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Annessione Sovietica della Bessarabia e Bukovina del Nord (giugno 1940)   Cerca

Definizione

The German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact of August 23, 1939 provided the foundation for the Soviet-German partition of eastern Europe. There were specific addenda (secret protocols) outlining Soviet and German spheres of influence. Germany agreed to Soviet expansion in Romania and two Romanian provinces notably Bessarabia and northern Bukovina were assigned to the USSR. Bessarabia had been a province of the Russian Empire from 1812 to 1917. Bessarabia declared its independence from Russia in January 1918 and in December of the same year the National Council voted for unification with Romania. The Treaty of Paris signed in October 1920 confirmed Bessarabia as part of Romania. The Soviet Union did not recognize this treaty and considered Bessarabia as a territory annexed by Romania. Thus, negotiating with Nazi Germany over the partition of eastern Europe, the USSR claimed Bessarabia as a legitimate Soviet territory. Historically Bukovina was part of the Moldavian principality from the 14th century. The region obtained its own name (Bukovina) only in 1775, when it was gained by Austria from the Ottoman Empire, which then controlled Moldavia. The Austrians administered Bukovina first as a part of Galicia (1786-1849) and then as a distinct crown land--a duchy of Bukovina. Following the collapse of Austria-Hungary (October 1918), Romania occupied Bukovina. The Treaty of Saint-Germain (September 1919) confirmed the Romanian acquisition of Bukovina. Unlike in the case of Bessarabia, the Soviet Union could not legitimately claim even a part of Bukovina, which never belonged to Russia. The only pretext which the USSR could put forward was the ethnic composition of Bukovina-in its northern part the population was almost solidly Ukrainian. On June 26, 1940, the Soviet Union demanded that Romania cede Bessarabia and northern Bukovina. Deprived of the support of Great Powers (France was defeated in June 1940), the Romanian government complied. At the end of June 1940, Soviet troops occupied Bessarabia and northern Bukovina. The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was created out of the central districts of Bessarabia and a part of Ukrainian territory on the eastern side of the Dniester River. The northern part of Bessarabia (Hotin county) and the coastal plains between the Danube and the Dniester were incorporated into Ukraine. Northern Bukovina was incorporated into Ukraine as Chernovtsy (Cernauti) province. (en-US)

Fonte

New Encyclopedia Britannica. Chicago: Britannica, 1989. v. 2, p. 166, 615, 616; v. 5, p. 212 v. 2, p. 166, 615, 616; v. 5, p. 212 v. 2,

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