Estonian War of Independence 1918-1920

During the upheaval in revolutionary Russia, Estonia first proclaimed its independence on November 28, 1917 but the Bolshevik takeover in Petrograd extended to Estonia as well, until Germany moved to occupy Estonia in February 1918. As the Bolsheviks retreated from Tallinn and the German occupation army entered the city, the Committee of Elders (or standing body) of the Estonian national assembly declared the country independent on February 24, 1918. By the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Russia then gave up its claim on the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, but after Germany capitulated to the Entente on November 11th, and withdrew German troops from Estonia, the Soviet government renounced the treaty and the Red Army invaded Estonia sometime between November 22nd and 28th, 1918.

Red Army troops encountered fierce resistance by the Estonians, who were helped by a British flotilla in the Baltic and a contingent of 4,000 Finnish volunteers which arrived starting from the end of December 1918. Estonia raised an army of about 15,000 (which continued to expand up to 90,000 by the end of 1919) and, with material support from the UK and USA, eventually managed to force the larger Red Army to retreat out of Estonia. The Estonians then cooperated with White Russian forces (which had organized within Estonian territory) in an offensive toward Petrograd (Leningrad) but they were forced to retreat after being repulsed by a hastily formed Red Army (made up of workers and demobilized soldiers) repulsed the attack. By the end of August 1919, Estonian forces had withdrawn behind the border. From November through December the Estonians repulsed a fresh invasion of the Red Army which was pursuing a White Russian force into Estonia; fighting ceased by January 3, 1920.

Lacking great power recognition of Estonian independence and expecting better terms from the Bolsheviks while the Russian Civil War was still ongoing, Estonians initiated peace talks with on December 5, 1919 in Dorpat (Tartu). Estonian independence was officially recognized by the Soviet government in the Treaty of Dorpat (Tartu) signed on February 2, 1920. Under the terms of treaty, the Bolsheviks relinquished all claims to Estonia in perpetuity. In the end, the War of Independence took the lives of about 3,600 Estonians and left about 14,000 wounded. A year later, Estonia gained international recognition from the Entente Powers (France, the UK and USA) and it became a member of the League of Nations.

References

COW107; Dupuy and Dupuy, 1096; EB - Baltic War of Liberation; Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - Country Studies; Estonica - Estonian War of Independence; Kohn, 163.

Category

Inter-State War

Region

Eastern Europe

Belligerents

Estonia, Finns, USSR

Dispute

Territory, Governance

Initiation Date

November 22, 1918

Termination Date

January 3, 1920

Duration

1 year, 1 month, 13 days
(408 days)

Outcome

Negotiated Settlement
(Estonia victory)

Fatalities

Total: 11,750
Estonia: 3,600
Finns: 150
USSR: 8,000

Magnitude

4.1