Satellite state
A satellite state or vassal state (derived from the vassalage in the early Middle Ages) is a term for a smaller state, which is in a dependent relationship with a larger, more particularly a great power. Frequently satellite states are formally independent and politically dominated by the stronger state. The concept draws on the image of a satellite, so an artificial or natural smaller object, the inescapable gravitational field of a larger celestial body, such as planets move.
Classic examples are the states that shortly before or during the Second World War under the control of Germany, Italy or Japan's " independent" were ( Vichy France, First Slovak Republic, Independent State of Croatia, Independent State of Montenegro, Manchukuo ), or the States of the Eastern Bloc and the Warsaw Pact, whose policy was dominated by the Soviet leadership. The Eastern bloc countries had little own power in the rule and had to be based on fundamental decisions according to the Brezhnev Doctrine always to the Soviet Union. The German Democratic Republic has been described here as a " satellite state, which was based essentially on the presence of the Soviet military ," and that as a satellite state of the Soviet Union, the GDR had by this their own sovereignty must derive. The GDR was also against the background of its recognition as a UN member in 1973 for the West "remains as a satellite state of the Soviet Union."
From the 16th to the 17th century, the three principalities of Transylvania, Moldavia and Wallachia were vassals of the Ottoman Empire. In the period before the 19th century Korea was formed in the late Middle Ages to 1895, a satellite state of the Chinese Qing Dynasty. The first satellite states, however, were built in ancient times, especially at the edge of his own dominions border security or difficult to control, distant areas through a local vassals to bind to, without having to use too many of their own resources (eg kingdoms Mauritania and Judea under the Romans ). The same reasoning also introduced during the colonial period to several European protectorates. Here, major differences were observed in the local autonomy of only individual garrisons protecting power in the country (mostly in the capital city nearby), foreign consultants of the local government and formal restrictions, especially on foreign and defense policy to be somewhat of a colony different ratios.