EESTI VABARIIGI JA NSV LIIDU VAHELINE VASTASTIKUSE ABISTAMISE LEPING NING SELLEST LÄHTUVAD HILISEMAD KOKKULEPPED
Treaty of Mutual Assistance Between the Republic of Estonia and the Soviet Union and Later Agreements Thereof

Summary/Abstract: Year 1939 became one of the most fatal in Estonian history in the 20th century. On August 23, 1939, two countries with a totalitarian regime – the Soviet Union and Germany – concluded a treaty of non-aggression, the secret protocols of which divided Eastern Europe into spheres of interest and, owing to that, Estonia would prove to be in the sphere of interest of the Soviet Union. Germany, having secured its back, started warfare against Poland on September 1, 1939. On September 17 also the Soviet Union started aggression against Poland. In the war commenced the Republic of Estonia would promptly declare its neutrality and announce its standing aside from any military conflict. It also refrained from both total and partial mobilisation. Mobilisation would have not changed anything in practice, yet a growth in national-public self-awareness and better preparedness of the nation and armed forces to an international crisis situation would have ensued.

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