Baltic states under Soviet rule (1944–1991)
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The three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – were re-occupied in 1944–1945 by the Soviet Union (USSR) following the German occupation. The Baltic states regained independence in 1990–1991.
In 1944-1945,
Soviet rule in the Baltic states led to mass deportations to other parts of the Soviet Union, in order to quell resistance and weaken national identity. Mass migration from other parts of the Soviet Union into the Baltic states had a similar effect. The Soviet Union also required the Baltic states to industrialize to maximize the Soviet economy, and isolated the Baltic states from western influence. The Russian language became compulsory in schools, and freedom of expression was restricted throughout the population. In the late 1980s, while Mikhail Gorbachev was in charge of the Soviet Union, the Baltic states took many steps toward autonomy, and eventually towards independence.
Sovietization
Resistance and deportations
Between 1940 and 1987, the Soviet Union carried out a process of
The Baltic partisans resisted Soviet rule by armed struggle for a number of years. The Estonian
The total numbers of those deported between 1944 and 1955 has been estimated at
Industrialization and immigration
The Soviets made large
Estonia and Latvia received large-scale migration of industrial workers from other parts of the Soviet Union that changed the
In contrast, in Lithuania the drop was 4 percent. The absence of Russian immigration was only a part of the explanation, as Lithuania gained the Vilnius area, fewer Lithuanians fled west and the state lost its
Baltic communists had supported and participated the 1917
Everyday living
The Baltic republics were largely isolated from the outside world between the late 1940s and the mid-1980s. The Soviets were sensitive about the Baltic area not only because concerns about its loyalty, but also because of a number of military installations located there due to its proximity to several Scandinavian non Eastern Bloc states, including surveillance centres and a submarine base.[12]
During the late 1960s, Soviet democratic movements found support amongst Baltic intellectuals.[citation needed] The Soviet Union signed the Helsinki Accords and the following year, a monitoring group was founded in Lithuania which produced dissident publications during the 1970s and 1980s.[14] Nationalism and religion inspired people to small-scale demonstrations and underground activities. The European Parliament passed a resolution supporting the Baltic cause in 1982.[15]
The Soviet Union maintained ethnic diversity, but on the other hand it made efforts to impose uniformity. A new wave of Russification targeting the education system began in the late 1970s, attempting to create a Soviet national identity.[citation needed] The education of Baltic children was conducted in their native languages, but the Russian language was compulsory. In addition, the Soviet authorities limited freedom of expression in literature and the visual arts.[16]
The
Road to independence
Soviet reforms
The
At the same time, coalitions of reformists and populist
The first Supreme Soviet elections took place in March 1989. There was still only one legal communist party, but the availability of multi-candidate choice encouraged the popular fronts and other groups to spread their own electoral message.[23] The Communist Party in all three Baltic republics was divided along nationalist lines, and political leaders were increasingly responding to people rather than the party.[24] The biggest demonstration was the Baltic Way in August 1989, where people protested on the fiftieth anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop treaty by a human chain linking hands across the three republics.[25] Still, by 1990, there were not yet calls for political independence but demands for economic independence from Moscow.[24]
Restorations of independence
In February 1990, the
At the same time, the Popular Fronts were in increasing the pressure in Latvia and Estonia, as the citizens committee movement prepared for wholly non-Soviet elections to take place at or near the time of the Supreme Soviet elections. They saw that independence could never be restored legally by organs of the occupying powers.[28] The pro-independence candidates received overwhelming majorities in the Supreme Soviet elections of March 1990.[29] On 30 March 1990, the Estonian Supreme Soviet declared independence. In particular, it declared the 1940 annexation illegal and began the transition towards an independent Republic of Estonia. On 4 May 1990, the Latvian Supreme Soviet made a similar declaration.[30]
On 12 May 1990, the leaders of the Baltic republics signed a joint declaration renewing the Baltic Entente of 1934.[31] By mid-June, after unsuccessful economic blockade of Lithuania, the Soviets started negotiations with Lithuania and the other two Baltic republics on condition they agreed to freeze their declarations of independence. The Soviets had a bigger challenge elsewhere, in the form of the Russian Federal Republic proclaiming sovereignty in June.[32]
Simultaneously the Baltic republics also started to negotiate directly with the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR).
In August 1991, the hard-line members of the Soviet government
The Soviet Union recognised the Baltic independence on 6 September 1991. The Russian troops stayed for an additional three years, as Boris Yeltsin linked the issue of Russian minorities with troop withdrawals. Lithuania was the first to have the Russian troops withdrawn from its territory in August 1993. On 26 July 1994 Russian troops withdrew from Estonia and on 31 August 1994, Russian troops withdrew from Latvia.[36]
The Russian Federation ended its military presence in Estonia after it relinquished control of the nuclear facilities in
References
Citations
- ^ Dunsdorfs, Edgars. The Baltic Dilemma. Speller & Sons, New York. 1975
- ISBN 978-1-78096-163-7.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 126.
- ^ a b c d Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 129.
- ISBN 978-0-521-77000-2.
- S2CID 216140280. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
- ^ a b Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 130.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 131.
- ^ a b Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 132.
- ^ Ethnic composition of population by USSR republics. 1970 census(in Russian)
- ^ Ethnic composition of population by USSR republics. 1989 census Archived March 16, 2010, at the Wayback Machine(in Russian)
- ^ a b Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 134.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 139.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 135.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 136.
- ^ a b Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 138.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 142.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 144.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 147.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 149.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 150.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 151.
- ^ a b Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 152.
- ^ a b Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 153.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 154.
- ^ a b Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 158.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 163.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 159.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 160.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 162.
- ^ a b Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 165.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 164.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 181.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 187.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 189.
- ^ Hiden & Salmon (1994). p. 191.
- ^ The Weekly Crier (1999/10) Archived 2013-06-01 at the Wayback Machine Baltics Worldwide.
- ^ "Latvia takes over the territory of the Skrunda Radar Station". Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Copenhagen. 21 October 1999. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-0-582-25650-7.