Battle of the Atlantic

Diplomatic Relations

• A Soviet-German Treaty of Friendship is announced. By its terms Poland is partitioned and the German and Russian spheres of influence are re-defined. The Soviet Union is given a free hand in Lithuania which was previously to be included in the German sphere. In exchange, the demarcation line between the Russians and Germans is moved eastwards. The Russians are to retire to the line of the Narew-Bug-San, and the area between the Vistula and the western Bug goes to Germany. The Soviet Union gets slightly more land mostly agricultural with about 13,000,000 inhabitants, but the Germans now control the majority of the population, about 22,000,000 people, and the industrial and mining centers.
• The Soviets begin to put real pressure on the Baltic states. A Soviet-Estonian Mutual Assistance Pact is signed, giving the USSR the use of bases in Estonia. A similar agreement is concluded with Latvia on Oct 5 and with Lithuania on Oct 10. Vilna is ceded to Lithuania. These pacts are designed to ensure Soviets control of the Baltic, particularly in the event of future German aggression.