Representatives of the young generation of Bessarabia (Moldavia) present flowers to the Red Army soldiers
In October 1940 the Soviet Union invites Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, under a mutual assistance agreement, to deploy a military contingent of 25,000 troops on their territory to defend themselves against Hitlerite Germany. It is already clear that the Red Army is inclined to achieve its goals, regardless of any losses. Two weeks later, the governments of these countries are accused of collusion with Germany (which is partly true), repressions against foreigners (Poles, etc.) and are shifting. In the summer of 1940, following the results of nationwide voting, the republics are formed by communist governments and adopt declarations of entry into the Soviet Union; which are immediately approved by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. According to documents of the NKVD of June 17, 1941, in Lithuania 5663 persons, mainly employees of the secret police and classical capitalists were subjected to confinement 10186, Latvia, respectively, 5624 and 9547, Estonia 3179 and 5979. Lithuanian President Antanas Smyatona wisely emigrates to Germany, then to Switzerland and the USA. His Estonian counterpart Konstantin Päts is deported with his family to Siberia, receives 25 years of camps, since 1942 is kept in a prison psychiatric clinic, he died there in 1956. The head of Latvia, Karlis Ulmanis convinces the people that friends have come, actively cooperates with the new, pro-Soviet government, and in particular, publishes the Law on the Fight Against Wrecking. Somewhat later he begins to understand the situation, asks the Kremlin for permission to travel to Switzerland, but eventually ends up in the NKVD camp near Krasnovodsk (Turkmenistan), where, in 1942, he dies. Photo a demonstration of the population of Latvia for joining the Soviet Union. May-June 1940
Karlis Ulmanis, Head of Latvia
Anastastus Smyatona, prudent leader of Lithuania
Konstantin Päts, Head of Estonia
Parade, or at least a demonstration of Soviet troops in Riga, summer 1940.
Soviet (Russian) soldiers in Riga, 1940. I believe that none of them wishes evil to any of the inhabitants of the three Baltic countries. Every person in this column considers himself, if possible, a bearer of good and a hero a liberator. Evil is only a general idea in the all-powerful ruler, which in this case is (non-Russian) Joseph Stalin and his, formed on 90% of the representatives of Jewish nationality, a repressive apparatus Its not me
Since July 1940, the battle for the Atlantic has become extremely acute. Germany receives new naval bases. France withdraws from the war, and fascist Italy, on the contrary, enters it. The photo shows the death of the British heavy cruiser Hood, the morning of May 24, 1941. Before that, the ship is marked by the conduct of Atlantic convoys and, notice, the flooding of the battleship Brittany, during Operation Catapult. With life more than a thousand French sailors are forgiven. Now, Hood, as part of a group of battleship and 6 destroyers, goes to intercept the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prince Eugen. The British cruiser opens fire from 24 km. and at full speed moves closer with its opponents. A volley of one of the German ships covers the unfolding Hood from a distance of 1518 km. The cruiser for a while follows the same course and, a kilometer from the Prince Eugen (probably there and made this picture) as a result of a powerful explosion breaks in half. A hail of debris falls on the German cruiser. 1415 people are dying. Only 3 sailors survive
The German battleship Bismarck, the worlds largest ship of its time. Displacement fully equipped 50 000 tons (twice as high as the average aircraft carrier), length 251 m, width 36 m, draft 10 m. Speed maximum 55 km. h, the range of autonomous navigation is 17,000 km. The main armament is eight 380 mm. guns in four towers.
In the evening, the same May 24, 1941, Bismarck receives a torpedo on board from one of the seven torpedo bombers Swordfish, taking off from the deck of an approaching aircraft carrier. The British are extremely sensitive to the death of the cruiser Hood and intend to at all costs get rid of the German battleship. The torpedo hits the main armored belt (145320 mm.) And does not produce any special action. One sailor perishes. The attack from the air is repeated on May 25, and more successfully. One of two or three torpedoes damages the steering, so the ship begins to describe the circulation (to move forward in a spiral). In this state, Bismarck has to take a fight with two battleships, a heavy cruiser and several destroyers. German submarines to help him come do not have time. In the photo the last minutes of the flaming superlinkor
The roll negatively affects the accuracy of the firing of the Bismarck guns. British shells destroy the main range-post and damage the gun turrets. Then the English heavy cruiser hits the super-ship with three torpedoes. The ship is turned upside down with a keel. Of the 2220 people, 114 are being saved (three are taken by a German submarine coming up). Since then, the German command hides the strike forces of the surface fleet, primarily in the winding Norwegian fjords, and does not give them the opportunity to once again face off against the British. German Kriegsmarines are moving to the tactics of unlimited submarine warfare. If before that, before the ship was flooded, the crew of the submarine was obliged to give the appropriate signals, and to wait for the sailors to transfer to the boats, now such tenderness is no longer there. Photo the surviving sailors of the Bismarck board aboard the British ship
The Prime Minister of Yugoslavia signs a protocol on the accession of his country to the Tripartite Pact, March 25, 1941. On the same day, in Belgrade, an 80,000-strong demonstration against the alliance with Germany is taking place, marking, among other things, the defeat of the German Information Bureau. A new government is being formed, on April 5 the USSR and Yugoslavia are signing a treaty of friendship and non-aggression. These events Hitler views as an excuse for an invasion. And, on April 6, the armed forces of Germany, Italy, Hungary enter Yugoslavia. Stalin does not hasten to render assistance, in accordance with the concluded agreement. On Belgrade, 2,000 tons of bombs fall, and on April 16 the Yugoslav army surrenders. About 344 000 people are taken prisoner (Croatians, Hungarians and Germans Volksdeutsche are later released). Irreversible losses: Germany 165 people, 40 aircraft, 3 tanks. Italy 3300 people, 13 aircraft, 11 tankettes. Hungary 130 people, 1 airplane. Yugoslavia: 5,000 military, 57 downed, 150 aircraft destroyed on the ground. In the photo, the Yugoslavs are celebrating the signing of an agreement on friendship with the USSR, April 5, 1941.