Edgar Anderson

British policy toward the Baltic States, 1940–41

Since the end of WW I, the Baltic nations viewed Great Britain as their principal benefactor and protector. Great Britain had been the first power to seriously consider the possibility of full independence for the Baltic countries. Thanks to considerable assistance rendered by the British Navy, and several loans and shipment of weapons from Great Britain, the Baits had been able to maintain their independence against the Bolshevik, German, and Russian White armies. From British ships and their companies, which kept visiting the Baltic countries also during peace time, ultimately sprang the high prestige which England enjoyed throughout the Baltic countries from 1918 to 1939. The Baltic perceptions, however, were at variance with British motives and actions. The British were mainly interested in seeing Russia as weak as possible and in keeping the Germans out of the Baltic area. They had considered trade interests in the Scandinavian and Baltic countries and they wanted to see the outlets of the Russian Baltic trade under control of the countries friendly to the British. During the immediate postwar years Great Britain vitually ran the Baltic area and checked not only the German and Bolshevik advances, but also curbed the influences of her rival, France, for the dominating position on the continent. The British were also interested in imposing their monopoly over the entire Baltic economic life. They failed in this design, however, mainly due to very efficient German rivalry. The interest of the British in Baltic agricultural products still helped the Baltic countries to avoid a collapse of their economy in the early postwar years. On the other hand, Great Britain applied commercial pressure upon Latvia and Estonia when they demonstrated their interest in increasing the volume of their trade with the Soviet Union at a time when BritishSoviet relations were at the lowest ebb but afterwards did not hesitate to trade with the Soviet Union behind the backs of the Baltic States. Great Britain generally supported the Baltic States morally but did not com-