbanded in 1947?
- 📝 Can you identify this artillery shell?
- 📝 Did Christopher Columbus stay at a Lodge in Cordoba?
- 📝 How might I use a number written over portrait image to help identify the person or tribe, if Indigenous Indian?
- 📝 How did they cook on ancient ships?
- 📝 Why was Archbishop of Carthage, Cyriacus, arrested?
- 📝 What was Lenin's "New Economic Policy" and what complications did it have?
- 📝 Short or long Roman numerals?
- 📝 Is this a case of “cut and paste” of two different weapons?
- 📝 Why are there naked ancient statues?
- 📝 What was Asir's role in the Arab Revolt?
- 📝 What is the real origin of the stereotype that associates fried chickens with African Americans?
- 📝 What were the consequences of the bankruptcies of the Spanish Empire?
- 📝 Oppression of non-ethnic Hungarians in Hungary pre 1800s
- 📝 Did Grant's use of attrition tactic support his reputation as a general?
- 📝 Who was the Irish interpreter in Monterey in 1822?
- 📝 Did the cold war affect the development of the internet?
- 📝 How many non-partisan (independent) legislature members were in the USA compared to the USSR?
- 📝 Is this a true quote of Engels about vague Russian leaders and their vague followers?
- 📝 How was the Czech sudetenland repopulated by Czechs?
- 📝 Did the Creole estate in Russian America encompass Siberian creoles?
- 📝 Were Ferdinand and Isabella the most important royal couple?
- 📝 How were false US flags identified on slave ships in the transatlantic slave trade?
- 📝 Is there any resource to learn interiors of a house for particular classes in 17th Century in Bohemia?
- 📝 Why were some German conquered territories (eg: Poland) referred to as 'Generalgouvernement'?
- 📝 Are there any historically significant volcanic eruptions that predate Akrotiri?
- 📝 Where and how did scientists of the 18th and 19th century learn foreign languages?
- 📝 What exactly were the religious beliefs of Gemistus Plethon?
- 📝 Would modern aerodynamic design be recognizable to a vehicle expert 100 years ago?
- 📝 What is the most number of times someone has become leader of a European country?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Why is there hostility between Russia and the Baltic states?
- 📝 Why was there such tension between the Ottoman Empire and Russia during the Armenian genocide?
- 📝 Who thought there might be a war between the British Empire and the United States of America in the 1920s?
- 📝 Why were the continuity states of Imperial and Royal Austria-Hungary disunited, while the continuity states of Imperial Russia were united?
- 📝 Why does the United States keep using "old" date representations and imperial system, while being in the minority?
- 📝 Has there ever been a cold war other than between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.?
- 📝 In the "Christmas truce" of 1914 were there any football (soccer) matches between British and German troops?
- 📝 Why are the USA and Canada's states border so straight?
- 📝 How and why was the boundary between West and East Berlin decided to be where it was?
- 📝 Why was the Cold War carried out over the whole world instead of between Siberia and Alaska?
- 📝 Is there a link between the Sea people and the Trojan War?
- 📝 Why did the negotiations between Henry V of England and France fail?
- 📝 Why did the states that were born out of the Louisiana purchase adopt a common law system, and not a civil law system?
- 📝 Is there a correlation between the colonial power and the stability/success of the post colonial state?
- 📝 Is there a relationship between the Pelasgians and Sea Peoples?
- 📝 What is the origin of Khans? Is there any link between South Asian Khans and the Mongols?
- 📝 Why were there no increases in the train speed records between 1854-1934?
- 📝 How were interracial relationships between African-Americans and Latinos treated in Southern states before the Loving decision?
- 📝 Did the Romans see Africa as a black continent? Was there a perception of a divide between Africa and Europe?
- 📝 When was the concept of the "border wall" between the United States and Mexico first proposed?
- 📝 Why is the border between Myanmar and Thailand so long?
- 📝 Was there any connection between the Ottonians and Benedictines?
- 📝 Why didn't Saudi unification include the coastal states of Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Yemen, and Kuwait?
- 📝 Is there a relationship between Portugal and Spain being able to discover the New World and the Moor occupation?
- 📝 Between the 7 Years War and 1776, was there any effort to have the colonies represented in Parliament?
- 📝 Was there any conflict/interaction between the Black Panther Party and the Nation of Islam?
- 📝 Throughout history, how many wars have there been between Russia and Japan?
- 📝 Why the six hour gap between British and French declarations of war?
- 📝 Was there anything in common between the War of 1812 between Britain and America and the War of 1812 between Napoleon and Russia?
- 📝 Why did Empress Elizabeth and Catherine the Great of Russia have such different policies toward Frederick the Great?