Nuo Latvijos ir Estijos valstybių įkūrimo ir Lietuvos nepriklausomybės atkūrimo laikų, pasibaigus Pirmajam pasauliniam karui, išliko daugybė monumentalių to meto įvykių liudijimų - mūšių vietų, karinių statinių, istorinių nuotraukų ir atsiminimų. Iš viso jie sudaro įtikinamą karinio paveldo istoriją apie tai, kaip trys šalys iškilo po Pirmojo pasaulinio karo, kaip jos kovojo dėl išlikimo nepriklausomybės karų metu, kaip jas nuniokojo Antrasis pasaulinis karas, kaip nacionaliniai partizanai tęsė kovą daugiau nei 10 metų po karo ir kaip po dešimtmečių okupacijos buvo atkurta nepriklausomybė. Tai pasakojimas apie politinius įvykius, žmones ir jų gyvenimą per karus ir okupacijos laikotarpius.

World War I / Wars of Independence (1914-1920)

World War I 1914-1918

Before the establishment of the Estonian and Latvian states, Latvian and Estonian soldiers served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I. Although both countries proclaimed independence at the end of the war, this did not bring peace for their people. Latvia and Estonia had to defend their existence against several military forces with political ambitions. Germany tried to claim the territories of Latvia and Estonia, Baltic Germans attempted to establish their own country there, Soviet Russia fought to annex the Baltic countries, and officers of the former Russian Empire had a goal to defeat Bolsheviks and return the Baltic provinces to Russia.

Wars of Independence 1918-1920

The end of World War I marked the beginning of the Wars of Independence for Latvia and Estonia. By repelling multiple enemies the two young countries proved their ability to exist
as independent states.

Independence of the Baltic States 1920 – 1940

After the end of hostilities, the three Baltic States (plus Finland, which was often seen as part of the region at that time) began to recover from the damage that was caused by the war.  There were also efforts to set up new government institutions and national identities.  War refugees came home, agrarian reforms were implemented, industry and infrastructure were renewed and expanded, and exports were expanded. There were free and democratic elections, and the nations adopted constitutions and laws on the basis of examples from European democracies. Education, literature and culture flourished once again. The countries also developed their militaries and paramilitary forces. Although by the mid-1930s, all three Baltic States were governed by non-democratic regimes, most civil rights were still preserved.  As a new world war approached, however, authoritarianism and weak cooperation between the Baltic States, particularly in military terms, would become ever more fateful for the independence of the three nations.

World War II, 1939-1945

At the outbreak of World War II, both Latvia and Estonia declared neutrality. However a treaty between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany had defined the spheres of power between the two totalitarian regimes and soon the Baltic states were occupied by the Soviet Union. The Soviets were driven out by Nazis in 1941 only to return in 1944. Many Estonian and Latvian men were forced to fight on both sides.

National partisan movement - forest brothers 1944-~1957

At the beginning of the Soviet occupation regime, many men refused to collaborate with the Soviet regime, hid into the forests and continued fighting. Some also feared repressions for their previous service in the German or Finnish armed forces.

On the way to the restoration of Independence 1945-1991

During the decades of Cold War, the Baltic countries found themselves on the boundary of opposing powers. Large number of Red Army forces were located in Latvia and Estonia, airports, military ports and bases for nuclear weapons were installed, etc. The Iron Curtain isolated people from the rest of the world. Latvia and Estonia restored their independence in 1990 and 1991 respectively as the Soviet Union collapsed.