The Estonian War of Independence ( et, Vabadussõda, literally "Freedom War"), also known as the Estonian Liberation War, was a defensive campaign of the
Estonian Army
The Estonian Land Forces ( et, Maavägi), unofficially referred to as the Estonian Army, is the name of the unified ground forces among the Estonian Defense Forces where it has an offensive military formation role. It is currently the largest ...
and its allies, most notably the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, against the
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the 1919 aggression of the ''
Baltische Landeswehr
The Baltic Landwehr or ("Baltic Territorial Army") was the name of the unified armed forces of Couronian and Livonian nobility from 7 December 1918 to 3 July 1919.
Command structure
The Landeswehr was subordinated to the German VI Reser ...
''. The campaign was the struggle of the newly established democratic nation of
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
for independence in the aftermath of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. It resulted in a victory for Estonia and was concluded in the 1920
Treaty of Tartu.
Preface
In November 1917, upon the disintegration of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
, a
diet
Diet may refer to:
Food
* Diet (nutrition), the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group
* Dieting, the deliberate selection of food to control body weight or nutrient intake
** Diet food, foods that aid in creating a diet for weight loss ...
of the Autonomous Governorate of Estonia, the
Estonian Provincial Assembly
The Estonian Provincial Assembly ( et, Eestimaa Kubermangu Ajutine Maanõukogu, (Ajutine) Maanõukogu, Eesti Maanõukogu, (Eesti) Maapäev) was elected after the February Revolution in 1917 as the national diet of the Autonomous Governorate of ...
, which had been elected in the spring of that year, proclaimed itself the highest authority in Estonia. Soon thereafter, the
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
dissolved the Estonian Provincial Assembly and temporarily forced the pro-independence Estonians underground in the capital
Tallinn
Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju '' ...
. A few months later, using the interval between the Red Army's retreat and the arrival of the
Imperial German Army, the
Salvation Committee of the Estonian National Council
Maapäev
The Estonian Provincial Assembly ( et, Eestimaa Kubermangu Ajutine Maanõukogu, (Ajutine) Maanõukogu, Eesti Maanõukogu, (Eesti) Maapäev) was elected after the February Revolution in 1917 as the national diet of the Autonomous Governorate of ...
issued the
Estonian Declaration of Independence
__NOTOC__
The Estonian Declaration of Independence, also known as the Manifesto to the Peoples of Estonia ( et, Manifest Eestimaa rahvastele), is the founding act of the Republic of Estonia from 1918. It is celebrated on 24 February, the Nation ...
in Tallinn on 24 February 1918 and formed the
Estonian Provisional Government
The Estonian Provisional Government ( et, Eesti Ajutine Valitsus) was formed on 24 February 1918, by the Salvation Committee appointed by '' Maapäev'', the Estonian Province Assembly.
History Konstantin Päts' first provisional cabinet
The P ...
. This first period of independence was extremely short-lived, as the
German troops entered Tallinn the following day. The German authorities recognized neither the provisional government nor its claim for Estonia's independence, counting them as a self-styled group usurping sovereign rights of the
Baltic nobility
Baltic German nobility was a privileged social class in the territories of today's Estonia and Latvia. It existed continuously since the Northern Crusades and the medieval foundation of Terra Mariana. Most of the nobility were Baltic Germans, bu ...
.
Course of the war
After the
German Revolution with the capitulation of
Imperial Germany
The German Empire (), Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditar ...
, between the 11 and 14 November 1918, the representatives of Germany formally handed over political power to the Estonian Provisional Government. On 16 November the provisional government called for voluntary mobilization and began to organize the Estonian Army, with
Konstantin Päts
Konstantin Päts (; – 18 January 1956) was an Estonian statesman and the country's president in 1938–1940. Päts was one of the most influential politicians of the independent democratic Republic of Estonia, and during the two decades prior ...
as Minister of War,
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Andres Larka
Andres Larka VR I/1 (5 March 1879 Pilistvere (now Põhja-Sakala Parish), Kreis Fellin – 8 January 1943 Malmyzh, Kirov, Soviet Union) was an Estonian military commander during the Estonian War of Independence and a politician.
In 1902 he gr ...
as the
chief of staff, and
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Aleksander Tõnisson
Aleksander Tõnisson VR I/1 (17 April 1875 – 30 June 1941) was an Estonian military commander (Major General) during the Estonian War of Independence.
In 1899 he graduated from Vilnius Military Academy. Tõnisson participated in Russo-Japane ...
as commander of the Estonian Army, initially consisting of one division.
Soviet westward offensive
![EstRcrtPstr1918](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/EstRcrtPstr1918.jpg)
In late November 1918,
Soviet forces moved against Estonia. On 28 November 1918, the
6th Red Rifle Division struck the border town of
Narva
Narva, russian: Нарва is a municipality and city in Estonia. It is located in Ida-Viru county, at the eastern extreme point of Estonia, on the west bank of the Narva river which forms the Estonia–Russia international border. With 54 ...
, which marked the beginning of the Estonian War of Independence.
The 6th Red Rifle Division attacked with 7,000 infantry, 22
field guns, 111
machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) ar ...
s, an
armored train, two armored vehicles, two airplanes, and the
Bogatyr class cruiser ''Oleg'' supported by two destroyers. The town was defended by men of the
Estonian Defence League
The Estonian Defence League ( et, Eesti Kaitseliit) is the name of the unified paramilitary armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Defence League is a paramilitary defence organization whose aim is to guarantee the preservation of the indep ...
(Home Guard) (consisting partly of secondary school students) and
Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 405 of the
German Army. The Reds captured Narva on 29 November and the Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 405 withdrew westwards.
The Soviet 2nd Novgorod Division opened a second front south of
Lake Peipus
Lake Peipus ( et, Peipsi-Pihkva järv; russian: Чудско-Псковское озеро, Псковско-Чудское озеро, Chudsko-Pskovskoye ozero, Pskovsko-Chudskoye ozero); is the largest trans-boundary lake in Europe, lying on ...
, with 7,000 infantry, 12 field guns, 50 machine guns, two armored trains, and three armored vehicles.
Estonian military forces at the time consisted of 2,000 men with light weapons and about 14,500 poorly armed men in the Estonian Defence League. The end of November 1918 saw the formation of the Baltic Battalion, primarily a mounted machine-gun company plus infantry. Estonia's
Baltic German
Baltic Germans (german: Deutsch-Balten or , later ) were ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since their coerced resettlement in 1939, Baltic Germans have markedly declined ...
minority provided a sizable troop of volunteer militia for the Battalion, which was one of the first fighting units of the Estonian Army, and maintained staunch loyalty to the authority of the Republic. This contrasts with the ''
Baltische Landeswehr
The Baltic Landwehr or ("Baltic Territorial Army") was the name of the unified armed forces of Couronian and Livonian nobility from 7 December 1918 to 3 July 1919.
Command structure
The Landeswehr was subordinated to the German VI Reser ...
'' in
Latvia.
The 49th Red
Latvian Rifle Regiment took the
Valga railway junction on 18 December and the city of Tartu on Christmas Eve. Also on Christmas Eve, the 6th Red Rifle Division captured the
Tapa
Tapa, TAPA, Tapas or Tapasya may refer to:
Media
*Tapas (website), a webtoon site, formerly known as Tapastic
* ''Tapas'' (film), a 2005 Spanish film
* ''Tapasya'' (1976 film), an Indian Hindi-language film
* ''Tapasya'' (1992 film), a Nepalese f ...
railway junction, advancing to within 34 kilometers of the nation's capital
Tallinn
Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju '' ...
. Estonian Bolsheviks declared the
Estonian Workers' Commune
The Commune of the Working People of Estonia ( et, Eesti Töörahva Kommuun, initially '; russian: Эстляндская трудовая коммуна , or ETK) was an unrecognised government claiming the Bolshevik-occupied parts of Republi ...
in Narva.
By the end of the year, the
7th Red Army controlled Estonia along the front line 34 kilometers east of Tallinn, west from Tartu and south of
Ainaži
Ainaži (pronounced ; et, Heinaste) is a port town in Limbaži Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. The town is located near the Estonian border on the site of an ancient Livonian fishing village. Before 1917, it was known by its Ge ...
.
[
]
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
Johan Laidoner
Johan Laidoner ( – 13 March 1953) was an Estonian general and statesman. He served as Commander‑in‑Chief of the Estonian Armed Forces during the 1918–1920 Estonian War of Independence and was among the most influential people in the Eston ...
was appointed Commander in chief of the Estonian armed forces. He recruited 600 officers and 11,000 volunteers by 23 December 1918.
He reorganized the forces by setting up the 2nd Division in Southern Estonia under the command of Colonel Viktor Puskar
Viktor Puskar VR I/1 ( in Viljandi – 12 April 1943 in Tartu) was an Estonian military commander (Colonel) during the Estonian War of Independence.
In 1911 he graduated from Vilnius Military Academy. Puskar participated in World War I, joini ...
, along with commando units, such as the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion
The Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion ( et, Kuperjanovi jalaväepataljon) is a battalion of the Estonian Land Forces. It is a part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade. Battalion headquarters is at Taara Army Base, Võru.
History Estonian War of Independenc ...
and the Kalevi Malev Battalion.
The national government obtained foreign assistance. On 5 December, Finland delivered 5,000 rifles and 20 field guns along with ammunition.
A British Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Sir Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair
Admiral Sir Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair, (born Alexander; 12 December 1865 – 13 November 1945) was a Scottish Royal Navy officer, notable for firing the first shots of the Battle of Jutland, and for leading a squadron of light ...
arrived at Tallinn on 31 December and delivered 6,500 rifles, 200 machine guns, and two field guns. The squadron captured two Russian destroyers, ''Spartak'' and ''Avtroil'', and turned them over to Estonia, which renamed them ''Vambola'' and ''Lennuk''.
On 2 January, Finnish volunteer units with 2,000 men arrived in Estonia. Three armored trains were built in Tallinn under the command of Captain Anton Irv
Anton Irv VR I/2, VR II/2, VR II/3 (17 September 1886 – 27 April 1919) was a highly decorated Estonian combat soldier and military officer during World War I and in the Estonian War of Independence.Toivo Miljan, ''Historical Dictionary of ...
.
Liberation of Estonian territory
By the beginning of 1919, the Estonian Army had increased its ranks to a total of 13,000 men, with 5,700 on the front-facing 8,000 Soviets. The strengthened Estonian Army stopped the 7th Red Army's advance in its tracks between 2 and 5 January 1919 and went on the counter-offensive on 7 January.
Tapa was liberated two days later in a campaign highlighted by the implementation of the highly successful "soomusrongid" (armoured trains). This turn of events was swiftly followed by the liberation of the sizable town of Rakvere on 12 January.
In liberating Narva, a 1,000-strong Finnish-Estonian force landed at Utria to the rear of the Soviet 6th Rifle Division on 17 January. In so doing, retreat eastward for the Soviet forces was precluded. The following day Narva was liberated.
Consequent to this the northeastern front stabilized along the Narva river. Within 11 days, the 1st Division had advanced 200 km.
In the southern sphere-of-conflict, Tartu was liberated through the rapid deployment of armored trains and the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion. The 2nd Division continued to advance southwards facing increasing Soviet resistance. In the Battle of Paju, the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion and the Finnish volunteers drove the Latvian Riflemen out of Valga on 31 January.
The 7th Red Army was routed outside the boundaries of contemporary Estonia and the battle-front continued outwards into the ancient, historical Estonian settlement area.[''Estonian War of Independence 1918–1920''. Jyri Kork (Ed.). Esto, Baltimore, 1988 (Reprint from ''Estonian War of Independence 1918-1920''. Historical Committee for the War of Independence, Tallinn, 1938)] The second half of February saw the Estonian southward advance capture Salacgrīva
Salacgrīva () is a town in Salacgrīva Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. The centre of the area surrounding Salacgrīva is the mouth of Salaca River, and the town's name literally means "Mouth of Salaca" in Latvian. It is famous for ...
and Alūksne
Alūksne ()) is a town on the shores of Lake Alūksne in northeastern Latvia near the borders with Estonia and Russia. It is the seat of Alūksne municipality. Alūksne is the highest elevated Latvian city, located in East Vidzeme Upland at 217 ...
. This advance was soon stopped by a Soviet buildup ostensibly for a new expansionist offensive into Estonia. On the first Independence Day of 24 February 1919, the pro-independence Estonian forces on the front consisted of 19,000 men, 70 field guns, and 230 machine guns. Estonia had become the first country to repel the Soviet westward offensive.
In the second half of February, the Red armies started the new Soviet offensive to capture Estonia. To this end, the Soviets established what was referred to as the new 'Estonian' Red Army. This sizable force consisted upwards of 80,000 conscripts.
In positions along the Narva River the Estonian 1st Division and their allied White Russian Northern Corps repelled the 7th Red Army's attacks.[ The Red Army heavily bombarded Narva, leaving about 2,000 people homeless yet ultimately failed to capture the city. The majority of Soviet forces were concentrated at and along the southern front. The so-called 'Estonian' Red Army captured ]Alūksne
Alūksne ()) is a town on the shores of Lake Alūksne in northeastern Latvia near the borders with Estonia and Russia. It is the seat of Alūksne municipality. Alūksne is the highest elevated Latvian city, located in East Vidzeme Upland at 217 ...
, Setomaa
Setomaa (; russian: Сетумаа, seto, Setomaa) is a region south of Lake Peipus and inhabited by the Seto people. The Seto dialect is a variety of South Estonian. The historic range of Setomaa is located in the territories of present-day ...
, Vastseliina
Vastseliina ( vro, Vahtsõliina) is a small borough (') in Võru Parish, Võru County in southeastern Estonia.
Vastseliina is the birthplace of wrestler and 1924 Olympic Gold Medalist Eduard Pütsep and writer and lawyer Uido Truija.
See also
* ...
, and Räpina parishes by 15 March.
Having received reinforcements, the Estonian 2nd Division counterattacked and regained Petseri
Pechory (russian: Печо́ры; Estonian and Seto: ') is a town and the administrative centre of Pechorsky District in the Pskov Oblast, Russia. Its population in the 2010 Census was 11,195, having fallen from 13,056 recorded in ...
by 29 March. Subsequently, the 'Estonian' Red Army was pushed behind the Optjok River.
On 27 March, the Estonian 3rd Division was deployed along the western flank of the southern front under the command of Major-General Ernst Põdder
Ernst-Johannes Põdder VR I/1 (10 February 1879 – 24 June 1932) was a famous Estonian military commander in the Estonian War of Independence.
In 1900 Põdder graduated from the Vilnius Military Academy. In the Russo-Japanese war he achieved ...
. At Võru, the situation became critical on 22 April when the Red Army approached to within 1.5 km of the town. Heavy fighting continued at the southeastern front up to the first half of May.
On 25 April, the Latvian Riflemen captured Rūjiena
Rūjiena (; german: Rujen; et, Ruhja) is a town in Valmiera Municipality, in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. As of 2017 its population was 3,007.
Geography
The town is located in northern Latvia, near the border with Estonia, in the historical regi ...
, but were soon pushed back by the 3rd Division to Salacgrīva
Salacgrīva () is a town in Salacgrīva Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. The centre of the area surrounding Salacgrīva is the mouth of Salaca River, and the town's name literally means "Mouth of Salaca" in Latvian. It is famous for ...
-Seda
Seda or SEDA may refer to:
Acronyms
* Safe and Effective Drug Act, a bill proposed in the United States House of Representatives in 2004
* Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, an Australian organisation
* Staff and Educational Development Association, a p ...
-Gauja
The Gauja River ( et, Koiva jõgi, german: Livländische Aa) is a river in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. It is the only large river of Latvia that begins and ends its flow in Latvia. Its length is 460 km, of which 93.5 km (approxim ...
line.
Estonian elections and formation of foreign units
On 5–7 April 1919 the Estonian Constituent Assembly
The Estonian Constituent Assembly ( et, Asutav Kogu) was elected on 5–7 April 1919, called by the Estonian Provisional Government during the Estonian War of Independence.
Estonian Constituent Assembly elections
Activity
The 120 members of t ...
was elected. The elections were won by the Left and Centre parties. The 120 members of the Constituent Assembly met at the opening session on 23 April and elected Social Democrat August Rei as chairman. The provisional government retired, and a new government headed by Otto Strandman
Otto August Strandman ( – 5 February 1941) was an Estonian politician, who served as prime minister (1919) and State Elder of Estonia (1929–1931). He was one of the leaders of the centre-left Estonian Labour Party, that saw its biggest supp ...
was formed. On 4 June the assembly adopted a temporary Constitution of Estonia. On 10 October the Land Reform
Land reform is a form of agrarian reform involving the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution, generally of agricultural ...
Act was passed, which confiscated and redistributed the large Baltic German
Baltic Germans (german: Deutsch-Balten or , later ) were ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since their coerced resettlement in 1939, Baltic Germans have markedly declined ...
estates that covered more than half of the territory of Estonia.
Estonia actively helped to organize White Russian, Latvian and Ingrian forces on the territory of the Republic. The White Russian Northern Corps had been organizing in Estonia since December 1918. On 18 February, an agreement was signed between Estonia and Latvia, which allowed formation of Latvian forces under Estonian command but using them only on the southern front. The North Latvian Brigade under the command of Jorģis Zemitāns
Jorģis Zemitāns (23 February 1873, Skrīveri parish – 16 January 1928, Riga) was an army officer and commander of the Latvian Northern Brigade during the Latvian War of Independence.
Biography
Jorģis Zemitāns was born on 23 February 1873 ...
was formed from the citizens of Latvia who had fled to Estonia. In March 1919, an agreement was signed with the Ingrian National People's Committee for the formation of an Ingrian battalion. By May 1919, there were 6,000 Russians, 4,000 Latvians and 700 Ingrians in their respective national units.
Offensives into Russia and Latvia
Although the Estonian Army had attained control over its country, the opposing Red armies were still active. The Estonian High Command decided to push their defense lines across the border into Russia in support of the White Russian Northern Corps. On 13 May, the Northern Corps went on the offensive at Narva, catching the Soviets by surprise and destroying their 6th Division.[Traksmaa, August: ''Lühike vabadussõja ajalugu'', page 141. Olion, 1992, ] The offensive was supported along the Gulf of Finland's coast by the British and Estonian navy and marines. With the front approaching, the garrison of the Krasnaya Gorka fort
Krasnaya Gorka (Красная Горка meaning Red Hill) is a coastal artillery fortress in Lomonosovsky District, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It is located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, opposite Kotlin Island and the Baltic Flee ...
mutinied. But the 7th Red Army received reinforcements and counterattacked, pushing the White Russians back, until the front was stabilised with the support from the Estonian 1st Division on the Luga and Saba rivers.
The offensive of the Estonian Petseri Battle Group began on 24 May. The 600 troops of 1st Estonian Rifle Regiment of the Red Army together with Leonhard Ritt, commander of the 1st Estonian Rifle Division switched sides on the same day. An offensive destroyed the Estonian Red Army, captured Pskov on 25 May and cleared the territory between Estonia and the Velikaya River
The Velikaya () is a river in Novosokolnichesky, Pustoshkinsky, Sebezhsky, Opochetsky, Pushkinogorsky, Ostrovsky, Palkinsky, and Pskovsky Districts of Pskov Oblast, as well as in the city of Pskov in Russia. It is a major tributary of La ...
of Soviet forces.[ A few days later White Russian forces arrived in Pskov, but as they were unable to defend the town on their own, some Estonian forces remained in Pskov, while the rest were pulled back to the state border. The Northern Corps mobilised members of the local population in the ]Pskov region
Pskov Oblast (russian: Пско́вская о́бласть, ') is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the west of the country. Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, ...
. On 19 June 1919, the Estonian Commander-in-Chief General Johan Laidoner
Johan Laidoner ( – 13 March 1953) was an Estonian general and statesman. He served as Commander‑in‑Chief of the Estonian Armed Forces during the 1918–1920 Estonian War of Independence and was among the most influential people in the Eston ...
rescinded his command over the White Russians, and they were renamed the Northwestern Army. Shortly afterwards, General Nikolai N. Yudenich took command of the troops.
Simultaneously with the Pskov offensive Estonian 2nd and 3rd divisions also started southward offensive into Northern-Latvia. By the end of May they had captured Alūksne
Alūksne ()) is a town on the shores of Lake Alūksne in northeastern Latvia near the borders with Estonia and Russia. It is the seat of Alūksne municipality. Alūksne is the highest elevated Latvian city, located in East Vidzeme Upland at 217 ...
and Valmiera
Valmiera (; german: link=no, Wolmar; pl, Wolmar see other names) is the largest city of the historical Vidzeme region, Latvia, with a total area of . As of 2002, Valmiera had a population of 27,323, and in 2020 – 24 879. It is a state cit ...
. Due to simultaneous German-Latvian offensives in Western-Latvia, the situation was becoming very difficult for the Soviets. On 31 May, an Estonian cavalry regiment led by Gustav Jonson
Gustav Jonson (born Gustav Joonson; 7 January 1880 – 15 November 1942) was an Estonian military soldier of the Russian Empire, Estonia, and the Soviet Union.Eesti Entsüklopeedia 14: Eesti elulood. Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus, 2000. Page 112
...
reached Gulbene
Gulbene (; german: Schwanenburg) is a town in northeastern Latvia. It is an administrative center of Gulbene Municipality.
The area of this region is , with a population of 29,797 inhabitants (69,369 sealen, 10,015 urban, 19,782 rural populat ...
, capturing large amount of rolling stock, including 2 armoured trains.[Traksmaa, August: ''Lühike vabadussõja ajalugu'', page 147. Olion, 1992, ] a rapid offensive of the 2nd Division, spearheaded by its cavalry regiment, continued and on 6 June it crossed Daugava river
, be, Заходняя Дзвіна (), liv, Vēna, et, Väina, german: Düna
, image = Fluss-lv-Düna.png
, image_caption = The drainage basin of the Daugava
, source1_location = Valdai Hills, Russia
, mouth_location = Gulf of Riga, Baltic S ...
and captured Jēkabpils
Jēkabpils (; german: Jakobstadt; pl, Jakubów) is a state city in Jēkabpils Municipality in southeastern Latvia roughly halfway between Riga and Daugavpils and spanning the Daugava River. Historic Jēkabpils lies on the left bank, in Selonia ...
,[Mangulis, Visvaldis]
''Latvia in the Wars of the 20th Century''
, page 50. Cognition Books, 1983, but the 3rd Division could not support the advance of the 2nd division anymore as it was now facing a new enemy: the ''Baltische Landeswehr
The Baltic Landwehr or ("Baltic Territorial Army") was the name of the unified armed forces of Couronian and Livonian nobility from 7 December 1918 to 3 July 1919.
Command structure
The Landeswehr was subordinated to the German VI Reser ...
''.
War against the Landeswehr
The war against the Baltische Landeswehr
The Baltic Landwehr or ("Baltic Territorial Army") was the name of the unified armed forces of Couronian and Livonian nobility from 7 December 1918 to 3 July 1919.
Command structure
The Landeswehr was subordinated to the German VI Reser ...
broke out on the southern front in Latvia on 5 June 1919. The Latvian democrats led by Kārlis Ulmanis
Kārlis Augusts Vilhelms Ulmanis (; 4 September 1877 – 20 September 1942) was a Latvian politician. He was one of the most prominent Latvian politicians of pre-World War II Latvia during the Interwar period of independence from November 1918 to ...
had declared independence as in Estonia but were soon pushed back to Liepāja
Liepāja (; liv, Līepõ; see other names) is a state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest-city in the Kurzeme Region and the third-largest city in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an important ice-f ...
by Soviet forces, where the German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
VI Reserve Corps finally stopped their advance. This German force, led by general Rüdiger von der Goltz
Gustav Adolf Joachim Rüdiger Graf von der Goltz (8 December 1865 – 4 November 1946) was a German army general during the First World War. He commanded the Baltic Sea Division, which successfully intervened in the Finnish Civil War in the spr ...
, consisted of the Baltische Landeswehr
The Baltic Landwehr or ("Baltic Territorial Army") was the name of the unified armed forces of Couronian and Livonian nobility from 7 December 1918 to 3 July 1919.
Command structure
The Landeswehr was subordinated to the German VI Reser ...
formed from Baltic Germans
Baltic Germans (german: Deutsch-Balten or , later ) were ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since their coerced resettlement in 1939, Baltic Germans have markedly declin ...
, the Guards Reserve Division of former Imperial German Army soldiers who had stayed in Latvia, and the Freikorps Iron Division of volunteers motivated by prospects of acquiring properties in the Baltics. This was possible because the terms of their armistice with the Western Allies obliged the Germans to maintain their armies in the East to counter the Bolshevist threat. The VI Reserve Corps also included the 1st Independent Latvian Battalion led by Oskars Kalpaks
Oskars Kalpaks (6 January 1882–6 March 1919) was the commander of 1st Latvian Independent Battalion, also known as "Kalpaks Battalion".
Kalpaks was born in a farming family. Having decided to become a soldier he completed Irkutsk military s ...
, which consisted of ethnic Latvians loyal to the Provisional Government of Latvia.[
The Germans disrupted the organization of Latvian national forces, and on 16 April 1919 the Provisional Government was toppled and replaced with the pro-German puppet Provisional Government of Latvia led by ]Andrievs Niedra
Andrievs Niedra ( old orthography: ''Andreews Needra''; 8 February 1871 – 25 September 1942) was a Latvian writer, Lutheran pastor and the Prime Minister of the German puppet government in Latvia between April and June 1919, during the Latvian ...
. Ulmanis took refuge aboard the steamship "Saratow" under Entente protection. The VI Reserve Corps pushed the Soviets back, capturing Riga on 23 May, continued to advance northwards, and demanded that the Estonian Army ended its occupation of parts of northern Latvia. The real intent of the VI Reserve Corps was to annex Estonia into a German-dominated puppet state.
On 3 June, Estonian General Laidoner issued an ultimatum demanding that German forces must pull back southwards, leaving the broad gauge railway between Ieriķi and Gulbene
Gulbene (; german: Schwanenburg) is a town in northeastern Latvia. It is an administrative center of Gulbene Municipality.
The area of this region is , with a population of 29,797 inhabitants (69,369 sealen, 10,015 urban, 19,782 rural populat ...
under Estonian control. When Estonian armoured trains moved out on 5 June to check compliance with this demand, the Baltische Landeswehr attacked them, unsuccessfully. The following day, the Baltische Landeswehr captured Cēsis
Cēsis (), (german: Wenden, liv, Venden, et, Võnnu, pl, Kieś) is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Central Vidzeme Upland. Cēsis is on the Gauja River valley, and is built on a series of ridges above the river over ...
. On 8 June, an Estonian counterattack was repelled. The first clashes demonstrated that the VI Reserve Corps was stronger and better equipped than the Soviets. On 10 June, with Entente mediation, a ceasefire was made. Despite the Entente demand for the German force to pull behind the line demanded by the Estonians, von der Goltz refused and demanded Estonian withdrawal from Latvia, threatening to continue fighting. On 19 June, fighting resumed with an assault of the Iron Division on positions of the Estonian 3rd Division near Limbaži
Limbaži (, et, Lemsalu, german: Lemsal, liv, Limbaž) is a town in the Vidzeme region of northern Latvia. Limbaži is located 90 km northeast of the capital Riga. The population is 6888 people. During the Middle Ages, as part of Livonia, ...
and Straupe, starting the Battle of Cēsis. At that time, the 3rd Estonian Division, including the 2nd Latvian Cēsis regiment under Colonel Krišjānis Berķis
Krišjānis Berķis (April 26, 1884 in Īslīce parish, Bauska municipality, Courland, modern Latvia – July 29, 1942 in Perm, Russia) was a Latvian general. Rising to prominence as an officer of the Latvian Riflemen in World War I, he was pr ...
, had 5990 infantry and 125 cavalry. Intensive German attacks on Estonian positions continued up to 22 June, without achieving a breakthrough. On 23 June, the Estonian 3rd Division counterattacked, recapturing Cēsis. The anniversary of the Battle of Cēsis (''Võnnu lahing'' in Estonian) is celebrated in Estonia as the Victory Day
Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
.
The Estonian 3rd Division continued their advance towards Riga. On 3 July, when the Estonian forces were at the outskirts of Riga, a ceasefire was made on the demand of the Entente and the Ulmanis government was restored in Riga. The German forces were ordered to leave Latvia, the Baltische Landeswehr was put under the command of the Latvian Provisional Government and sent to fight against the Red Army. However, to circumvent Entente's orders, the troops of the disbanded VI Reserve Corps, instead of leaving, were incorporated into the West Russian Volunteer Army
The West Russian Volunteer Army or Bermontians was a pro-German military formation in Latvia and Lithuania during the Russian Civil War in 1918–20.
History
The Western Russian Volunteer Army, unlike the pro-Allies of World War I, Entente Vo ...
, officially hired by the German puppet Government of Latvia and led by Pavel Bermondt-Avalov
Pavel Rafailovich Bermondt-Avalov (russian: Павел Рафаилович Бермондт-Авалов) or Pavel Avalishvili ( – 27 December 1973) was an Ussuri Cossack and warlord. He is best known as the commander of the West Russian Vol ...
.[ In October, fighting restarted when the West Russian Volunteer Army attacked Riga. Following the Latvian request to help, Estonia sent two armoured trains to aid repelling the German attack. The Estonian army also remained to support the defence of Latvia against Soviets by defending the front north of ]Lake Lubāns
Lake Lubāns is the largest lake in Latvia (in Latvian: ''Lubāns'', ''Lubānas ezers'' or ''Lubāna ezers'').
The lake lies in the center of the Eastern Latvian Lowland. It is a shallow drainage lake, fed by the Rēzekne, Malta, Malmuta and L ...
.
Final battles and peace negotiations
Soviet Russia had been attempting to conclude a peace since the spring of 1919. On 25 April 1919, Hungarian Communists offered to mediate a settlement between the Bolsheviks and the Estonians, but Admiral Cowan threatened withdrawal of support to the Estonians unless they rejected the Hungarian offer. The Russians then publicly broached the subject of peace talks in a radio broadcast on 27 and 28 April. On 5 June the Estonian Commune was abolished. A subsequent broadcast by the Russians on 21 July led to the British journalist Arthur Ransome sounding out the Commissar for Foreign Relations Georgy Chicherin
Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin (24 November 1872 – 7 July 1936), also spelled Tchitcherin, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and a Soviet politician who served as the first People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs in the Soviet government from ...
on the subject of peace talks. As a result, the Soviet government made a formal offer for negotiations on 31 August 1919. The Estonians accepted on 4 September, and delegations started talks on 16 September. Estonia then proposed to stop the negotiations until Latvia, Lithuania and Finland have agreed to participate in joint negotiations.
In the autumn, the Northwestern Army launched operation White Sword, a major effort to capture Petrograd. With the arms provided by Britain and France, and the operational support by the Estonian Army, Estonian Navy
The Estonian Navy ( et, Merevägi) are the unified naval forces among the Estonian Defence Forces.
With only six commissioned ships and displacement well under 10,000 tonnes, the Estonian navy is one of the smallest navies in the world. Its sh ...
, and Royal Navy, the Northwestern Army began the offensive on 28 September 1919. Estonia supported the Northwestern Army due to the demands of the Entente. The Estonian forces made joint naval and land attacks against the Krasnaya Gorka fort
Krasnaya Gorka (Красная Горка meaning Red Hill) is a coastal artillery fortress in Lomonosovsky District, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It is located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, opposite Kotlin Island and the Baltic Flee ...
, while the Estonian 2nd Division attempted to destroy bridges over the Velikaya River
The Velikaya () is a river in Novosokolnichesky, Pustoshkinsky, Sebezhsky, Opochetsky, Pushkinogorsky, Ostrovsky, Palkinsky, and Pskovsky Districts of Pskov Oblast, as well as in the city of Pskov in Russia. It is a major tributary of La ...
and the Estonian 3rd Division attacked towards Pytalovo
Pytalovo (russian: Пыта́лово; lv, Pitalova) is a town and the administrative center of Pytalovsky District in Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on the Utroya River (a tributary of the Velikaya), southwest of Pskov, the administrative c ...
. The Northwestern Army approached to 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Petrograd, but the Red Army repulsed the White Russian troops back to the Narva River
The river Narva ( et, Narva jõgi; russian: Нарва), formerly also Narova flows north into the Baltic Sea and is the largest Estonian river by discharge. A similar length of land far to the south, together with it and a much longer interme ...
.[ Distrustful of the White Russians, the Estonian High Command disarmed and interned the remains of the Northwestern Army that retreated behind the state border.][Fletcher, William A. ''The British navy in the Baltic, 1918–1920: Its contribution to the independence of the Baltic nations'', Journal of Baltic Studies, 1976, pp134 - 144]
The 7th and 15th Soviet Armies advancing behind collapsing White Russian forces continued to attack the fortified positions at the state border near Narva. The first clashes took place on Luga River
The Luga () is a river in Novgorodsky and Batetsky Districts of Novgorod Oblast and Luzhsky, Volosovsky, Slantsevsky, and Kingiseppsky Districts of Leningrad Oblast of Russia. The river flows into the Luga Bay of the Gulf of Finland. It free ...
on 16 November, starting the conclusive battles with 120,000 Soviets facing 40,000 Estonians.[Kaevats, Ülo: ''Eesti Entsüklopeedia 10'', page 123. Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus, 1998, ] After repeated attacks, the 7th Red Army managed to achieve some limited success. At the end of November, the situation on the front calmed, as the Soviets needed to replenish their forces. In order to pressure Estonia in the peace talks, intensive Soviet attacks restarted on 7 December. On 16 December, the situation became critical as forward units of the 15th Red Army crossed the Narva River. The next day, an Estonian counterattack pushed the Soviets back. The Estonian high command actively reinforced the 1st Division at Narva during the battles, sending in the headquarters of the 3rd Division. General Tõnisson became commander of the Viru Front. After suffering 35,000 casualties in heavy battles, the Red Army was completely exhausted by the end of December.[
On 19 November, the new government of ]Jaan Tõnisson
Jaan Tõnisson (; , – 1941?) was an Estonian statesman, serving as the Prime Minister of Estonia twice during 1919 to 1920, as State Elder (head of state and government) from 1927 to 1928 and in 1933, and as Foreign Minister of Estonia from ...
decided to restart talks with Soviet Russia, even without the participation of other Baltic countries. Negotiations began on 5 December, with the main point of dispute being territorial issues. Talks continued through December, with both sides pressing their territorial demands, while heavy fighting continued at Narva. The peace treaty was finally concluded on 31 December 1919, and the ceasefire came into effect on 3 January 1920.[Georg von Rauch, ''The Baltic States: The Years of Independence 1917–1940'', Hurst & Co, 1974, p70]
Foreign assistance
Foreign assistance, mostly from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, played a very important role during the early stages of war.
British naval and air forces arrived in December 1918, after lobbying in London by Estonian politicians. At this time, the new Estonian government was weak and desperate, and the Estonian Prime Minister even asked that his state be declared a British protectorate, but Britain would not meet this plea.[Kinvig, p. 138] However, the British squadron delivered 6500 rifles, 200 machine guns, 2 field guns, also two Soviet destroyers were captured near Tallinn and turned over to Estonia. A Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
squadron continued to provide artillery support on the coast and also protected the Estonian flank against the Russian Baltic Fleet. The United Kingdom remained Estonia's main supplier of arms and equipment during the war.
While the British navy provided considerable support, the historian William Fletcher concludes that ''"the British naval force would have had little effect on the outcome of Baltic affairs had not the Estonians and Latvians provided a vibrant and disciplined land and sea force"''. The British contributed 88 ships to the Baltic campaign, of which 16 were sunk.[Kinvig, p. 289] 128 British servicemen died in the campaign, 9 were captured and at least 27 were wounded.
Concerned with having Bolshevik rule in the South, Finland delivered funds and weapons. Finland provided 5000 rifles and 20 field guns by 12 December. Finland also sent 3500 volunteers. Pohjan Pojat
(; fi, Pohjan Pojat ; ) was a Finnish military brigade in 1918–1919, the second group of Finnish volunteers to enlist to take part in the Estonian War of Independence, closely following behind the regiment led by Colonel Martin Ekström.
...
led by Hans Kalm
Hans Kalm (21 April 1889 – 1 February 1981) was an Estonian soldier who served in the armies of Russian Empire, Finland and Estonia. He was also a homeopath and naturopath who took interest in alternative medicine.
World War I and Finnish Civi ...
fought at the Southern Front, including at the Battle of Paju, while I Suomalainen Vapaajoukko led by Martin Ekström fought at the Viru Front, including at the Battle of Utria. Finnish volunteers returned to Finland on March–April 1919, having lost 150 men.
Danish-Baltic Auxiliary Corps with approximately 200 men was formed under the command of Captain Richard Gustav Borgelin
Captain Richard Gustav Borgelin (10 February 1887 – 8 December 1966) was a Danish officer and company commander of the Danish-Baltic Auxiliary Corps (DBAC) in 1919 during the Estonian and Latvian War of Independence.
Borgelin attended an ...
in April 1919. The company took part in battles against Bolsheviks in Latvia and near Pskov and 19 men were killed by the time their contract ended in September. R. G. Borgelin was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and given Maidla manor in gratitude for his services.
The Swedish volunteer unit under the command of Carl Mothander was formed in Sweden in early 1919. In March 1919, 178 volunteers took part in scout missions in Virumaa. In April, the company was sent to the Southern front and took part of the battles near Pechory. In May, the company was disbanded with some volunteers joining other units and the rest returning to Sweden.
Tartu Peace Treaty
On 2 February 1920, the Peace Treaty of Tartu was signed by the Republic of Estonia and RSFSR. At this point, the Bolshevist regime had not been recognized by any Western power. The terms of the treaty stated that Russia renounced in perpetuity all rights to the territory of Estonia. The agreed frontier corresponded roughly with the position of the front line at the cessation of hostilities. In particular, Estonia retained a strategic strip to the east of the Narva river (''Narvataguse'') and Setumaa in the southeast, areas which were lost in early 1945 – shortly after Soviet troops had taken control of Estonia, when Moscow transferred the land East of the Narva River and most of Petseri County to the RSFSR.
Gallery
File:Estonian soldier types during the Estonian War of Independence by O. Sädek.jpg, Estonian Soldier types during the Estonian War of Independence (O. Sädek)
File:Estonian soldier types during the Estonian War of Independence 2 by O. Sädek.jpg, Estonian Soldier types during the Estonian War of Independence 2 (O. Sädek)
File:Estonian light artillery battery.jpg, Estonian Light Artillery Battery
File:Estonian heavy machinegun.jpg, Estonian Soldiers with a heavy machinegun
File:Estonian troops in line.jpg, Estonian Troops in line
File:Vabadussõda. Esimesed vangi võetud punaväelased Kehras.jpg, Estonian War of Independence. The first Red Army captured in Kehra
Kehra is a town in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, most known for its pulp and paper mill.
The town is situated on the banks of the Jägala river, and has a station on the Tallinn-Narva railway.
As of January 1, 2021, the town had a popu ...
File:Soomusrongide juhte 1919. aasta kevadtalvel.jpg, Armoured train
An armoured train is a railway train protected with armour. Armoured trains usually include railway wagons armed with artillery, machine guns and autocannons. Some also had slits used to fire small arms from the inside of the train, a facili ...
division commanders in the Spring/Winter of 1919
File:Laiarööpmelise soomusrongi nr. 2 suurtükiplatvorm "Rasputin" 130 mm laevakahuriga.jpg, Wide-range armored train no. 2 artillery platform "Rasputin" with 130 mm cannon
File:Loodearmee soomusrong "Talabtšanin" Pihkva jaamas 1919. a augustis.jpg, Northwestern Army armored train " Talabshan" at Pskov station in August 1919.
See also
* Timeline of the Estonian War of Independence
This article covers the timeline of the Estonian War of Independence (1918−1920) and a few key events in the prelude and aftermath of the war.
Prelude 1917
*12 April (N.S.) (30 March O.S.): The Russian Provisional Government declares the auto ...
* History of Estonia
The history of Estonia forms a part of the history of Europe. Humans settled in the region of Estonia near the end of the last glacial era, beginning from around 8500 BC.
Ancient Estonia: pre-history
Mesolithic Period
The region has been ...
* Latvian War of Independence
The Latvian War of Independence ( lv, Latvijas Neatkarības karš), sometimes called Latvia's freedom battles () or the Latvian War of Liberation (), was a series of military conflicts in Latvia between 5 December 1918, after the newly proclaim ...
* Lithuanian Wars of Independence
* Ukrainian War of Independence
The Ukrainian War of Independence was a series of conflicts involving many adversaries that lasted from 1917 to 1921 and resulted in the establishment and development of a Ukrainian republic, most of which was later absorbed into the Soviet U ...
* Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War; . Other designations: Brethren War, Citizen War, Class War, Freedom War, Red Rebellion and Revolution, . According to 1,005 interviews done by the newspaper ''Aamulehti'', the most popular names were as follows: Civil W ...
* Cross of Liberty
* War of Independence Victory Column
* Commemorative Medal for the Estonian War of Independence
Commemorative Medal for the Estonian War of Independence ( et, Eesti Vabadussõja mälestusmärk) is an Estonian medal established on 14 December 1920. It was awarded to those who served in the Estonian War of Independence of 1918–1920.
The ...
* Vaps Movement
The Vaps Movement ( et, Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Keskliit, later ''Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Liit'', ''vabadussõjalased'', or colloquially ''vapsid'', a single member of this movement was called ''vaps'') was an Estonian political organization. Fo ...
* '' Names in Marble''
* '' The Young Eagles''
Notes
References
Works cited
* Kinvig, Clifford, ''Churchill's Crusade: The British Invasion of Russia 1918–1920'', London 2006, .
*
*
External links
* Estonica
Estonian War of Independence
* - in ''Baltic Defence Review'' No.8 Volume 2/2002
{{Authority control
Wars involving Estonia
Wars involving Russia
Estonia–Russia relations