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During World War I a number of countries were conquered and controlled. Some of these countries were subsequently given new names and new government leaders loyal to the conquering country. These countries are known as puppet states. Germany and the Ottoman Empire were the two countries with puppet states. The Allies had many more puppet states than all the Central Powers collectively: the United Kingdom had the largest empire in the world.
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In addition, several countries captured land in the years leading up to the war, which then became puppet states; those states which are immediately relevant to the war are also included here.
German Empire
The German Empire had a number of puppet states during World War I. All the states were previously under Russian control and had long been of interest to the regime.
Puppet states created before World War I
Puppet states created during World War I
| Created | Disestablished | Puppet State | Flag | Country/territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 December, 1917 | 17 July, 1919 | .svg) |
Finland | ||
November 5, 1916 |
November 11, 1918 |
.svg) |
Poland | The Central Powers' forces occupied Russian Congress Poland in 1915 and in 1916 the German Empire and Austria-Hungary created a Polish Monarchy in order to exploit the occupied territories in an easier way and mobilize the Poles against the Russians (see Polish Legions). In 1918 the state became independent and formed the backbone of the new internationally recognized Second Polish Republic. | |
February 16, 1918 |
November 9, 1918 |
|
 |
Lithuania | After Russia's defeat and the territorial cessions of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the Germans established a Lithuanian kingdom. However it became an independent republic with Germany's defeat. |
March 8, 1918 |
November 18, 1918 |
Latvia | In 1915 the Imperial German forces occupied the Russian Courland Governorate and the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended the war in the east, so the local ethnic Baltic Germans established a Duchy under the German crown from that part of Ober Ost, with a common return of civil administration in favor of military. This state was very swiftly merged with the Baltic State Duchy, and German-occupied territories of Russian Empire in Livonia and Estonia, into a multi-ethnic United Baltic Duchy. | ||
March 9, 1918 |
Government in exile (since 1919) |
|
.svg) |
Belarus | |
April 29, 1918 |
December 14, 1918 |
|
 |
Ukraine | |
May 26, 1918 |
February 25, 1921 |
|
.svg) |
Georgia | |
June 25, 1918 |
April 2, 1919 |
|
 |
Crimea | |
September 22, 1918 |
November 28, 1918 |
Latvia and Estonia |
Ottoman Empire
Puppet states created before World War I
Puppet states created during World War I
Puppet states created after the conclusion of World War I, but as a direct result of fighting
| Created | Disestablished | Puppet State | Flag | Country/territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 31, 1913 |
October 25, 1913 |
 |
Kingdom of Bulgaria | Was a provisional republic which was established by the Turkish minority in Thrace, after the Ottoman Empire lost its lands in this region. It was the product of the Ottoman intelligence agency, Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa, in terms of organizational structure and organizers, and they had remarkably common characteristics with the other Turkish puppet government.[1] | |
| 6 March, 1917 | 30 November, 1922 |
|
 |
||
May 28, 1918 |
April 28, 1920 |
|
 |
Azerbaijan | |
December 1, 1918 |
April 19, 1919 |
|
 |
Caucasus Viceroyalty | Was a provisional republic which was established by the Turkish minority in the Caucasus, after the Ottoman Empire lost its lands in this region. It was the product of the Ottoman intelligence agency, Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa, in terms of organizational structure and organizers, and they had remarkably common characteristics with the other Turkish puppet government.[1] |
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These countries were not under the control of the warring parties, but were created during the war. Specific countries were created for individual needs.
Puppet states created during World War I
| Created | Disestablished | Puppet State | Flag | Country/territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
February, 1918 |
March 20, 1918 |
 |
Soviet Russia |
The state, remotely controlled by Soviet Russia,[2] was founded by Joseph Stalin's close friend Fyodor Artyom in 1918.[3] But the DKRR was disliked by Vladimir Lenin. The capital of the republic was soon overthrown by the Germans again, and after the Soviet Red Army regained control of the territory, the country was dissolved at Lenin's request. |
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