Soviet occupation of the Baltic states (1940)
The Soviet occupation of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) refers to the events of June 1940 following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, whereby the Soviet Union occupied and subsequently annexed these three independent republics.
Prior to 1940, the Baltic states had enjoyed over two decades of independence following the collapse of the Russian Empire during World War I. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed in August 1939, contained a secret protocol dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. The Baltic states were assigned to the Soviet sphere.
In the autumn of 1939, the Soviet Union pressured the Baltic states into signing mutual assistance treaties, which allowed the Soviets to establish military bases on their territories. This was ostensibly for defense against potential German aggression.
In June 1940, the Soviet Union issued ultimatums to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, demanding the formation of new governments "capable of ensuring the fulfillment of the mutual assistance pacts." These ultimatums were backed by the threat of military invasion. Given the presence of Soviet troops already stationed within their borders, and lacking significant external support, the Baltic governments were forced to comply.
New, pro-Soviet governments were installed through rigged elections in July 1940. These newly established puppet regimes then formally requested incorporation into the Soviet Union. The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union approved these requests, and the Baltic states were annexed and incorporated as Soviet Socialist Republics.
The occupation was followed by mass deportations, executions, and other forms of political repression aimed at eliminating perceived enemies of the Soviet regime, including former government officials, intellectuals, and members of the middle class. These actions were intended to suppress any potential resistance to Soviet rule.
The United States and many other Western countries refused to recognize the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states, viewing it as an illegal occupation. They maintained diplomatic relations with representatives of the pre-occupation Baltic governments-in-exile.
The Soviet occupation lasted until the late 1980s, when, under the influence of Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of glasnost and perestroika, movements for national independence gained momentum in the Baltic states. In 1990, Lithuania declared its independence, followed by Estonia and Latvia in 1991. The Soviet Union initially attempted to suppress these declarations, but ultimately recognized the independence of the Baltic states in September 1991.
The Soviet occupation remains a sensitive and controversial topic in the Baltic states, with many viewing it as a period of oppression and national trauma. Russia, while acknowledging the presence of Soviet troops in the Baltic states in 1940, has disputed the term "occupation," claiming that the incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union was legitimate.