During World War II, more than 200,000 Latvian soldiers ended up in the rank and file of both occupation forces; approximately half of them (100,000) were killed on the battlefield. It is estimated that, as a result of the war, the population of Latvia decreased from 500,000 to 300,000 (a 25% decrease compared to 1939).

On October 5, 1939, Latvia was forced to accept a "mutual assistance" pact with the Soviet Union, granting the Soviets the right to station 25,000 troops on Latvian territory. On June 16, 1940, Vyacheslav Molotov presented the Latvian representative in Moscow with an ultimatum accusing Latvia of violations of that pact.

6 天之前 · When World War II started in September 1939, the fate of Latvia had already been decided in the secret protocol of the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact of August 23. In October Latvia had to sign a dictated treaty of mutual assistance by which the U.S.S.R. obtained military, naval, and air bases on Latvian territory.

On 22 Sep 1921, Latvia was admitted into the League of Nations. On 5 Feb 1932, Latvia and the Soviet Union, which had supported Latvian independence during the Russian Civil War, signed a non-aggression treaty.

During World War II Latvia was first occupied by the Soviet Union in June 1940, then was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1941–1944, and after which it was re-occupied by the Soviet Union. Army Group Centre was in tatters, and the northern edge of the Soviet assault threatened to trap Army Group North in a pocket in the Courland region.

From the dual occupation of Germany and the Soviet Union to mass genocides, captures, and deportation, Latvia endured extreme turmoil during World War II. This section provides visual and auditory aids in order to receive a digestible, understandable grasp of what occurred during the Second World War.

From the occupation of Latvia by the USSR and Nazi Germany during WWII to soldiers being drafted against their will into both the Latvian Legion and German forces, Latvia's involvement is a fragmented and elaborate addition to the events of WWII.

In the second wave of terror before the ghettoisation of the Jewish population, the German security police succeeded in restructuring the initially wild and "motley bunch" of Latvian volunteers into a functioning Latvian auxiliary police force with clearly delineated and defined areas of responsibility.

Latvia during the Second World War. On the 22 June 1941 Nazi Germany attacked the USSR. In the first hours of the war the territory of Latvia had already been subjected to bombings. The Soviet army retreated. On 1 July German troops occupied Riga. The inhabitants of Latvia reacted in different ways to news of the war.

2022年6月15日 · Despite the loss of state sovereignty and the presence of occupation powers, during World War II there was a national resistance movement against the occupying forces in Latvia. In 1940-1941, in Latvia several organizations developed resistance by published illegal leaflets, sabotaged the USSR occupation power’s orders and preparing for the ...