August 11, 1920

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Martin Antonenko

A Fixture
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
8,994
"Forever" lasts just 19 years...!


On August 11, 1920, representatives of the newly founded Soviet Union and officials from Latvia, which had become independent after the First World War, sign the so-called "Peace of Riga", which ends the fighting in the country.



The treaty reads literally: "The Soviet Union shall forever recognize the Republic of Latvia within its current borders."



Before that, both the German and the Soviet side tried to get the former "Livonia" under their control:



The Latvian Red Riflemen were able to defend the claim of Soviet Russia and the First Latvian Soviet Republic...



... against that of Estonians and German Baltics (Baltic Territoral Defence Army, "Iron Division")...





... did not support Latvia and had to withdraw from the Baltic States. A failed coup attempt by the German-Baltic minority was followed by a Latvian government...:



But back to the "Peace of Riga":

Latvians will soon find out what "forever" means:

When they sign a non-aggression treaty with Nazi Germany on June 7, 1939 in Berlin...



... the Latvians still think they are on the safe side because this treaty also guarantees their state.

What they do NOT know is that in the secret additional protocol of the "Hitler-Stalin Pact" Germany has simultaneously assured the Soviet Union a "free hand" in Latvia!

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The Soviet Union will first force Latvia into a mutual assistance and base agreement, which the Latvian Foreign Minister Vilhelms Munters has to sign on October 5, 1939.

On October 31, 1939, a resettlement agreement was signed between the German Reich and Latvia. The resettlements will be carried out immediately: 48,600 Baltic Germans will be resettled in Germany. ..:


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This so-called repatriation was declared complete on December 15, 1939.

In June 1940, under the threat of violence, Latvia had to agree to the stationing of further Soviet troops, which occupied Latvia on June 17, 1940.

A pro-Soviet government will be installed and will seek incorporation into the Soviet Union.

Almost immediately after this, Soviet troops will invade...:



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Already in the week that the Soviets took over the country, 35,000 Latvians will be arrested and deported to the GuLAG...:

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"Forever" just lasted 19 years...
 
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