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Latvia
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1939
June
07
Germany's non-aggression pacts with Estonia and Latvia
On 7 June 1939 in Berlin, Estonia and Latvia signed ten-year non-aggression pacts with the Reich. In August Hitler handed them to Stalin in a secret protocol.
September
28
The Soviet–Estonian Mutual Assistance Pact
On 28 September 1939, under threat of war, Estonia signed a mutual assistance pact in Moscow, giving the USSR bases and the right to station 25,000 troops.
October
05
The Soviet–Latvian Mutual Assistance Pact
On 5 October 1939 Latvia, under threat of force, signed a mutual assistance pact in Moscow. The USSR gained bases at Liepāja and Ventspils and 25,000 troops.
1940
June
17
The Red Army enters Latvia and Estonia
On 17 June 1940, a day after the Soviet ultimatums, the Red Army entered Latvia and Estonia. By 18 June all three Baltic states were occupied.
21
Coups in the Baltic states
On 21 June 1940, under cover of Soviet tanks, “popular” coups were staged in Tallinn and Riga. Päts had to appoint a Vares government chosen by Zhdanov.
July
14
Rigged elections in the Baltic states
On 14–15 July 1940 Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia voted for a single list watched by the Red Army. On 21 July the new parliaments proclaimed Soviet republics.
August
03
Key event
The USSR annexes the Baltic states
On 1–7 August 1940 the Supreme Soviet incorporated Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as union republics and formed the Moldavian SSR from land taken from Romania.
1941
June
14
The June deportation
On the night of 13–14 June 1941 the NKVD began deporting people from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Over 40,000 were taken in days, Poles from Wilno among them.
July
01
The Germans take Riga
On 1 July 1941 the Wehrmacht entered Riga. Latvia passed from Soviet to German occupation, and the Germans and local collaborators began murdering Jews.
1944
September
14
The Baltic offensive begins
On 14 September 1944 three Baltic Fronts struck towards Riga to destroy Army Group North. Two days later Hitler conditionally agreed to a retreat from Estonia.
1945
May
08
The surrender of Courland
On 8 May 1945, on Dönitz's orders, General Carl Hilpert's Army Group Courland surrendered to the Leningrad Front. Some 190,000 men went into captivity.