Estonia's Struggle During Second Soviet Occupation

In the context of World War II, the Soviet regime implemented a series of deportations targeting various ethnic groups, including Estonians. Approximately 11,000 Estonians were forcibly removed from their homeland and sent to Russia as part of these actions. This mass deportation was part of a broader strategy by the Soviet authorities to suppress dissent and eliminate perceived threats to their control in the Baltic states. The deportations were characterized by a lack of due process, with individuals taken from their homes without warning, often under the cover of night. The impact of these deportations was profound, leading to significant demographic changes and long-lasting trauma within the affected communities. Following the deportations, the geopolitical landscape shifted dramatically with the onset of Operation Barbarossa, as Germany invaded the Soviet Union. This military campaign marked the beginning of the Summer War in Estonia, during which the Soviet authorities conscripted around 34,000 young Estonian men into the Red Army. The conscription efforts faced resistance, with fewer than 30% of those conscripted complying. The combination of deportations and forced conscription not only disrupted the social fabric of Estonian society but also contributed to a legacy of mistrust and hardship that would resonate for generations.