Baltic Entente

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The Baltic Entente was a mutual defense pact signed between the three Baltic region countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia on September 12, 1934. These negotiations were in an attempt to establish a defense union between three small nations. 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 Germany and the Soviet Union. The then-secret plans for division of control of Eastern Europe laid out in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact gave the Baltic countries to Soviet control. In 1940 the three countries were indeed annexed by the Soviets. Following the outbreak of war between Germany and the Soviet Union, Germany occupied all three countries from 1941 to 1944 until they were repulsed by the Soviets. The Baltics remained part of the Soviet Union until 1991. However, the Entente cemented a cultural and economic unity that continues to this day.

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