and the Sąjūdis organised the Baltic Way mass "arm-in-arm" manifestation extending through three Baltic states on 23 August 1989 that marked 50th anniversary of 23 August 1939, when the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, which resulted in the forcible incorporation of these three states into the Soviet Union and the loss of their independence. The front was opposed by the Intermovement that represented the pro-Soviet part of Estonia's population including most of the country's Russian minority and other ethnic groups that had been settled in Estonia during the Soviet era. The Popular Front was a supporter of perestroika, while the Intermovement was seen as opposed to Gorbachev's reforms. As time went by, an ever-greater chasm developed between the initial thrust of the Popular Front, leading members of which at first advocated mere autonomy within a Soviet system that Gorbachev was trying to reform in a cautious way, and the eventual context of the Estonian Popular Front, which came to stand for true independence, an idea supported by the rank and file. Consequently, the Estonian Popular Front changed a great deal over time, until political parties came to replace such movements in Estonia during the early nineties. This rendered the Popular Front of Estonia an anachronism, and Popular Front was dissolved in 1993. See also BPF Party Democratic Russia Estonian National Independence Party People's Movement of Ukraine Popular Front of Latvia Popular Front of Moldova Sąjūdis References The Restoration of Estonian Independence Nationalism and the Transition to Democracy: The Post-Soviet Experience Soviet Union Cry Independence - Time magazine - August 21, 1989 Singing Revolution Defunct political parties in Estonia Political history of Estonia Estonia 1988 in the Soviet Union Political parties established in 1988 Popular fronts in the Soviet Union Anti-communism in Estonia 1988 establishments in Estonia 1993 disestablishments in Estonia Dissolution of the Soviet Union Political parties disestablished in 1993