Russians march into Latvia and Estonia
18 June 1940
Following the occupation of Lithuania, Soviet troops are now occupying Latvia and Estonia. The first Russian forces crossed the borders of both countries early yesterday, and the latest messages indicate that the two capitals, Riga and Tallinn, are now occupied.
According to dispatches from the Latvian capital Soviet warships have entered the port of Riga and Soviet armoured cars and tanks have taken up positions in the city itself. The governments of both Latvia and Estonia have resigned at the instance of the Soviet authorities, who demanded the appointment of governments “capable of ensuring and willing to ensure” the carrying out of the mutual assistance pacts concluded with the Soviet Union last year.
The Tallinn correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper Aftonbladet says that Soviet troops have occupied Tallinn and various other places in Estonia. Another Swedish newspaper, Goteborgs-Tidningen, reports that the Russians are still pouring into Lithuania, and over 2,000 tanks have already arrived at the German frontier. The organisation is said to be perfect, there being big supplies of oil and other necessities. All strategically important points have been occupied.
The Stockholms-Tidningen says that the occupation is an economic setback for Germany, because the big quantity of foodstuffs hitherto available for export will now be used by the Red Army.
President Smetona of Lithuania is reported by the Moscow radio to have been interned by the Germans after fleeing across the frontier as the Russians entered his country. The Moscow radio said that Mr Smetona and members of his government crossed into East Prussia on Sunday night, and were then interned by the Germans, who, through the German embassy in Moscow, officially informed the Soviet Foreign Office of their action.
A “people’s government” friendly to the Soviet Union has been formed in Lithuania. M Paleckis, a writer, is prime minister and Prof Krėvė-Mickievičius vice-premier and foreign minister.
General Skučas, the former minister of the interior, and the chief of the political police have been arrested and are to be court martialled in accordance with Russian demands. General Musteikis, the war minister, has been dismissed.
In Moscow the reason given for the latest demands on the Baltic States is the fact that the military alliance between Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania has not been rescinded since the conclusion of the recent mutual assistance pacts with Russia. This military alliance, it is stated, is “directed against Russia”, and is not only unbearable but dangerous for the security of the Russian frontiers.” President Ulmanis of Latvia is reported to be still in Riga, and he has appealed to his country over the radio to endorse the friendship with Russia.
Editorial: The Baltic States
18 June 1940
Within a few hours, Estonia and Latvia have suffered the fate of Lithuania; the three pacts of last September and October are overthrown. The fall of the Baltic governments and the flight of ministers are proof enough that the “independent state existence” and the policy of “non-intervention in internal affairs,” then promised by Russia, have ended. The Soviet government has not been content with the naval bases, aerodromes, and military garrisons “of strictly limited strength” which her treaties with the three States allowed her. From Estonia she had the use of two islands and Baltiski, guarding the approaches to the Gulf of Finland, and from Latvia the ports of Libau and Windau and mountings for artillery along the coast.
The defensive significance of the present occupations is that they considerably reduce the land frontiers through which German armies might one day attack Russia; coastal batteries are wisely thought to be better obstacles than concrete forts inland. Russia’s position in the Baltic has now only one weakness: the Aaland Islands are not in her hands. Here caution alone can restrain her, for they would be the first objective of any power which meant to attack Leningrad. Their neutrality is regarded as highly important by Sweden and they lie across Germany’s iron-ore route.
The reason given by Russia for occupying Estonia and Latvia is the same that sufficed for Lithuania. The three of them had entered, Russia says, into a secret military pact although all alliances had forbidden them in the treaties. Russia claims to have acted defensively, and we have no call yet to suppose that she intends to do anything against Germany. Why did Germany uproot her Baltic nationals unless she had seen something of this kind coming?
