Battle of CÄ“sis (1919)
The Battle of Wenden (Estonian Võnnu Lahing, Battle of Võnnu; Latvian Ventspils kaujas, Battle of Cesis ) was a battle in the Estonian and Latvian War of Independence. The battle took place between June 23, 1919 between Estonian- Latvian troops and reinforced by German Freikorps Baltic Landeswehr of 19.
Prehistory
The contrasts of the various parties were exacerbated. Following a military coup, the German Balts used a new government under Andrievs Niedra so as to maintain their old territorial claims. On May 22, 1919, the city of Riga was recaptured.
- Baltic Landeswehr
- Latvian Red Army
- Ulmanis Latvian Army
- Estonian Army
Rüdiger von der Goltz helped the company under the hand in relation to the Treaty of Versailles, whose acceptance or rejection was in this time for debate. The Latvian and Russian parts of the country under military Jānis Balodis Anatol Lieven and declared themselves neutral. The soldiers of the Free Corps, which were later invited to help, had little struggle zeal, as they were enlisted to fight against Bolshevism and did not want to sacrifice the interests of the " Baltic barons ".
The Estonian army was supported mainly by the British through arms sales. Under Estonian protection in early 1919, the Latvian North corps had been formed under Jorgis Zemitāns. Many of the defeated Red Army switched to Zemitāns, who had already begun in Northern Latvia with the expropriation of the big landowners. The Estonian and Latvian soldiers were highly motivated. There were Estonians, who deserted from the Russian front to fight against the former Baltic German men can.
Course of the battle
Taking Apply
On June 5, it came to the first skirmishes between the two armies that reached its climax with the German conquest of Wenden. Under the mediation of the Entente, a preliminary cease-fire was signed on June 10. During the negotiations, Latvian troops advanced to the Estonians, which was one of the reasons that the talks on 19 June failed and it came to battle.
Schlacht
On June 19, the Iron Division opened the fights with a attack on the Estonian positions near Limbaži. In Straupe the attack faltered. On 21 June, the country's military Cesis reached out in three columns of attack. The right group should proceed on Rauna, the left along the road to Valmiera. As the object of the middle group was scheduled to proceed between the wings and the railway line walk - to lock Valmiera.
The attacks of the country's defense came especially for the left-hand assault group at Lode railway station to a halt. Estonian gains were led directly from the railway ramp into battle. After the failure of the breakthrough the left flank following a defeat in the Iron Division was endangered, leading to the accelerated retreat of the country's military on June 23.
Further development
After the battle, the Estonian- Latvian troops were able to advance on Riga. Von der Goltz, who now officially led the command again, the front could not stabilize despite reinforcements. In Riga, a Latvian uprising and the lake side threatened was unprotected. Since Riga was no longer tenable, a cease-fire, the so-called peace of Strasdenhof was completed on July 3, 1919, which had the return of parliamentary Latvian government result. The Latvian army was now formed from the northern corps, the brigade Balodis and of the accreted Baltic country's military. The German occupying force was asked to leave the country, transferred to the Russian department Lieven for Jew Nitsch Army.
Importance
- With the defeat at the Battle of Wenden the Baltic German minority had lost their power. In a further support from Germany was no longer expected after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The Baltic National Committee decided to participate in the Latvian parliamentary system of government.
- The Latvians and Estonians had preserved their state and won a national symbolic victory over the former Baltic German upper classes. June 23 is still state national holiday in Estonia.
- By consolidating the states of Estonia and Latvia, the Red Army was able to deduct troops to other fronts of the civil war. The White movement, which did not recognize the independence of the border states, lost in the Entente influence.