Estijos, Latvijos ir Lietuvos karinis paveldas 1918-1991 m.
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 (1914-1918)
Before the establishment of the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian states, soldiers from the territories of the Russian Empire, which later became national states, served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I. Although all three countries proclaimed independence at the end of the war, this did not bring peace for their people.
Proclamation of the republic of Latvia
In February 1918, the German military occupied present-day Vidzeme and Latgale. In March of the same year, Soviet Russia signed the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, in which it waived all rights to power in present-day Latvia. In October 1918, the Latvian national political organisation known as the Democratic Bloc, submitted a document to Germany in which it announced the desire of the Latvian people to establish an internationally recognised independent Latvian state, fully expecting the German military to withdraw from the region once that was done. On November 18, 1918, with the recognition of the allies from World War I, the Latvian National Council proclaimed an independent Republic of Latvia.
Proclamation of the republic of Estonia
A truce in World War I was organised after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. Estonians had already started to establish their own national military units. Germany ended the truce and launched an attack which forced the Bolsheviks to flee Estonia. On February 24, 1918, in the power vacuum before the German occupation began, Estonia declared its national independence. German forces entered Tallinn the very next day, but at the end of World War I in November 1918, Estonia’s Provisional Government recovered power in its country.
Proclamation of the republic of Lithuania
On 16 February 1918, the Council of Lithuania proclaimed the restoration of the Lithuanian state with Vilnius as its capital. However, this took place amid a tight German military regime on Lithuanian territory, which did not allow the organisation of state institutions and did not recognise Lithuania's independence. The real work of building the state began only after the revolution in Germany on 11 November 1918, when the first Lithuanian provisional government was formed.
Wars of Independence 1918-1920
The end of World War I marked the beginning of the Wars of Independence for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. They 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. Meanwhile, Lithuania was fighting against the Bolsheviks, Russian-German formations, and Polish troops. By repelling multiple enemies, the three young countries proved their ability to exist as independent states.
Latvia's War of Independence
Germany withdrew from Latvia at the end of World War I, but a few days after the proclamation of the country’s independence, the Red Army of Soviet Russia invaded. The war ended with a peace treaty between Latvia and Soviet Russia which was signed on August 11, 1920, and in which Russia “recognises without any objection the independence, existence and sovereignty of the Latvian state and willingly and for all time eternal waves all sovereign rights which belonged to Russia in relation to the people and land of Latvia.”
Estonia'a War of Independence
The Red Army invaded the Estonian border town of Narva on November 28, 1918 marking the start of the war. After more than a year of fighting on multiple fronts Estonia managed to beat it back. A peace treaty with Russia was signed in Tartu on February 2, 1920, with Russia recognising Estonia’s independence for all time eternal and the two countries agreeing on their territorial borders.
Lithuania's War of Independence
The Lithuanian War of Independence covers the fighting against the Bolsheviks, the Bermontians and the Polish army between 1918 and 1920.
The Lithuanian army fought the Bolsheviks from late 1918 until September 1919, ending with the expulsion of the Red Army from Lithuanian territory and the Russian offer of peace negotiations. In the second half of 1919, the Lithuanian army fought the Western Volunteer Army (also known as the ‘Bermontians’) in northern Lithuania. After the Lithuanian army defeated the Bermontians, their units withdrew from Lithuanian territory. In July and November 1920, the Lithuanian army fought against the Polish army and the troops of General L. Żeligowski in the southeastern part of the country. As a result of these battles, Lithuania lost the city and region of Vilnius. On 12 July 1920, during the Polish-Soviet War, Lithuania signed a peace treaty in which Russia recognised Lithuania's independence.
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.
Independence of Latvia
The first post-war task for the Latvian state was to reach an agreement with Estonia, Lithuania and Poland on the new country’s borders. This was achieved, though not without some disputes. By 1922, many nation-building tasks were accomplished - the first elected parliament, Latvia’s new constitution, the Satversme, the national currency lats, the office of the President, international recognition, and membership in the League of Nations. The standard of living gradually improved along with manufacturing and exports. In May 1934, Latvia became the last of the three Baltic States to undergo an authoritarian coup, but the regime of Kārlis Ulmanis proved to be rather moderate. Latvia’s army, fleet and air force were developed and given new types of weapons. A military training area was established at Ādaži, and there was a whole system aimed at protecting the coastline along the Bay of Rīga. The volunteer Home Guard became important as a paramilitary force. There were plans to construct defensive lines against the USSR and Germany, but in practice, this was not done.
Independence of Estonia
Estonia freed its territory of invaders more quickly than the other Baltic States, and it approved its first Constitution in 1920. Unlike in Latvia and Lithuania, the offices of Prime Minister and President were partly merged into the post of State Elder, but the country’s legislature had more power than the others had. Estonia implemented land reforms similar to those that were pursued in Latvia, however a small, but radical movement of Communists soon appeared. In 1924, the government arrested a series of them, and during the trial, the Soviet Union sent men to Tallinn to attempt a coup on November 1. It took the Estonian government just five hours to reinstate order. The national economy and standard of living grew and developed. Estonia had its armed forces, as well as a volunteer Defence League. During the early 1930s, however, there were increasing calls to institute a presidential form of government, and a radical organisation of war veterans, “Vaps,” became advocates of this. In March 1934, State Elder Konstantin Päts led a coup which the army and the Parliament supported. A new constitution was adopted in 1938 and the work of Parliament was reinstated. The post of President of Estonia was also established.
Independence of Lithuania
The Constituent Assembly of Lithuania was active from 1920 to 1922 and adopted the state constitution, laid the foundations for land reform and passed the most important state laws regulating the social life of citizens. In 1921, Lithuania became a full member of the League of Nations.
1920–1926 was the period of Lithuanian democracy when the country was governed by a democratically appointed Lithuanian parliament (Lit. Seimas) and presidents elected by its members. The Christian Democratic Party had a majority in the First and Second Seimas, while the Third Seimas was a coalition of Social Democrats and Popular Peasants.
On the night of 17 December 1926, a military coup was organised and carried out in Lithuania by officers associated with the Union of Lithuanian Nationalists and Christian Democrats. As a result of the coup, an autocratic political system was established, with Antanas Smetona as president. He remained in power until 1940. During this period, A. Smetona relied on the army and the Lithuanian Nationalist Union.
World War II, 1939-1945
At the outbreak of World War II, the Baltic States declared their neutrality. However, these declarations did not secure the independence of the states, as the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a non-aggression treaty and divided their spheres of interest in a secret protocol. In October 1939, the USSR signed mutual assistance treaties with all three Baltic states and established military garrisons in each of these countries. In August 1940, all three Baltic states were declared Soviet republics and the process of Sovietisation began. The Soviets were pushed out by the Nazis in 1941, only to return in 1944. Many Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian men were forced to fight on both sides.
World War II in Latvia
The Soviet Union submitted an ultimatum to Latvia, demanding that an unlimited number of troops be stationed in the country. Soviet occupation began on June 17, 1940. German forces invaded during the summer of 1941. The Soviet Red Army re-took Rīga on October 13, 1944, and the German army retreated to Kurzeme, where it survived a siege, the Courland Pocket, until the end of the war and the capitulation of Nazi Germany.
World War II in Estonia
Destined to be part of Soviet sphere of influence Estonia shared a similar fate with Latvia having first to submit to the Soviet ultimatum and then on June 17, 1940 being occupied by the Soviet regime. In July 1941 the advancing German army drove the Red Army out. At the beginning of 1944, the Soviet forces approached again and the most brutal battle of World War II on Estonian soil took place along the Narva River. On September 22, the Red Army entered Tallinn and 47 years of Soviet occupation began.
World War II in Lithuania
After the signing of the Borders and Friendship Treaty between Germany and Russia, Lithuania fell within Russia's sphere of interest and was occupied by the USSR after accepting the Soviet ultimatum on 15 June 1940. With the outbreak of the German-Russian war on 22 June 1941, Lithuania was occupied by Germany, which established a military occupation regime, committed war crimes and the Holocaust. In the summer of 1944, Lithuania was occupied by the Red Army and the second Soviet occupation began, which lasted until the end of the Cold War.
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.
The National Partisan Movement in Latvia
The resistance movement in Latvia was a reaction to the crimes of the Soviet occupation regime and an attempt to restore Latvian independence. The fiercest battles against Soviet forces took place in the Stompaki swamp in Latgale in 1945 and in Kabile in Kurzeme. The partisan struggle in Latvia lasted until the late 1950s.
The National Partisan Movement in Estonia
Many Estonians hoped that Western countries would not permit the reoccupation of their country and that the Soviet rule would soon end. The so-called forest brothers left their homes, sought refuge in the forests and launched attacks against Soviet institutions. The Armed Resistance League was set up in 1946 in pursuit of restoring Estonia’s independence. The last major Soviet security operations against the Forest Brothers took place in 1953, but raids continued throughout the 1950s.
The National Partisan Movement in Lithuania
In 1944-1953, Lithuania was engaged in a partisan war, in which about 150,000 partisans and their supporters fought. The Lithuanian partisans were well organised and armed, wore military uniforms and carried on the traditions of the Lithuanian army of the interwar period, fighting against Soviet and administrative workers, the 'Istrebitels', the NKVD and Red Army units. The Lithuanian partisan movement developed a unified command structure, issued political declarations and proclamations, and published newspapers with political content. The most important is the Declaration of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania, issued on 16 February 1949.
Soviet occupation and the Cold War 1945-1991
Occupied by the Soviet Union during the Cold War (1947–1987/1991), the Baltic States were trapped behind the Iron Curtain that divided the map into two hostile worlds. The Soviets turned Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into the ‘playground’ of this war, concentrating huge numbers of troops and military infrastructure there. Military air bases, ports and nuclear weapons storage facilities were built. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 350,000 Soviet troops were stationed in the occupied Baltic states. Latvia was one of the most heavily militarised territories in the entire Soviet Union: of the more than 3,000 military units stationed there, most were concentrated in Kurzeme and along the Baltic coast, as well as in the regions of Jelgava and Riga. The Baltic countries, especially Latvia and Estonia, saw the arrival of large numbers of Russian-speaking migrants from other Soviet republics. Some of them found work in large industrial enterprises, many of which served military needs. To build and maintain all this, the Baltic countries had to spend a significant proportion of their budgets (between 40 and 60%), whilst often paying more into the USSR budget than they received from it. The presence and activities of the military bases caused severe environmental pollution. There was an equally aggressive ideological and propaganda campaign. One example of this was the destruction of numerous monuments to statehood and religion built before the Soviet occupation. Between 1990 and 1991, the Baltic countries gained their independence, hastening the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Occupation and the Restoration of Independance of Latvia
3,009 military units in more than 700 locations were established in Latvia during the Soviet occupation. The Soviet military took up 3% of Latvia’s territory. In 1990, there were 223 military sub-units and around 80,000 military personnel in Latvia. The movement toward restoring Latvia’s independence began in 1987. On May 4, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR adopted a declaration “On the Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia.”
The Soviet Occupation and the Restoration of Independance of Estonia
After World War II, up to 120,000 Soviet troops were posted in Estonia. The Soviet army had 1,665 military bases which covered ~900 km2, or 5% of Estonia’s territory. TThe Supreme Council of the Estonian SSR passed a resolution proclaiming Estonian independence from the Soviet Union on August 20, 1991 restoring the Republic of Estonia.
The Soviet Occupation and the Restoration of Independence of Lithuania
During the first Soviet occupation (1940–1941), an estimated 150,000 Soviet troops were stationed in Lithuania. During the second Soviet occupation (1944–1990), Soviet troop bases occupied 68,000 ha or 1.2% of Lithuania's territory. At the end of the occupation, there were 34,600 occupation troops, about 1,000 tanks, 180 aircraft and 1,901 armoured vehicles on Lithuanian territory. This amounted to five divisions and 295 separate combat and service units. On 11 March 1990, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania adopted the ‘Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania’ and proclaimed that Lithuania was once again an independent state.
Restored Independence 1991-...
The three Baltic States fully restore their independence, and the occupying regime collapsed. For several years, there had to be a serious battle over difficult compromises with the heir to the occupant military, Russia, about the withdrawal of its armed forces. This was ultimately done by 1995. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania begin to solve the consequences of the occupation, to restore halted institutions or establish new ones. This also included internal and external security organisations. Western countries offered a helping hand by offering knowledge and equipment. There was unbending movement toward the return to Europe’s political heights, and joining the Euro-Atlantic alliance so as to ensure that the experiences of the 1930s, during which the countries were all alone, would not be repeated. Membership in the EU, NATO and the euro zone represents a form of “life insurance,” particularly when, during the 21st century, authoritarian Russia began its aggression against Georgia and Ukraine. This time, however, the Baltic “sisters” are a part of the community of allies and the Western world. They are no longer alone.
Restored Independence of Latvia
Gradual separation from the USSR was a difficult task. In January 1991, the Soviet military attacked protesters in Vilnius, and the Soviet Latvian Supreme council called on the people of Latvia to defend nationally important objects in Rīga against potential Soviet attacks. For a full year, there were attacks against customs facilities on Latvia’s borders. The last attempt to preserve the “Red Empire” occurred in August 1991, but the putsch in Moscow failed, and Latvia’s fully restored independence was recognised by the international community. The Constitution, Saeima [Parliament], lats [national currency] and armed forces were reestablished, and the National Guard was also established. Long and difficult negotiations achieved the withdrawal of the Russian army by September 1994. The exception was a radar station at Skrunda, which was left by the last soldier in October 1999. Latvia set its sights on European Union and NATO membership, and it succeeded in joining the two organisations in 2004. There were reforms to national governance and economic systems. The army was developed further, and it began to take part in international military operations. Mandatory drafting into the military ended, but after Russia’s hidden invasion of Ukraine, it was decided to increase defence spending. After the full Russian invasion into Ukraine, drafting into the National Armed Forces was reinstated. New military equipment was purchased, and infrastructure was built to enhance the battle capabilities of Latvia and NATO troops that were posted to Latvia. Nearly all of the monuments with Soviet power symbols were dismantled during the 1990s.
Restored Independence of Estonia
Estonia’s period of transition began on March 30, 1990, and it was comparatively more peaceful. After the announcement of the full restoration of independence during the August putsch, barricades were set up around strategic objects in Estonia, and crowds gathered there to defend them. Soviet “OMON” forces also attacked Estonian customs facilities. Estonia organised its first post-occupation parliamentary and presidential elections in 1992 after the adoption of a new constitution. The country renewed its armed forces and Defence League. It was hard to get the Russian army to withdraw from Estonia by September 1994. The exception was a submarine base at Paldiski, which was closed one year later. Estonia was the first Baltic State to become a candidate country of the European Union in 1998. In the event, however, it joined the EU and NATO together with Latvia and Lithuania in 2004. Estonia, unlike its southern neighbours, did not repeal mandatory military service. Troops took part in international military and peacekeeping operations. Since 2014, Estonia has strengthened the development of its military, particularly focusing on digital defence. In 2022, it dismantled monuments which contained Soviet occupation symbols.
Restored Independence of Lithuania
On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first republic of the Soviet Union to regain its independence and challenge the Soviet empire. The structures necessary for the existence of an independent state, including national defence, were immediately established. The Ministry of National Defence was established in April 1990. This came at a price: the economic blockade of Lithuania in 1990; and the tragic events of 1991 (13 January, 31 July, 21 August, and others), which claimed the lives of the defenders of Lithuanian independence.
During the negotiations on the withdrawal of the Russian (former Soviet) troops, Lithuania maintained the principled position that the presence of these troops on Lithuanian territory was, and is, illegitimate.
Lithuania also did not recognise the occupying army's right to the buildings and other structures it used or constructed in Lithuania. On 31 August 1993, the last departing Russian military echelon crossed the Lithuanian border and Lithuania took full control of its territory.
Lithuania's accession to the European Union and NATO in 2004 was another significant victory, demonstrating Lithuania's commitment to democratic values and its willingness to defend its independence and statehood. NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission was launched with the deployment of fighter jets at the Šiauliai (Zokniai) air base to control the airspace over the three Baltic states. In 2014, the mission was expanded to include Ämari (Estonia) and Malbork (Poland) air bases.
Russia's growing aggression has prompted developments in the Lithuanian armed forces. In addition to participating in international military operations, the country's defence capabilities have been strengthened: new defence strategies are being implemented, advanced military equipment is being acquired, and society's overall preparedness for aggression is being increased.
Almost all monuments in Lithuania dedicated to Soviet heroes, the Soviet system and the 'Great Patriotic War' were demolished between 1990 and 1993. However, the burial sites of Soviet soldiers from the Second World War, which were built according to the principles of Soviet ideology, remained. In the first decade of the 21st century, Lithuania's neighbouring state began to rebuild them, using funds to turn them into potential soft power tools. These efforts were stopped around 2010. The sites received renewed attention in 2022 and 2023, with the removal of monuments to Soviet 'liberators'.