Editing Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact (section)

===Soviet Union occupies the Baltic states and part of Romania===
{{Main|Soviet occupation of the Baltic states (1940)|Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina}}
[[File:WWII in Europe 1939-1941-en.svg|thumb|Soviet expansion in 1939-1940]]
In mid-June 1940, while international attention focused on the [[Battle of France|German invasion of France]], Soviet NKVD troops raided border posts in [[history of Lithuania#First Soviet occupation|Lithuania]], [[Estonia in World War II#Soviet occupation|Estonia]] and [[Latvia#Latvia in World War II|Latvia]].<ref name="wettig20" /><ref name="senn">{{cite book|last= Senn|first= Alfred Erich|title= Lithuania 1940: Revolution from Above|place= Amsterdam, New York|publisher= Rodopi|year= 2007|isbn= 978-90-420-2225-6}}.</ref>
State administrations were liquidated and replaced by Soviet cadres,<ref name="wettig20"/> who deported or killed 34,250 Latvians, 75,000 Lithuanians and almost 60,000 Estonians.{{Sfn|Montefiore|2005|p =334}} Elections took place, with a single pro-Soviet candidate listed for many positions, and the resulting people's assemblies immediately requesting admission into the Soviet Union, which was granted.<ref name="wettig20"/> (The Soviets annexed the whole of Lithuania, including the [[Šešupė]] area, which had been earmarked for Germany.)

Finally, on 26 June, four days after the [[Armistice of 22 June 1940|armistice between France and Nazi Germany]], the Soviet Union [[June 1940 Soviet Ultimatum|issued an ultimatum]] that demanded [[Bessarabia]] and unexpectedly [[Northern Bukovina]] from Romania.{{Sfn|Roberts|2006|p= 55}} Two days later, the Romanians acceded to the Soviet demands, and the Soviets occupied the territories. The [[Hertsa region]] was initially not requested by the Soviets but was later occupied by force after the Romanians had agreed to the initial Soviet demands.{{Sfn|Roberts|2006|p= 55}} The subsequent [[Soviet deportations from Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina|waves of deportations]] began in [[Bessarabia]] and [[Northern Bukovina]].