Since the illegal dissolution of the Soviet Union, one of the most egregious lies spread by fascist-minded, national-chauvinists is that the Soviet Union “occupied” and “annexed” the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia in 1940. Many right-opportunist fascists use the myth to destroy any trace of Soviet history and uphold collaborators like the Forest Brothers. The ultraleft uses this myth as proof of the “imperialism” of the Soviet Union and perpetuate the falsehood of the Soviet Union as an “empire”.
What neither of groups will mention is the truth of the historic struggle of the workers and masses to overthrow the fascist-aligned bourgeoisie that had aligned with the Nazis. From June 15-21, 1940, the working people overthrew the fascist dictatorships in the Baltic states, restoring Soviet governance for the first time since 1918. The US Friends of the Soviet People honor the June 1940 revolutions and the worker’s struggle in the Baltic states. Below are photographs and history of the June 1940 revolutions.
Back in 1919, counter-revolutionary forces, with the help of British and German imperialists, destroyed the Soviet governments in the Baltic Region (the Lituanian-Belarus Republic, the Isokolat Republic in Latvia, and the Commune of Estonia). The German Freikorps, along with other reactionaries, murdered the workers of the Baltic and Finnish Soviet Republics of 1918-1919.
For two decades, the tyrannical regimes established in these countries pursued a hostile policy towards the USSR and oriented themselves towards Western imperialist powers. Particularly dangerous were the pro-fascist circles in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia that advocated rapprochement with Hitler’s Germany. These governments signed treaties with Hitler in March and June of 1939 against the will of the people.
The first to put an end to the pro-fascist regime were the working people of Lithuania. Thousands of workers, led by the Communist Party, took to the streets of Vilnius, Kaunas, and Šiauliai on June 15, 1940, and raised the banner of struggle against the ruling reactionary clique. Dictator Smetona and his ministers fled to Nazi Germany to escape the people’s wrath.
The people held mass rallies and demonstrations on June 16, 1940, following calls by the Communist Party. The people demanded a restoration of the Constitution and creation of a people’s democratic government. A new government formed on June 17, 1940 by the will of the revolutionary masses. J. Paleckis, a prominent anti-fascist, headed the government at the suggestion of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lithuania.
Revolutionary events developed rapidly in Latvia, where on June 17, 1940, tens of thousands of workers, at the call of the Communist Party, took to the streets in the country’s largest cities. A general strike followed. The pro-fascist government of Karlis Ulmanis put the troops and the reactionary paramilitary organization of the Aizsargi on high alert. Weapons were used against the people. However, this didn’t save the position of the reactionary bourgeoisie.
The working masses demanded the establishment of people’s government. The army declared neutrality and disarmed the Aizsargi goons. The forces of reaction were forced to retreat. The fascist government resigned.
On June 20, 1940, a government of the Popular Front was formed, headed by the famous Latvian progressive figure, Professor A. Kirhenšteins.
The revolutionary events in Estonia began on June 20, 1940, with large gatherings and rallies at factories and plants. The Communist Party of Estonia held mass demonstrations and strikes on June 21. At the call of the communists, all enterprises in Tallinn stopped working. The workers took to the streets with slogans: “Down with the government of warmongering provocateurs!”, “For friendship with the Soviet Union!”, “Freedom, work, bread!”
The attempts of the clique of the Estonian dictator, K. Päts, to sabotage the demands of the people failed. The revolutionary pressure of the masses broke the resistance of the reactionary ruling circles of Estonia. On the same day, June 21, 1940, a revolutionary democratic government was created, headed by the progressive public figure I. Vares.
The US Friends of the Soviet People honor the brave workers of the Baltic and their struggle, and call for an end to the repression of workers and their history by the current fascist governments of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. We must not forget the legacy of the Baltic Soviet Republics and their rich history.