| Show Governments of Many Nations Changed I As Liberat Liberating Armies Advanced in 1944 Common People Get Chance to Establish Democratic States Governmental changes that shared world importance with the war news marked the year 1944 Iceland became a republic lic lie five Soviet Socialist republics republics lies again took their places in the U. U S. S S. S R. R four shackled Nazi-shackled countries were liberated and three Axis satellites deserted A year-end year bulletin from the N National National Na Na- a- a Geographic society reviews reviews reviews re re- re- re views these momentous events On June 17 Iceland became a modern republic On that day the an an old centuries legislative legislative legislative legisla legisla- tive body sometimes called the Grandmother of Parliaments elected the nations nation's former regent Sveinn Bjornsson president In a national election held in May the people had v voted ted to dissolve their union with Denmark First settled in and organized as a republic 56 years later Iceland was independent until 1263 when it joined with Norway Both Iceland and Norway came under Danish rule in 1381 Norway was wa wan separated separated separated sepa sepa- rated from Denmark by cession to Sweden in 1814 and the two countries countries coun coun- tries formed a union which lasted until 1905 when the union was ended ended end end- ended ed by mutual agreement Icelanders Iceland Iceland- ers had long agitated for independence ence but it was not realized until 1918 Iceland was then recognized as a separate kingdom with unlimited sovere I I au Germany tried in prewar years to get control of this strategic North Atlantic island nd by establishing commercial commercial com corn mercial routes British forces were stationed on the island shortly after the beginning of World War Var II They were replaced in 1941 by American units Re-enter Re USSR Five other republics 1500 miles or more to the east resumed their prewar status Estonia Latvia and Lithuania freed from Nazi occupation occupation occupation tion again became a part of the Soviet Union as Estonian Latvian and Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Re Re- publics All AIl three had first entered the Union in 1940 The Finnish Karela-Finnish Republic farther farther farther far far- ther to the north was the fourth to tobe tobe tobe be added to the Soviet fam family Iy It I also had first entered the Union in 1940 Its border city of guards the western approach to the city of Leningrad Russia's new Arctic port of Petsamo acquired from Finland in September Septem Septem- ber extended Russian boundaries westward to Norway The fifth state restored to Russia in 1944 is the Soviet Socialist Socialist Socialist So So- Republic a slice of territory I l lying ying between the Ukrainian Republic Republic l lic ie and Romania Once known as B this area has experienced experienced expert expert- e a round of governmental c changes hanges Before World War Var I it was R Russian ground from 1918 to 1940 i it t belonged to Romania It was turned t back to Russia in 1940 andset and andset s set et up as a republic of the Union o only to be reoccupied by Romania t the he next year To four German dominated nations nations na na- na- na t ions France Belgium Luxembourg Luxembourg Luxem Luxem- b bourg and Greece Greece freedom freedom came t toward oward the close of the year France whose liberation was heralded heralded her her- a by Allied landings on the Normandy Normandy Normandy Nor Nor- mandy coast June 6 was almost completely c free by the middle of cS S September General Charles de Committee Committee Com Corn of National Liberation was r recognized on October 23 by the U.S. U.S. U.S. U. U S. S state department as the de facto government of France On September Septem Septem- ber her 21 President Roosevelt appoint appoint- v r i JIm 4 4 7 p 1 c d S. S k s I 5 I i f fl 5 S Sf r I 4 S I i ip I S S 'S 4 i r k l i t v tz p c t g 4 4 4 P 1 5 54 t I rt r- r t S' S 0 Pc Y I I I S 'S x t I i. i The president of the newly established Icelandic republic Sveinn addresses the nation by radio on June 17 1944 1914 the day clay the island dissolved its union with Denmark I ed Jefferson Caffery former United States ambassador to Brazil as ambassador ambassador ambassador am am- to the French government now established in Paris On Armistice Armistice Ar Ar- Armistice day France was formally in invited invited invited in- in to become a full fledged member member mem mem- ber her of the European advisory commission commission com corn mission meeting in London Belgium's Regent Belgium whose national liberation released its own governing agencies immediately took steps to restore its prewar standing In the ab- ab S 1 l fm At i S t q f'S t WW a Crown Prince Umberto was named Prince Lieutenant General of the Realm of Italy by his father King Victor Emanuel who abdicated when Allied troops entered the capital capital capital capi capi- tal in June 1944 sence of King Leopold III held in Germany 41 year old Prince Charles brother of the king became became became be be- came Regent of the Realm to act until the king returns In September the tiny Duchy of Luxembourg neighbor of France Belgium and Germany celebrated its freedom from four years of Nazi tyranny Allied fighting men landing in Greece in October helped Greek patriots patriots patriots pa pa- to oust the Germans Internal political problems had divided the people into factions some opposing the return of the monarchy The cabinet decided to inform King George II in London that 4 4 r 4 L L Q 5 fr N 4 4 4 y Y Gen Charles De Dc head of the provisional government of France reviews the 1944 Armistice day parade in Paris flanked by Winston Winston Win Win- ston Churchill and Anthony Eden of Great Britain France was formally invited to become a member of the European Advisory committee by the British statesmen tion of hs powers was conditioned on popular will Late in the year Netherlanders Netherlander saw the beginning of the Allied attempt attempt at at- attempt at- at tempt to smash the western anchor of the German defense system prelude prelude prelude pre pre- lude to liberation From the southwest southwest south south- southwest west Pacific came more good news for for the first time in more than four years the nations nation's flag flew over Hollandia in Netherlands New Guinea satellites Axis-satellites Finland Romania and Bulgaria broke their ties with the Nazi government and moved toward agreements with the AIli Allied d powers Shifts in Italy King Victor Emanuel III stepped aside in favor of his year old son Umberto designated Prince Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieu Lieu- tenant General of the Realm Premier Premier Premier Pre Pre- mier Ivanoe Bonomi and his Italian cabinet contributed a novelty when they took office in June They did not take the customary oath to the crown rown instead they pledged themselves themselves themselves them them- selves to fulfill their duties according according according accord accord- ing to the constitution The United States resumed diplomatic relations with Italy in October when Alexander Alexander Alexan Alexan- der G. G Kirk was named ambassador dor dor On November 10 the presidency cy of the Allied Commission for It Italy Italy Italy It- It aly was transferred from military to civilian direction The fledgling republic of Syria liberated from the Vichy-French Vichy in 1941 added to its territory the in independent independent independent in- in dependent mountain-kingdom mountain of J Jebel Je- Je Jebel ebel e- e bel Druz Its people dwellers in southern Syria voted to yield their administrative and financial independence independence inde inde- independence and merge the management management management manage manage- ment of their affairs with the government government gov gov- of Syria President Roosevelt Roosevelt Roose Roose- Roosevelt velt appointed George Wadsworth minister to the republics of Syria and Lebanon Closer bonds between the United States and its African Liberia Liberia Li Li- beria were assured by the December December Decem Decem- ber 1943 treaty the provisions of which were made public on October 30 1944 The treaty stipulates that all alJ naval military and air installations installations will be supervised by the U. U S. S Significant changes took place in 1944 in the New world Argentina abolished all alJ political parties and instituted strict censorship of the press The tiny Atlantic island of Bermuda modernized some of its ancient laws For the first time in the three centuries of its history women were given the same voting privileges as men Philippines to Be Free Events in the Pacific area were highlighted by the return to the Philippines of President Sergio Os- Os mena and his cabinet with the invasion invasion in invasion in- in forces of Gen Douglas Mac- Mac Arthur The presence of the official official official cial was only suggestive of the resumption resumption resumption re re- re- re of authority on home soil for it was understood that island affairs affairs af af- af- af fairs will continue to be administered adminis adminis- from Washington The future status of the Philippines Philippines Philip Philip- pines was defined in two resolutions resolutions adopted by the U. U S. S congress and signed by President Roosevelt on June 30 These resolutions grant independence to the islands as soon as the Japs are ejected and provide provide pro pro- vide for defense by the construction of United States military and naval bases I |
