The Summer War ( Estonian : Suvesõda) was the occupation of Estonia during the Second World War . It was fought between the Forest Brothers (Metsavennad), the Omakaitse , and the Wehrmacht's 18th Army against the forces of the 8th Army of the USSR and the NKVD .
96-922: On June 17, 1940, the USSR occupied Estonia and on August 6, Estonia became a Soviet Socialist Republic . Estonian civilians and potential Soviet opponents were repressed and sent to prison camps and settlements in the Soviet Union during the deportation in June. When the Third Reich invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, some Estonians hoped that the Germans would liberate the Baltics from Soviet rule. The Army Group Nord , led by Marshal General Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb , invaded Estonia. In Northern Estonia,
192-615: A Finnish passenger aircraft " Kaleva " flying from Tallinn to Helsinki carrying three diplomatic pouches from the U.S. legations in Tallinn, Riga and Helsinki. On 16 June, Soviet NKVD troops raided border posts in Estonia (along with Lithuania and Latvia ). Soviet leader Joseph Stalin claimed that the 1939 mutual assistance treaties had been violated, and gave six-hour ultimatums for new governments to be formed in each country, including lists of persons for cabinet posts provided by
288-457: A crackdown against kulak farmers. The kulak repression started as oppressive taxation, but eventually led to mass deportations. Those who resisted collectivization were killed or deported. More than 95% of farms were collectivised by 1951. The 1949 mass deportation of about 21,000 people broke the back of the partisan movement. 6,600 partisans gave themselves up in November 1949. Later on,
384-486: A large-scale population movement into Estonia, as immigrants from Russia and other parts of the former USSR settled in Estonia. According to some Western scholars, relations between the Soviet Union and Estonian SSR were those of internal colonialism . All banks and accounts were essentially nationalised; a lot of industrial machinery was disassembled and relocated to other Soviet territories. Before retreating in 1941,
480-506: A law on economic independence (May 1989) confirmed by the USSR Supreme Soviet that November; a language law making Estonian the official language (January 1989); and local and republic election laws stipulating residency requirements for voting and candidacy (August, November 1989). Although the majority of Estonia's numerous Soviet-era immigrants did not support full independence, the mostly ethnic Russian immigrant community
576-595: A result administration of Ivangorod was transferred from Narva to the Leningrad Oblast which having grown in population received the official status of town in 1954. In 1945 the Petseri County was annexed and ceded to the Russian SFSR where it became one of the districts of Pskov Oblast . After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Estonia raised the question of a return to the borders under
672-617: A six-day-old infant and a two year old child. The Soviets' Destruction battalions also occasionally burned people alive. Overall, the battalions killed 1,850 unarmed civilians or partisans. During the fires of July 12-3, the headquarters of the Estonian Defence League , the campus of the Faculty of Veterinary and Agriculture of the University of Tartu and more university buildings were burnt down. Several libraries of
768-695: A threat running in the main Communist newspaper, Rahva Hääl , that "It would be extremely unwise to shirk elections. ... Only people's enemies stay at home on election day." Each ballot carried only the Soviet-assigned candidate's name, with the only way to register opposition being to strike out that name on the ballot. According to official election results, the Communist "Union of the Estonian Working People" bloc won 92.8% of
864-793: A wide wealth gap in comparison with its neighboring countries (e.g. Finland and Sweden). For example, Estonian economy and standard of living were similar to that in Finland prior to World War II. Despite Soviet and Russian claims of improvements in standards, even three decades after World War II Estonia was rife with housing and food shortages and fell far behind Finland not only in levels of income, but in average life span. Eastern Bloc economies experienced an inefficiency of systems without competition or market-clearing prices that became costly and unsustainable and they lagged significantly behind their Western European counterparts in terms of per capita Gross Domestic Product. Estonia's 1990 per capita GDP
960-634: Is the Defence League Chief of Staff. Standard uniforms of the Estonian Defence Forces are the ESTDCU issued to Defence League personnel. On some festive occasions (such as parades), white armbands with the insignia of the given territorial unit are worn. Civilian uniforms are worn by the women's division during parades and ceremonies. Armbands have also previously been worn on civilian clothing to distinguish members of
1056-737: The Fall of France . On 21 June 1940, the Soviet military occupation of the Republic of Estonia was complete. That day, the President Konstantin Päts (deported to Ufa , Russian SFSR on 30 July 1940 and arrested a few weeks later) was pressured into affirming the Andrei Zhdanov -appointed puppet government of Johannes Vares , following the arrival of demonstrators accompanied by Red Army troops with armoured vehicles to
SECTION 10
#17327654439041152-636: The Kautla Massacre , twenty civilians were murdered and many were tortured before they were killed. The proportion of destroyed properties to murdered civilians was because the Finnish volunteer group commanded by Henn-Ants Kurg named the ‘ Erna long-range reconnaissance' broke the Red Army's blockade and evacuated civilians. On July 6, 1941, a larger offensive happened in Vastseliina where
1248-532: The Ministry of Defence . Its aim is to guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state, the integrity of its land area and its constitutional order. The Defence League possesses arms and engages in military exercises, fulfilling the tasks given to it by the law. The organization is divided into 4 Territorial Defence Districts that consist of 15 Defence League regional units, called malevs , whose areas of responsibility mostly coincide with
1344-641: The Tallinn Higher Military-Political Construction School . In the Soviet system, all local proceeds were initially appropriated into the federal budget at Moscow, and some of them were then invested back in the local economies. The figures for those investments were made available to the public, thus promoting a positive impression of the Soviet Federal Centre's contributions to the periphery,
1440-631: The Tartu Offensive and the rest of the country in the Baltic Offensive . Faced with the country being re-occupied by the Soviet Army, 80,000 people fled from Estonia by sea to Finland and Sweden in 1944. 25,000 Estonians reached Sweden and a further 42,000 Germany. During the war about 8,000 Estonian Swedes and their family members had emigrated to Sweden. After the retreat of the Germans, about 30,000 partisans remained in hiding in
1536-539: The residence of the Estonian president . The flag of Estonia was replaced with a Red flag on Tallinn's Pikk Hermann tower. On 14–15 July 1940, rigged extraordinary parliamentary elections were held by the occupation authorities, in which voters were presented with a single list of pro-Stalinist candidates. To maximise voter turnout to legitimise the new system, the voters' documents were stamped in voting facilities for future identification of voting, along with
1632-426: The 1970s, the Soviet economy experienced stagnation, exacerbated by the growth of a shadow economy. National income per capita was higher in Estonia than elsewhere in the USSR (44% above the Soviet average in 1968), however, the income levels exceeded those of the USSR in independent Estonia as well. Official Estonian sources maintain that Soviet rule had significantly slowed Estonia's economic growth, resulting in
1728-542: The 20 Estonian ships in British ports. He failed to obtain reassurance, so the majority went to the Soviet Union. The Irish experience was different. There was a fight between Peter Kolts, who hoisted the hammer and sickle and Captain Joseph Juriska who wanted to remove it. The Garda Síochána were called. The next day, Justice Michael Lennon sentenced Kolts to a week in jail. Following this verdict and sentence,
1824-513: The Baltic states included. Investment figures alone, however, do not represent actual income; rather, they resemble the spending side of the national budget . In Estonian SSR by 1947, the private sector had entirely disappeared, accompanied by a rapid industrialization that occurred soon after Soviet reoccupation. Soviet planners expanded oil shale mining and processing in the late 1940s, taking over that industry in northeast section of Estonia. In
1920-502: The Defence League from civilians during periods when Defence League units did not have sufficient inventories to supply every member with a uniform (during World War I ; and in the beginning of the 1990s). The basic infantry weapon of the Defence League is the 5.56mm LMT R-20 Rahe , but the majority of the memberbase is equipped with the 7.62mm G3 rifle and its variants. The G3-based rifles are being phased out in favour of
2016-504: The Destruction Battalion must be mobilised. 15 workers are needed for the execution of each demolition and 10 people are needed for protection.... In order to carry out demolition works, 225 kg of TNT, 150 metres of rope/fuse and 100 primers are needed, since there is no demolition material on the spot. 11 lorries, which are available but which lack petrol, are needed for carrying the ruins away." After Stalin's death,
SECTION 20
#17327654439042112-541: The Estonian Defence League's girls’ corps ( Kodutütred ). WVDO – Women's Home Protection [ et ] ( Estonian : Naiskodukaitse (NKK)) is an organisation within Kaitseliit. Every member of WVDO has a function/task in a case of crises (civilian or armed) The Defence League's girls’ corps – Kodutütred was established to increase patriotic feelings and readiness to defend
2208-624: The Estonian Government suggested that they stuck strictly to the Pact of Mutual Assistance. To guarantee the fulfilment of the Pact, additional military units entered Estonia, welcomed by the Estonian workers who demanded the resignation of the Estonian government. On 21 June under the leadership of the Estonian Communist Party political demonstrations by workers were held in Tallinn, Tartu , Narva and other cities. On
2304-483: The Estonian SSR as the 15th (i.e., "the last on the list") constituent "republic". On 23 July 1940, the new Stalinist regime nationalised all land, banks and major industrial enterprises in Estonia. Farmers were allotted small plots of land during the land reforms. Most small businesses were nationalised soon afterwards. The Soviet central government launched the colonisation of the occupied country by promoting
2400-648: The Estonian SSR was the Supreme Soviet that represented the highest body of state power accordance with the Constitution. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet was the permanent body of the Supreme Council. It consisted of a Chairman of the Presidium , two vice-chairmen, Secretary and 9 members. Was elected to the Presidium of the 25th for the first time August 1940th The Presidium of the law and
2496-435: The Estonian forests, waging a guerrilla war until the early 1950s. After re-occupation, the Soviet nationalization policy of 1940 was reimposed, as well as the collectivization of farms. Over 900,000 hectares were expropriated in the few years following reoccupation, while much of that land was given to new settlers from Russia or other locations in the Soviet Union. Rapid collectivization began in 1946, followed in 1947 by
2592-533: The Estonian-Russian border in the Narva area, as the new constitution of Estonia (adopted in 1992) recognises the 1920 Treaty of Tartu border to be currently legal. The Russian Federation, however, considers Estonia to be a successor of the Estonian SSR and recognises the 1945 border between two former national republics. Officially, Estonia has no territorial claims in the area, which is also reflected in
2688-598: The Forest Brother groups. The Estonian flag was replaced shortly with the flag of Germany . On September 8, German and Estonian units launched Operation Beowulf to clear Soviet forces from the West Estonian archipelago . They launched a series of diversionary attacks to confuse and distract the Soviet defenders. By October 21, the Islands were captured Alongside the battle against the partisan group and
2784-579: The Forest Brothers prevented Soviet destruction of the town and trapped the extermination battalion chiefs and local communist administrators. On July 7, the Forest Brothers were able to hoist the Estonian flag in Vasteliina. Võru was subsequently liberated and the Forest Brothers reorganised into the Omakaitse militia. The battle of Tartu lasted for two weeks and destroyed a large part of
2880-662: The German army throughout the war. An anti-communist guerrilla group called the Forest Brothers also assisted the Wehrmacht. Estonia was incorporated into the German province of Ostland . The Soviet Union retook Estonia in 1944, thereafter occupying it for nearly another half century. This began when the Red Army re-occupied Estonian Ingria , Narva and eastern Vaivara Parish in the Battle of Narva , Southeast Estonia in
2976-595: The KGB tracked him down and attempted to arrest him in 1978. He drowned in a lake, when the KGB agent, disguised as a fisherman, was after him. During the first post-war decade of Soviet rule, Estonia was governed by Moscow via Russian-born ethnic Estonian functionaries. Born into the families of native Estonians in Russia, the latter had obtained their education in the Soviet Union during the Stalin era. Many of them had fought in
Summer War - Misplaced Pages Continue
3072-665: The Kremlin. The Soviet ultimatum to Estonia was issued on 16 June 1940. The Estonian government decided, in accordance with the Kellogg–Briand Pact , to not respond to the ultimatums by military means. Given the overwhelming Soviet force both on the borders and inside the country, the order was given not to resist to avoid bloodshed and open war. On 16–17 June 1940, the Red Army emerged from its military bases in Estonia and, aided by an additional 90,000 Soviet troops, took over
3168-943: The Nordic countries, the United States, and the United Kingdom. In 1999, the Estonian Parliament adopted the EDL Law, which provided the position of the Kaitseliit in society and national defence and also described its main tasks, structure, legal basis for operations and control and co-operation with the Defence Forces, Police, and other state organizations. The organisation is divided into 4 Territorial Defence Districts ( maakaitseringkond ) that consist of 15 Defence League regional units ( malev ) whose areas of responsibility mostly coincide with
3264-401: The Pact of Mutual Assistance was signed which allowed the USSR to station a limited number of Soviet Army units in Estonia. Economic difficulties, dissatisfaction with the Estonian government's policies "sabotaging fulfilment of the Pact and the Estonian government", and political orientation towards Nazi Germany lead to a revolutionary situation in June 1940. A note from the Soviet government to
3360-718: The Parliament reinstated the 1938 constitution, and the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was renamed the Republic of Estonia. On 20 August 1991, the Estonian Parliament adopted a resolution confirming its independence from the Soviet Union. First to recognise Estonia as an independent country was Iceland, on 22 August 1991. On 6 September 1991, the State Council of the USSR recognised the independence of Estonia, immediately followed by recognitions from other countries. On 23 February 1989,
3456-547: The Party membership vastly expanded its social base to include more ethnic Estonians. By the mid-1960s, the percentage of ethnic Estonian membership stabilised near 50%. One positive aspect of the post-Stalin era in Estonia was the regranting of permission in the late 1950s for citizens to make contact with foreign countries. Ties were reactivated with Finland, and in 1965, a ferry service was opened between Tallinn and Helsinki. President of Finland Urho Kekkonen had visited Tallinn in
3552-840: The R-20 Rahe in Territorial Defence ( Maakaitse ) maneuver units while backline units will retain the G3. Suppressive fire is provided by the Ksp 58 , MG3 machine guns and M2 Browning heavy machine guns. Squad level anti-tank capabilities are provided with 84mm Carl Gustav recoilless rifles. In addition, indirect fire is provided by 81mm and 120mm mortars on battlegroup level. Defence League battlegroups also include dedicated anti-tank units equipped with 90mm Pvpj 1110 anti-tank guns and FGM-148 Javelin ATGMs. The Defence League utilizes
3648-497: The Red Army (in the Estonian Rifle Corps), few of them had mastered the Estonian language. For the latter reason they were known under a derogatory term " Yestonians ", alluding to their Russian accent. Although the United States and the United Kingdom, the major allies of the USSR against Nazi Germany during the later stages of World War II, both implicitly acknowledged (de facto) the occupation of Estonia by USSR at
3744-409: The Red Army, following the scorched earth policies, burnt most industrial constructions, destroying power plants, vehicles and cattle. Millions of dollars worth of goods were allegedly moved from Estonia to Russia during the evacuation of 1941. There was excess mortality among common people, too, that has been attributed to malnutrition . Immediately following the June 1940 Estonian occupation by
3840-514: The Republic of Estonia, which had survived or had been restored during the German occupation, continued. On 15 April 1945, in Pärnu , a monument by Amandus Adamson , erected to 87 persons who had fallen in the Estonian War of Independence , was demolished. The dismantling of war memorials continued for several years and occurred across all districts of the country. A comprehensive file concerning
3936-402: The Soviet Union and incorporation as a result of a Soviet-supported Communist coup d'état , the only foreign powers to recognise the Soviet annexation were Nazi Germany and Sweden. Shipping was nationalized. Ships were ordered to fly the hammer and sickle and head for a Soviet port. August Torma , the envoy appointed by previous Estonian government, sought protection and reassurance for
Summer War - Misplaced Pages Continue
4032-559: The Soviet Union. After the Summer War, the Wehrmacht troops entered the Soviet Union via the Baltics and conscripted Estonians to be part of the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS , the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS , and the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS . Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic , (abbreviated Estonian SSR , Soviet Estonia , or simply Estonia )
4128-481: The Soviet Union. This somewhat more open media environment was important in preparing Estonians for their vanguard role in extending perestroika during the Gorbachev era. In the late 1970s, Estonian society grew increasingly concerned about the threat of cultural Russification to the Estonian language and national identity. In 1980, Tallinn hosted the sailing events of the 1980 Summer Olympics . By 1981, Russian
4224-485: The Soviet authorities. This graveyard was then re-used by the Red Army after World War II. Other cemeteries destroyed by the authorities during the Soviet era in Estonia include Baltic German cemeteries, Kopli cemetery (established in 1774), Mõigu cemetery and the oldest cemetery in Tallinn, the Kalamaja cemetery (from the 16th century). After the re-occupation of Estonia in 1944, the dismantling of monuments from
4320-516: The Soviet forces and the reintroduction of the Scorched Earth policy, the NKVD committed acts of terror against the civilian population, burning buildings, because their occupants were seen as co-conspirators. Thousands of other civilians were killed, while many towns, schools, services, and other buildings were torched. In August 1941, the whole population of Viru-Kabala were killed, including
4416-431: The Soviets' Destruction battalions fiercely defended the area, and it was the last to be occupied by Germany, Around 12,000 partisans of the Estonian Forest Brothers attacked the NKVD forces and the 8th Army . After the German 18th Army crossed the Estonian southern border on July 7–9; the Forest Brothers organized bigger units. They took on the 8th Army units and destruction battalions at Antsla on 5 July 1941. In
4512-452: The State Assembly adopted the Constitution of the Estonian SSR, renamed itself the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR and approved the Council of People's Commissars of the Estonian SSR. After Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, the Wehrmacht reached Estonia in July 1941. The Germans were perceived by many Estonians as liberators from the USSR and Communism in general. Thousands of Estonian men fought directly alongside
4608-414: The Supreme Soviet ended the use of the Soviet symbols as state symbols together with the name Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic and adopted Republic of Estonia as the official name of the state. The parliament of Estonia declared the re-establishment of full independence on 20 August 1991. The Soviet Union formally recognised the independence of Estonia on 6 September 1991. The Nazi-Soviet Pact which
4704-403: The Treaty of Tartu. Estonia dropped this claim in November 1995. Estonia and Russia signed and ratified the Estonian-Russian Border Treaty, and it went into effect 18 May 2005: the preamble noted that the international border had partly changed, in accordance with Article 122 of the Estonian Constitution. After the restoration of Estonian independence in 1991, there have been some disputes about
4800-403: The United States, Finland, Poland and Sweden, while 2016, aside from the US and Latvian troops also featured new contingents from Lithuania and Denmark. In 2006, the first Fleet Review in Estonian history was conducted by Kaitseliit in June in Saaremaa. In 2016, the Sakala subdivision of Estonian Defence League formed the first Estonian military pipe band and their first performance was during
4896-507: The Vares government—had not been approved by the upper house of parliament, as required by the Estonian constitution. The upper house had been dissolved soon after the Soviet occupation and was never reconvened. Once the elections were concluded, authorities which had previously denied any intention of setting up a Soviet regime began openly speaking of Sovietisation and incorporation into the Soviet Union. The newly "elected" " People's Parliament " met on 21 July 1940. Its sole piece of business
SECTION 50
#17327654439044992-450: The Yalta Conference in 1945, both governments, and most of the other western democracies did not recognise it de jure according to the Sumner Welles ' declaration of 23 July 1940 Some of these countries recognised Estonian diplomats who still functioned in many countries in the name of their former governments. These consuls persisted in this anomalous situation until the ultimate restoration of Estonia's independence in 1991. Special care
5088-453: The annexation of Estonia de jure . The Russian government and officials maintain that the Soviet annexation of Estonia was legitimate. Pre-Perestroika Soviet sources reflecting Soviet historiography described the events in 1939 and 1940 as follows: in a former province of the Russian Empire , the Province of Estonia (Russian: Эстляндская губерния ), Soviet power was established in the end of October 1917. The Estonian Soviet Republic
5184-457: The annexation of Estonia by the USSR illegal following the Stimson Doctrine —a stance that made the doctrine an established precedent of international law . Although the US, the UK, the other Allies of World War II recognised the occupation of the Baltic states by USSR at Yalta Conference in 1945 de facto , they retained diplomatic relations with the exiled representatives of the independent Republic of Estonia, and never formally recognised
5280-429: The battle at Raua Street lasted for several hours until sundown. There was one dead, several wounded on the Estonian side and about 10 killed and more wounded on the Soviet side. Finally the military resistance was ended with negotiations and the Independent Signal Battalion surrendered and was disarmed. By 18 June 1940, large-scale military operations for the occupation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were complete. In
5376-426: The borders of Estonia's counties. In case of mobilization, each of the districts will form a battalion sized maneuver unit. Today, the Defence League has over 15,000 reservists. The affiliated organisations of the Defence League combine more than 25,000 volunteers, in all, and include the Estonian Defence League's women's corps ( Naiskodukaitse ), the Estonian Defence League's boys’ corps ( Noored Kotkad ), and
5472-448: The borders of Estonian counties. The Defence League is a voluntary military national defence organisation, which acts in the area of government of the Ministry of Defence. The Defence League possesses arms and engages in military exercises. The main goal of the Defence League is, on the basis of the citizens’ free will and initiative, to enhance the readiness of the nation to defend its independence and its constitutional order, including in
5568-467: The boys’ corps also participates in numerous events, the most popular but also the most difficult being the Mini-Erna 35 km reconnaissance competition. The Estonian Victory Day (1919) has been celebrated until WWII with military parades, organized by the Kaitseliit. Since 2000, Victory Day parades have been organized by Kaitseliit again every June 23. The 2015 parade also saw a rising number of military contingents from NATO countries take part: Latvia,
5664-415: The city. Under the leadership of Friedrich Kurg , the Forest Brothers drove the Soviets out, behind the Pärnu River – Emajõgi River line and secured southern Estonia by July 10. The NKVD murdered 193 people in a Tartu Prison on their retreat on July 8 The 18th Army resumed their advance in Estonia by collaborating with the Forest Brothers. The joint Estonian-German forces took Narva on 17 August. By
5760-429: The country, occupying the entire territory of the Republic of Estonia. Most of the Estonian Defence Forces and the Estonian Defence League surrendered according to the orders, and were disarmed by the Red Army. Only the Estonian Independent Signal Battalion stationed at Raua Street in Tallinn began armed resistance. As the Soviet troops brought in additional reinforcements supported by six armoured fighting vehicles,
5856-416: The decisions adopted. Between sessions of the Supreme Council met in some of its functions: changes to the legislation of the Estonian SSR, Soviet ministries and state committees and to the abolition of the SSR Council of Ministers and the persons appointment and removal of the Supreme Council for approval by relevant laws. The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic did not have armed forces of its own. Because of
SECTION 60
#17327654439045952-461: The duration of the European war". The government of Estonia yielded to the ultimatum, signing the corresponding mutual assistance agreement on 28 September 1939. On 12 June 1940, the order for total military blockade of Estonia was given to the Soviet Soviet Baltic fleet . On 14 June, the Soviet military blockade of Estonia went into effect while the world's attention was focused on the fall of Paris to Nazi Germany . Two Soviet bombers shot down
6048-453: The end of August, Tallinn was surrounded, while in the harbor was the majority of USSR's Baltic Fleet . On August 19, the final German assault on Tallinn began. The joint Estonian-German forces took the city on August 28. The Soviet evacuation of Tallinn carried heavy losses. On that day, the Red flag was taken down on Pikk Hermann was replaced with the flag of Estonia . After the Soviets were driven out from Estonia, German troops disarmed
6144-485: The event of military threat. The Defence League plays an important role in supporting the civil structures. Its members aid in putting out wildfires, volunteer as assistant police members, and ensure safety at various events. Units, consisting of voluntary members of the Defence League, also participate in international peace support operations such as in the Balkan states. The Defence League and its affiliated organisations have positive relations with partner organisations in
6240-405: The failure of the Hungarian uprising broke the morale of 700 men still remaining under cover. According to Soviet data, up until 1953 20,351 partisans were defeated. Of these, 1,510 perished in the battles. During that period, 1,728 members of the Red Army, NKVD and the Estonian Police were killed by the "forest brothers". August Sabbe , the last surviving "brother" in Estonia, committed suicide when
6336-469: The flag of the Estonian SSR was lowered on Pikk Hermann, and replaced with the blue-black-white flag of Estonia on 24 February 1989. In 1992, Heinrich Mark , the Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia in Exile, presented his credentials to the newly elected President of Estonia Lennart Meri . The last Russian troops withdrew from Estonia in August 1994. The Russian Federation officially ended its military presence in Estonia after it relinquished control of
6432-427: The following days, the Soviet troops organised and supported Stalinist "demonstrations" in Tallinn and other larger cities. Thereafter, state administrations were liquidated and replaced by Soviet cadres, followed by mass repression. Time magazine reported on 24 June, that "Half a million men and countless tanks" of the Red Army "moved to safeguard [Russia's] frontier against conquest-drunk Germany," one week before
6528-596: The independence of Estonia among young girls; to enhance the love for home and fatherland; to encourage respect for the Estonian language and ways of thinking; to be honest, enterprising, responsible, and capable of decision-making; to respect nature; and to respect one's parents and others. The Defence League's boys’ corps – Noored Kotkad . The objective of the organisation is to raise these young people as good citizens with healthy bodies and minds. In addition to numerous interesting activities, such as parachute jumping, flying gliders, orienteering, shooting weapons, etc.,
6624-423: The installation of a Stalinist government which, backed by the occupying Soviet Red Army , declared Estonia a Soviet constituency, the Estonian SSR was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union as a union republic on 6 August 1940. Estonia was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1941, and administered as a part of Reichskommissariat Ostland until it was reconquered by the USSR in 1944. The majority of
6720-458: The monuments of the Estonian War of Independence, compiled by the Military Department of the EC(b)P Central Committee in April 1945, has been preserved in the Estonian State Archives. Monuments are listed by counties in this file and it specifies the amount of explosive and an evaluation concerning the transportation that were needed. An extract regarding Võrumaa reads: "In order to carry out demolition works, 15 Party activists and 275 persons from
6816-421: The new Estonian-Russian border treaty, according to which Ivangorod remains part of Russia. Although the treaty was signed in 2005 by the foreign ministers of Estonia and Russia, Russia took its signature back, after Estonian parliament added a reference to the Tartu Peace Treaty in the preamble of the law ratifying the border treaty. A new treaty was signed by the foreign ministers in 2014. The legislative body of
6912-779: The nuclear reactor facilities in Paldiski in September 1995. Estonia joined the European Union and NATO in 2004. In the aftermath of the Estonian War of Independence, Estonia established control also over Ivangorod , in January 1919, a move which was recognised by Soviet Russia in the 1920 Treaty of Tartu . In January 1945, the Narva River was defined as the border between the Estonian SSR and Russian SFSR, and as
7008-669: The organization. He does not serve as a direct battlefield commander. The Commander is a member and head of the Chief of Staff which is the main organizational tool of the Commander. The Commander is appointed by the Commander of the Defence Forces or by the Supreme Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces . The current Commandant is major general Riho Ühtegi , who assumed the position in 2019. As of 2020, Colonel Eero Rebo
7104-459: The other hand Western thoughts and customs began to infiltrate Soviet Estonia. By the beginning of the Gorbachev era, concern over the cultural survival of the Estonian people had reached a critical point. The ECP remained stable in the early perestroika years but waned in the late 1980s. Other political movements, groupings and parties moved to fill the power vacuum. The first and most important
7200-490: The period 1940–1991. On 16 November 1988, Estonia became the first of the then Soviet-controlled countries to declare state sovereignty from the central government in Moscow. On 30 March 1990, the newly elected parliament declared that the Republic of Estonia had been illegally occupied since 1940, and formally announced a transitional period for the restoration of the country's full independence. Subsequently, on 8 May 1990,
7296-454: The postwar reconstruction program. The first Five Year Plan , called the fourth Five Year Plan, prescribed a total of 3.5 billion roubles of investments for enterprises in Estonia. Estonian Defence League The Estonian Defence League ( Estonian : Kaitseliit , 'Defence League') is a voluntary national defence organization of the Republic of Estonia , under management of
7392-561: The previous year and the ferry line is widely credited to Kekkonen. Some Estonians began watching Finnish television as the Helsinki television tower broadcast from just 80 kilometres (50 mi) and the signal was strong enough in Tallinn and elsewhere on the north Estonian coast. This electronic "window on the West" afforded Estonians more information on current affairs and more access to Western culture and thought than any other group in
7488-588: The restoration of Soviet power in Estonia and proclaimed the 'Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic'. On 22 July the declaration of Estonia's wish to join the USSR was ratified and the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was petitioned accordingly. The request was approved by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on 6 August 1940. On 23 July the State Assembly proclaimed all land to be people's property while banks and heavy industry were nationalised. On 25 August
7584-544: The same day the fascist government was overthrown, and the People's government led by Johannes Vares was formed. On 14–15 July 1940 elections for the Estonian Parliament, the State Assembly ( Riigikogu ) were held. The "Working People’s Union", created by an initiative of the Estonian Communist Party received with 84.1% turnout 92.8% of the votes. On 21 July 1940 the State Assembly adopted the declaration of
7680-603: The ships in Irish ports choose to remain. The Soviet Union unsuccessfully pursued the issue of ownership through the Irish Courts and made a 'most emphatic' protest to the Irish government. There were three Estonian ships in Irish ports, plus two from Latvia and one Lithuanian. This had a significant effect on Ireland's ability to continue trading during the war, due to the small size of its own merchant navy. The United States, United Kingdom and several other countries considered
7776-713: The strategic geographical location, Estonia was considered as a strategic zone for the Soviet Armed Forces . The territory was therefore heavily militarised and added to the Soviet Baltic Military District which included a strong presence of the Soviet Air Defence , Navy and also the Strategic Rocket Forces . The Baltic Military District included the following units: Military training was provided by
7872-505: The university and 135 major private libraries were destroyed, totalling 465,000 books, many archive materials and 2,500 pieces of art. Among them were the libraries of Aino and Gustav Suits and Aurora and Johannes Semper . 3,237 farms were destroyed, while 13,500 buildings were destroyed. Compared to 1939, in 1942, animal populations decline: horses were down 14% , dairy cattle were down 34%, pigs were down 50%, sheep were down 46% and fowl were down 27.5%. Many supplies were looted for use in
7968-412: The votes with 84.1% of the population attending the elections. Time magazine reported that, following the elections, tribunals were set up to judge and punish "traitors to the people", which included opponents of Sovietization and those who did not vote for incorporation in the Soviet Union. This election is considered illegal, since the amended electoral law—along with hundreds of other laws passed by
8064-492: The world's countries did not recognise the incorporation of Estonia into the Soviet Union de jure and only recognised its Soviet administration de facto or not at all. A number of countries continued to recognise Estonian diplomats and consuls who still functioned in the name of their former government. This policy of non-recognition gave rise to the principle of legal continuity, which held that de jure , Estonia remained an independent state under occupation throughout
8160-499: The yearly Victory Day parade the same year. Band uses 4 sets of drums and 12 special sets of "war pipes" made by Andres Taul. Idea for such a unit originally came from President Lennart Meri in 2001 whilst he was visiting the Viljandi Folk Music Festival . The idea was later revived by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves in 2010 and Ando Kiviberg , notable local piper and head of Viljandi's folk festival,
8256-607: Was $ 10,733 compared to $ 26,100 for Finland. Estonian sources estimate the economic damage directly attributable to the second Soviet occupation (from 1945 to 1991) to lie in the range of hundreds of billions of dollars . Similarly, the damage to Estonian ecology were estimated at US$ 4 billion. On 21 May 1947, the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (bolsheviks) authorised collectivization of Estonian agriculture. Initially it
8352-473: Was a petition to join the Soviet Union, which passed unanimously. The Estonian SSR was formally annexed into the Soviet Union on 6 August 1940, becoming nominally the 16th constituent part (or "union republic" ) of the USSR. After another "union republic", the Karelo-Finnish SSR was demoted to an "ASSR" , or to an "autonomous union republic" in 1956, until 1991 the Soviet authorities referred to
8448-412: Was an administrative subunit ( union republic ) of the former Soviet Union (USSR), covering the occupied and annexed territory of Estonia in 1940–1941 and 1944–1991. The Estonian SSR was nominally established to replace the until then independent Republic of Estonia on 21 July 1940, a month after the 16–17 June 1940 Soviet military invasion and occupation of the country during World War II . After
8544-418: Was assigned to form the band. According to Kiviberg one of the goals of the band is also to promote bagpipes amongst males, as Estonia is lacking male pipers. The Commander of Defence League ( Estonian : Kaitseliidu ülem ) is the highest-ranking officer of the Defence League; though he may not be the senior officer by time in grade. The Commander has the responsibility to man, train, equip and develop
8640-525: Was divided in terms of opinions on the "sovereign republic". In March 1990, some 18% of Russian-speakers supported the idea of a fully independent Estonia, up from 7% the previous autumn. By early 1990 only a small minority of ethnic Estonians were opposed to full independence. On 16 November 1988, the first freely elected parliament during the Soviet era in Estonia had passed the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration . On 8 May 1990,
8736-511: Was implemented with great difficulties in the Baltic republics but it was facilitated by mass deportations of dissident farmers, termed 'kulaks'. As a result, by the end of April 1949, half of the remaining individual farmers in Estonia had joined kolkhozes . 99.3% of farms had been collectivised by 1957. A number of large-volume capital investments were undertaken by the Soviet central power to exploit resources on Estonian territory of oil shale , lumber and, later, uranium ore , as part of
8832-537: Was proclaimed in Narva on 29 November 1918 but fell to counter-revolutionaries and the White Armies in 1919. In June 1940 Soviet power was restored in Estonia as workers overthrew the fascist dictatorship in the country. According to Soviet sources, pressure from the working people of Estonia forced its government to accept the 1939 proposal for a mutual assistance treaty by the Soviet Union. On 28 September 1939
8928-530: Was signed on 23 August 1939, a week before the outbreak of World War II, secretly assigned Estonia to the Soviet " sphere of influence ". On 24 September 1939, warships of the Soviet Navy blocked the major ports of Estonia, a neutral country , and Soviet bombers began patrolling over and around its capital city Tallinn . Moscow demanded that Estonia allow the USSR to establish Soviet military bases on its territory and station 25,000 troops in these bases "for
9024-550: Was taken to change the ethnic structure of population, especially in Ida-Viru County. For example, a policy of prioritising immigrants before returning war refugees in assigning dwelling quarters was adopted. Estonian graveyards and monuments from the period of 1918–1944 were dismantled. Among others, in the Tallinn Military Cemetery the majority of gravestones from 1918 to 1944 were destroyed by
9120-601: Was taught already in the second grade of Estonian-language primary schools and in some urban areas was also being introduced into Estonian pre-school teaching. Soviet authorities began to lure in Finnish tourists and the much needed foreign exchange they could bring. The Soviet travel agency Inturist contracted Finnish construction company Repo to build Hotel Viru in central Tallinn. Estonians saw very different construction equipment, methods and work morale. An improved ferry MS Georg Ots between Tallinn and Helsinki came into operation. Estonia gained Western currency, but on
9216-671: Was the Estonian Popular Front , established in April 1988 with its own platform, leadership and broad constituency. The Greens and the dissident-led Estonian National Independence Party soon followed. By 1989 the political spectrum had widened, and new parties were formed and re-formed almost every week. Estonia's " Supreme Soviet " transformed from a powerless rubber stamp institution into an authentic regional lawmaking body. This relatively conservative legislature passed an early declaration of sovereignty (16 November 1988);
#903096