In this lecture, Stephen Kotkin will explore the geopolitical forces that buffeted the Baltic states during the 20th century and the strategies that these countries have used to preserve their independence. In the aftermath of World War I, the Baltic states, lacking any external security guarantees-and in the absence of Western partners willing to help defend them- were crushed between Hitler and Stalin, leading to a half century of Soviet occupation.
How did the Baltic states preserve their identity within a Soviet state that would have preferred that they did not exist? Why were the Baltics successful in demanding the Soviet Union recognize their independence? What policies have the Baltics pursued since independence to build strong Western alliances and ensure protection from Russia?