1918 - 1939

Germany withdraws

The Estonian Salvation Committee, consisting of Konstantin Päts, Jüri Vilms and Konstantin Konik, was the executive body of the Estonian Provincial Assembly that issued the Estonian Declaration of Independence.

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War of independence

However, a new challenge awaited this fledging state as the Russian Bolshevik Government, one of the warring factions in the Russian Civil War, chose not to recognise an independent Estonia and the Estonian War of Independence followed. Seeing the German forces leave Estonia, the Soviets saw an opportunity to expand their own sphere of influence.

However, despite this initial set back, the Estonians resisted strongly and with support from other countries, most notably the UK, were able to defeat both the Soviet forces and the armies of the Baltische Landeswehr in a series of battles, resulting in victory.

Estonian soldiers who fought in the Estonian War of Independence.

https://www.histclo.com/

Soviet Offensive

The war began with the Soviet attack on Narva on 28 November 1918 which quickly fell to the Red Army. The city was unprepared for a serious assault and lacked the supplies or manpower to effectively repel one. The city effectively became a Soviet puppet state.

Battle of Lagna

​Utria amphibious landing

On 17 January 1919, Estonian forces – the majority of whom were Finnish volunteers - undertook an amphibious landing at Utria beach. They were lead by an Estonian admiral named Johan Pitka and also were advised and assisted by a Swedish military contingent lead by a senior Naval officer, Martin  Ekström, and accompanied by two other officers – Captain Alexsander Paulus and Captain Anto Nestori Eskola. In total, the Estonian force numbered around 1900 men.  (Ekström – described in some sources as an ‘adventurer, gained noteriety as leader of the Swedish Nazi organization National Socialist Bloc and for his role in the Vyborg Massacre during the Finish Civil War in 1918.)

Facing the Estonian forces was the Soviet 6th Rifle Division, commanded by Nicolai Ivanov who led a total of 2700 soldiers. The 6th Rifle Division had previously taken part in the attack on Narva, the military action which had started the Estonian war of Independence. The landing was successful and resulted in the Estonians being able to advance further on and eventually capture Narva at the cost of 30 casualties. In contrast, the defending Russian forces fared less well and suffered around 300 dead.

Armored train gifted to the Estonian National Army by the British in 1919.

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Fall of Narva

Paju Manor

If the Estonians were to liberate Valga, they first needed to capture Paju Manor. Estonian Partisans had already briefly captured it on 30 January but were not strong enough to consolidate their gain and were soon forced out by the more numerous Soviet forces. The Estonian commander, Julius Kuperjanov attacked again with 300 men, a couple of artillery pieces and 13 machine guns. Their armoured trains were unable to support the attack due to the destruction of the nearby Sangaste railway bridge. Facing the Estonians were 1,200 Latvian soldiers with double the number of artillery pieces and 13 machine guns, as well as an armoured train and several armoured cars.

The Estonians attacked directly, charging across open ground, and suffering heavy casualties from the Soviet machine guns. Kuperjanov himself was wounded in the assault, dying from his wounds two days later. Despite their losses, the Estonians pressed on – now led by Lieutenant Johannes Soodla and accompanied by reinforcements – 380 Finnish Sons of the North joined the attack bringing an additional four artillery pieces and nine machine guns.

By the evening, with heavy losses on both sides, the Estonians and their Finnish allies had managed to break through the Soviet defences, resulting in intense hand-to-hand fighting breaking out with the Latvian defenders. The pressure of the relentless attack forced the Latvians into retreating where they took further losses from the Estonian and Finnish artillery as they withdrew. With the capture of Paju Manor, the route to Valga was now open and undefended and the Estonian captured it the next day without facing any further resistance.

Finnish volunteers in the Estonian War of Independence.

http://www.alternativefinland.com/finnish-volunteers-in-the-estonian-war-of-independance/

With Valga liberated, the Soviet’s lost their sole railway link to Riga and prevented the use of their armoured trains – a military asset the Soviets relied heavily on. This eventually led to the gradual liberation of all Southern Estonia.

In memory of Julius Kuperjanov’s heroics in battle, the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion was renamed Kuperjanov's Partisan Battalion and the name continues even to present day with the Kuperjanov Battalion being part of the modern Estonian Defence Force. The battle itself is commemorated by a granite monument at the site of the battle.

Memorial to the battle of Paju

Elections

Offensives into Russia and Latvia

Estonian armoured train.

Fighting the Landeswehr

Estonian soldiers with British 18 pound guns during the Estonian War of Independence.

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Ceasefire

Tartu Peace Treaty

A new constitution