THE US DE JURE RECOGNITION OF THE BALTIC STATES IN 1922

Abstract

We may distinguish internal and external identities. In the context of the Baltic states the external factor was much more dominant in the twentieth century. Certain unity between the Baltic states emerged during these simultaneous fights for their independence and for recognition by the great powers in Europe and the US. Recognition was mostly applied and given separately to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and not commonly to the Baltic states. This article tries to determine when and under what circumstances the Baltic question reached the institutions and leading persons dealing with foreign relations in the US, as being a separate problem, independent of Russia. After the independence of the Baltic states, there followed a repelling attitude from the US and non-recognition until 1922. One of mine objectives was to ascertain to what extent the development of relations between the US and Soviet Russia influenced the change in the international status of the Baltic states in the beginning of the 1920s.