Northern Eurasia 1940: Nazi-Soviet Honeymoon

In sharp contrast to the lackluster performance of the Soviets in Finland, the Germans scored success after success in their offensive against the Allies, occupying Western Europe and forcing France to come to terms. Seizing on the Allied collapse and secure in its understanding with Germany, the Soviet Union occupied the Baltic states and demanded territory from Romania. Without any hope of support, Romania quickly accepted Soviet terms.

Main Events

12 Mar 1940 Moscow Peace Treaty

On 12 March 1940 the Moscow Peace treaty ended the Winter War, with Finland ceding its respective portions of the Karelian Peninsula and Lake Ladoga to the Soviet Union.in wikipedia

31 Mar 1940 Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic established

Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic establishedin wikipedia

? Apr–? May 1940 Soviet Union executes about 20,000 Polish nationalists at Katyn Forest and elsewhere

Soviet Union executes about 20,000 Polish nationalists at Katyn Forest and elsewherein wikipedia

9 Apr–10 Jun 1940 Norwegian Campaign

As part of Operation Weserübung—the invasion of Denmark and Norway—German forces landed along the coast of the Kingdom of Norway on 9 April 1940, capturing the towns of Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Narvik on that same day. The operation was complicated by the arrival of the British in the north and continued Norwegian resistance in the interior, but by 1 June the Allies agreed the situation was hopeless. The Norwegian government evacuated on 7 June, with last resistance ending on 10 June.in wikipedia

15 Jun 1940 Soviet Occupation of the Baltic

In accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the Soviet Union occupied the Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, annexing them unilaterally later that summer. Contrary to the Pact, Germany did not occupy Lithuania, and the Winter War prevented Russia from occupying Finland as planned.in wikipedia

22 Jun 1940 Second Armistice at Compiègne

Adolf Hitler and top military officials of Nazi Germany signed an armistice with representatives of the French Third Republic at 18:36 near Compiègne, France—the exact location of the 1918 armistice ending World War I. This new armistice ended French involvement in World War II on the side of the Allies and established a German zone of occupation in northern and western France, leaving the remainder (“Vichy France”) to be governed by the French.in wikipedia

28 Jun 1940 Romania withdraws from Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina in response to Soviet ultimatum

Romania withdraws from Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina in response to Soviet ultimatumin wikipedia