Victory Day (Võidupüha) marks the decisive battle during the Estonian War of
Independence in which the country’s military forces and their allies defeated
the German forces who sought to re-assert control over the region. The day has
been celebrated on 23 June every year from 1934 until 1939 and then again after
the restoration of Estonian independence, from 1992. Although it marks the
important historical battle, the annual military parade also commemorates and
recognises the contributions of all Estonians in their fight to regain and
retain their independence.
The Victory Day is celebrated all over the country, but the
main parade usually rotates between towns.
The
background
At the end of the First World War, Estonia was
engaged in a war for its own independence with two former major powers. At the
time of the armistice that ended the Great War on 11 November 1918, the
Estonian Provisional Government was forced to defend its declaration of
independence against attacks by Soviet Russian troops and a Baltic-German
Landeswehr army under General Rüdiger von der Goltz. By the end of December
1918, the Soviet-Russian forces, in an effort to re-establish the borders of
the Russian Empire, had succeeded in occupying half of Estonia.
However, the tide began to turn in late
December 1918 when Finnish volunteers, as well as British naval assistance,
began to arrive in Estonia to support the country’s defence. By the time the
volunteers and the equipment reached the front, the Soviet advance had been
halted and in less than a month Estonia was virtually cleared of all Soviet
forces.
However, intermittent fighting continued
on the eastern and southern fronts throughout 1919. In northern Latvia, a mixed
Estonian-Latvian force under the Estonian command of General Johan Laidoner
defeated the Red Army troops operating in northern Latvia. However, half of
Latvia was still occupied by the troops of von der Goltz.
In early June 1919, von der Goltz
advanced and attempted to isolate the right wing of the Estonian Army. Despite
his well-equipped and experienced troops, his army was defeated. The final
battle at Cēsis (Võnnu in Estonian) on 23 June saw the collapse of the von der
Goltz army. Following this victory, Estonian and Latvian forces co-operated to
ensure the fall of the puppet regime that had been established in Riga.
Latvia’s freedom was regained and Estonia’s borders were secured.
The defeat of the two invading forces in
1919 and the signing of the Tartu Peace Treaty in 1920 between Estonia and
Soviet Russia marked the successful achievement of Estonia’s independence after
centuries of struggle, and thus 23 June became a day to celebrate this victory.
It is important to note that a
multi-national force helped Estonia to win its independence. Along with 85,500
Estonians, 3,700 Finns, more than 5,000 Russians of the North West White Army
(under the command of the Estonian Defence Forces General Staff), 9,800
Latvians, 3,000 British, 400 Swedes and 250 Danes and up to 700 Baltic Germans
(who were Estonian citizens, but had a separate Baltic Battalion) fought for
the country.
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