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CRISIS and WAR in EUROPE, 1937 to 1940 (9 of 10)

In Eastern Europe, in 1940, sides were being taken, as the Soviet Union was benefiting from its pact with Germany. The Soviet Union in August announced that the results of plebiscites in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were "unanimous" in favor of these nations rejoining Russia, and the Soviet Union annexed these three nations. And Romania lost territory to claims by the Soviet Union.

Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria remained allied with Germany, partly because they were economically dependent upon Germany, which was buying their agricultural surpluses, and these were nations run by ultra-conservatives who still feared revolution. They saw Germany as a bulwark against Bolshevism, and Germany was the power with whom it was best to be on good terms should more of their conflicts over borders arise. Meanwhile, Germany valued its ties with Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria as a source of food, and from Romania it was buying oil.

Greece was another matter. In late October, Mussolini invaded Greece without warning Hitler, Mussolini retaliating for Hitler not having warned him of the invasion into the west. Britain was allied with Greece and sent a naval force from the Middle East to Greece. The British navy attacked the Italian fleet as it lay at anchor at Taranto, in southern Italy. Italy's offensive against Greece broke down, and by late November the Greeks had pushed Mussolini's army back to Albania. Then, on December 9, the British launched an offensive against Italy in North Africa, British forces entering Libya on December 13, 1940.

Five days later, Hitler issued orders for preparations to begin for the invasion of the Soviet Union. He had hoped that his war with Britain would be over, giving him a free hand for what he saw as his most significant endeavor: his fight against Bolshevism. But, with Britain still in the war, he saw conquest of the Soviet Union as removing the possibility of Britain and the Soviet Union ever joining against Germany. Attacking and defeating the Soviet Union, Hitler believed, would destroy whatever hope there was in Britain to win its war against Germany.