WE WERE ESTONIAN SOLDIERS. Carl Orav

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the red flag of the Red Army. From our new location in the French school house we could see the changing of the flags. It was an awful sight! We could feel the world collapsing around us. Everything that our fathers and grandfathers had fought so hard to achieve and what we had taken an oath to protect until death was unraveling before our eyes. To stand helplessly by and not be able to do anything was a most horrible experience.

      Then we got word that the mob was headed in our direction! Second Lieutenants Kubja and Kivimäe had been sent out in civilian clothing to do a reconnaissance mission. They had witnessed the removal of the Estonian flag and heard the discussion among the ringleaders to make the Estonian Military Technical Academy the next target. After providing us with the information, they were told to position themselves outside in their civilian clothes among the spectators.

      Captain Kandre organized us into defensive positions inside the school. We were to arm ourselves and assume positions at every window of the first and second floors such that we could not be seen from the street. We placed a heavy machine gun so that it pointed directly at the main entrance. We were ready to defend our little piece of Estonia, but orders were given not to fire unless directed to do so.

      Soon there were about 25 hoodlums at our front door, some of them armed with Russian rifles. One of these appeared to be an unshaven, shoddy individual, possibly a former prisoner. He was sporting a new officer’s belt with a sword on each hip. Col. Laurits ordered Capt. Villemson to go outside and ask them what they wanted. Villemson was told that the leaders of the Academy have committed crimes and have abused their subordinates. He was also told that a new government was in place and that we were to surrender our arms as ordered by Moscow. Villemson replied that we can only surrender our arms to the Red Army and not to civilians. While this argument was taking place a Red Army armored car pulled up in front of our building. It rotated its cannon and aimed it at our front door. The arguments and noise now continued at a higher pitch. Col. Laurits tried to get direction from higher command via telephone but was unsuccessful. Finally he stepped outside and told the hoodlums that to avoid bloodshed we would vacate the building within ten minutes, leaving our weapons inside.

      Our short ten minutes was a flurry of activity. We hid some weapons inside mattresses and in the ventilation ducts and collected a few personal belongings. When we left the building we were searched and told to form a line outside. Most of us had a single bag of clothing and a laced pair of boots over the shoulder. Bearded hoodlums smelling of alcohol searched us for hidden weapons. None of them thought to look inside our boots. Many cadets thus smuggled out their personal side arms and ammunition. When all had exited the school, the mob entered. Seeing that we were just standing and watching they yelled, “What are you waiting for? Go home!”

      Some cadets had no relatives or close friends in Tallinn where they could spend the night. Their only home was the Academy. Thus when the town grew quiet towards evening, they came back. They were met at the door by a bearded hoodlum armed with a Russian rifle. After much debate, the cadets were let inside to spend the night. During the night the hoodlums apparently got word from the Red Army command to vacate the premises and to turn the Academy building back over to the Estonians. It appeared the Academy was again back in business, just in time to graduate its last group of officers.

      On the morning of June 22 a meeting was held by the new Estonian government, which had been imposed on the Estonians by the Russians. They ordered new security arrangements. The previous government had used the Estonian military to guard its facilities, but now all facilities were to be guarded by a new security force named the “People’s Self Defense.” Its members consisted of the previous day’s mob members who now carried red bands on their left arms.

      Our Academy was given word to retrieve its weapons from the government building on Toompea. While there, one of the cadets, Ensign Rea, made his way up the Pikk Hermann tower and replaced the red flag with the Estonian flag. On the same day, we were notified that upon pressure from the Soviets our President had relieved General Laidoner from his duties as commander of the Estonian armed forces. He was replaced by Major General Jonson from the cavalry.

      About a week later, a parade was organized by the Communist leadership to show support for the new Soviet-friendly Estonian government. This was to demonstrate to the outside world how the population supported the new regime. Workers were rousted out of their places of employment and military units in civilian clothing were forced to participate in this “voluntary” endeavor. The parade included the “heroes” of the revolution who had caused the old government to fall – hoodlums in the full sense of the word who had the backing of the Red Army. The cadets were forced to participate and formed a section between a workers’ unit and a Red Army unit.

      When the procession started moving we started singing a patriotic Estonian song in unison. When the song ended we started again and so it went on and on throughout the parade. Onlookers liked our bravado and what they were hearing. Many threw flowers at us. Young ladies rushed up and kissed us. It was an overwhelming experience. The remnants of a free people demonstrated their compassion toward the Estonian soldier. When workers or Red Army units passed the spectators, there was stony silence. When we passed while singing, there was much noise and applause. This again showed the true feelings of the people.

      Cadets were ordered to participate in the Communist-organized parade.

      It had now become painfully clear how the Soviet Union had played their cards. They had caused the demise of the legal government of Estonia with their show of power and staged events. We speculated that this plan had been in place for a long time, perhaps even at the time of the signing of the Soviet military base agreements. The Soviets were very efficient at surfacing non-existing problems and laying the blame on the Estonian democracy. Piece by piece they had brought forth more and more demands, and piece by piece the Estonian government had given in to their proposals and ultimatums under the threat of violence. The takeover of the government had started in earnest on the thirteenth of June and had continued through the twenty first of June in a series of bold steps. The morale of the Estonian soldier had been shattered by all these concessions, especially by giving up their camps and barracks to the army of the unwelcome intruders.

      After these events in June of 1940, the independent Republic of Estonia ceased to exist. The President of Estonia was now president in name only. He had no power and did whatever the Soviets dictated. With much pain and anger, we witnessed the following sequence of events whereby the last remnants of our democracy were dismantled:

      June 27 – The President decreed that the Estonian National Guard was disbanded.

      June 28 – The Estonian kroon was devalued to 1/8th of its previous value against the Russian ruble.

      July 5 – The President disbanded the parliament to allow new “elections.”

      July 13 – Estonian military units were required to select military committees.

      July 14 & 15 – Election of “people’s representatives.”

      July 18 – The last Estonian sports event was held in a soccer match between Estonia and Latvia in Kadrioru Stadium in Tallinn. After the match the people marched to the President’s palace waving Estonian flags and sang patriotic songs, crying “Long live Estonia,” “Long live our democracy,” “Long live our President,” and so on. Upon reaching the President’s residence all took off their hats and all became very quiet. It was like everyone was praying for a miracle and hoping that we could stay united and fight for a free Estonia. When Red Army tanks arrived, the crowd dispersed.

      July 21 – The newly elected “representatives of the people” convened and declared the start of a Soviet state and the freeing of the nation from capitalism. The President signed a document giving up his powers.

      July 22 – The banner of the President

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