antarmike Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 October 1939 Latvia signs a 10 year Mutual Assistance Pact with the Soviet Union, which allows the Soviets to have 25 000 men in military bases in Latvia. Stalin promises to respect Latvian independence. October 1944 Red Army enters Hungary; meanwhile they launch an offensive to capture Riga, Latvia. So much for that agreement... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 (edited) The Russian take-over had actually happened less than a year after the agreement. On June 16, 1940, Vyacheslav Molotov presented the Latvian representative in Moscow with an ultimatum accusing Latvia of violations of that pact, and on June 17 great numbers of Soviet forces occupied the country. Еlections for the "People's Saeima" were held, and a puppet government headed by Augusts Kirhenšteins led Latvia into the USSR.The annexation was formalised on August 5, 1940. The 1944 invasion was after a cruel period of German occupation... Latvia regained its independance in May 1990 follwing the Soviet breakup of the Balkan states. Edited October 5, 2008 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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