Baltic Entente
Encyclopedia
The Baltic Entente was based on Treaty of Understanding and Collaboration signed between Lithuania
, Latvia
, and Estonia
on September 12, 1934 in Geneva. The main objective of the agreement was joint action in foreign policy. It also included mutual commitments to support each other politically, and to give diplomatic support in international communication. The endeavour was ultimately unsuccessful - the combined strength of the three nations and statements of neutrality were insubstantial in the face of the massive armies of Nazi Germany
and the Soviet Union
. The plans for division of control of European lands located between the two powers laid out in the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
assigned the Baltic countries into Soviet "sphere of influence". As a result, in 1940 all three countries were indeed occupied by and annexed into the Soviet Union.
, Latvia
, and Lithuania
originated in the minds of the numerous refugees who had no other choice than to flee to the west to escape the tyranny at home. They gathered their efforts in the struggle to achieve freedom and create nationhood. Their efforts became more evident after the end of World War I
.
Thanks to the victory of Entente
in World War I
, and to the weakening of Germany
and Russia
, it became possible for the Baltic states
to turn theoretical ideas into practice, establishing themselves politically in the international arena. All three countries managed to secure their independence by signing individual peace treaties with Russia in 1920. This was a big step in the way of diplomatic cooperation between the newly created Baltic countries, and allowed each nation to receive recognition of their sovereignty by the other states. Acceptance of the Baltic States to the League of Nations
in September 1921 meant that Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian security had been achieved.
The major outcome of World War I — the “Versailles system
” — determined a new international order in Europe. Under the new conditions, the issue of solidifying independence for the Baltic States was of paramount importance.
However it was not until 1934 that establishing the union was possible. Lithuania remained reluctant to the idea, because its international political strategy contradicted these of Latvia and Estonia. While Latvia and Estonia saw Germany and Soviet Russia as the primary dangers, Lithuania sought to ally with these states. Only Polish-Soviet and German–Polish Non-Aggression Pact of 1934 resulted in collapse of Lithuanian foreign relations strategy and forced it to change its position.
The reasons for establishment of the Entente are well expressed in the preamble to the Baltic Entente treaty, which was signed on September 12, 1934:
Firmly resolved to contribute to the maintenance and guarantee of the peace, and to coordinate their external policy within the spirit of the principles of the Pact of the League of Nations, the Baltic States have resolved to conclude a treaty.
For the purpose stated in the first Article, the contracting parties have elected to institute periodic conferences of the Foreign Ministers of the three countries.
― the time when maintaining neutrality was evident miscalculation.
The following are the additional factors which, in the end, led to the collapse of the Baltic Entente:
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, and Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
on September 12, 1934 in Geneva. The main objective of the agreement was joint action in foreign policy. It also included mutual commitments to support each other politically, and to give diplomatic support in international communication. The endeavour was ultimately unsuccessful - the combined strength of the three nations and statements of neutrality were insubstantial in the face of the massive armies of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The plans for division of control of European lands located between the two powers laid out in the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, named after the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and the German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, was an agreement officially titled the Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union and signed in Moscow in the late hours of 23 August 1939...
assigned the Baltic countries into Soviet "sphere of influence". As a result, in 1940 all three countries were indeed occupied by and annexed into the Soviet Union.
Formation
The idea to create a Baltic Union started gaining momentum between 1914 and 1918 and became a direct consequence of people’s hopes for independence. The concept to unite EstoniaEstonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, and Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
originated in the minds of the numerous refugees who had no other choice than to flee to the west to escape the tyranny at home. They gathered their efforts in the struggle to achieve freedom and create nationhood. Their efforts became more evident after the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Thanks to the victory of Entente
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and to the weakening of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, it became possible for the Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
to turn theoretical ideas into practice, establishing themselves politically in the international arena. All three countries managed to secure their independence by signing individual peace treaties with Russia in 1920. This was a big step in the way of diplomatic cooperation between the newly created Baltic countries, and allowed each nation to receive recognition of their sovereignty by the other states. Acceptance of the Baltic States to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
in September 1921 meant that Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian security had been achieved.
The major outcome of World War I — the “Versailles system
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
” — determined a new international order in Europe. Under the new conditions, the issue of solidifying independence for the Baltic States was of paramount importance.
However it was not until 1934 that establishing the union was possible. Lithuania remained reluctant to the idea, because its international political strategy contradicted these of Latvia and Estonia. While Latvia and Estonia saw Germany and Soviet Russia as the primary dangers, Lithuania sought to ally with these states. Only Polish-Soviet and German–Polish Non-Aggression Pact of 1934 resulted in collapse of Lithuanian foreign relations strategy and forced it to change its position.
Purpose
At the heart of the establishment of the Entente was the desire of its members to prolong and solidify the peace.The reasons for establishment of the Entente are well expressed in the preamble to the Baltic Entente treaty, which was signed on September 12, 1934:
Firmly resolved to contribute to the maintenance and guarantee of the peace, and to coordinate their external policy within the spirit of the principles of the Pact of the League of Nations, the Baltic States have resolved to conclude a treaty.
Organization
At the heart of the organization of the Baltic Entente was a coordinating agency. The need to create it was presupposed by the plans of the Entente to pursue a unified foreign policy. The responsibility of the agency is stipulated in the Article 2 of the treaty:For the purpose stated in the first Article, the contracting parties have elected to institute periodic conferences of the Foreign Ministers of the three countries.
Factors of disintegration
Were it was not for the “internal weaknesses” and a conflict with Poland, the Baltic Entente “could have been a significant entity”. One of the first incidents which led to the demise of this union was the Polish-Lithuanian crisis. The crisis resulted from the death of a Polish soldier on the Lithuanian border. The Polish government used this incident as leverage to force Lithuania back into diplomatic contact with Poland. Moreover, the Entente never materialized into a real political force because of maintaining its initial policy of neutrality on the verge of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
― the time when maintaining neutrality was evident miscalculation.
The following are the additional factors which, in the end, led to the collapse of the Baltic Entente:
- A vague definition of what was considered to be a threat and who was the mutual enemy. From the very day of its establishment the Entente lacked a unified conception of what they consider to be a threat and who their enemies were. This ambiguity led to the loss of common goals among the member countries, and brought the feeling that cooperation was not beneficial for mutual advantage.
- Lack of ability to create mutual safety. Since the Baltic Entente did not become a military alliance, its members could not rely on the organization to provide for their security.
- Lack of an economic foundation. The fact that all three countries were not integrated into a mutually beneficial economic domain took its toll on significant weakening the alliance. Having had similar economic structures, all three were forced to compete with each other, rather than to cooperate.
- Failure to establish the feeling of unity. Differences in the nations’ destinies, mentalities and cultures set precedent for misunderstandings. Since the Baltic nations felt no common historical identity, the union of the estranged nations intensified these sentiments and made the Baltic people diverge from one another even further.
External links
- http://www.nato.int/docu/review/1995/9505-6.htm
- http://victorian.fortunecity.com/wooton/34/halecki/22.htm