The Latvian War of Independence, sometimes called the Latvian War of Liberation (, literally, the "Struggles for Latvia's freedom," or Latvijas atbrīvošanas karš, "War of Latvian Liberation"), was a series of military conflicts in Latvia between 5 December, 1918, after the Republic of Latvia proclaimed its independence, and the signing of the Treaty of Riga between the Republic of Latvia and the Russian SFSR on August 11 1920. The war involved Latvia (its provisional government was supported by Estonia, Poland, and the Western Allies, particularly the United Kingdom) against the Russian SFSR and the Bolsheviks' short-lived Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic. Germany and the United Baltic Duchy added a new level of intrigue, initially being nominally allied to the Nationalist/Allied force, but attempting to jockey for German domination of Latvia. Eventually, the tensions flared up after a German coup against the Latvian government and led to open war. Following a ceasefire, the Germans developed a ploy, nominally dissolving into the West Russian Volunteer Army led by general Pavel Bermont-Avalov. The West Russian Volunteer Army included Germans and former Russian prisoners of war nominally allied with the White Army in the Russian Civil War, but both Bermondt-Avalov and von der Goltz were more interested in eliminating the nationalists than fighting the Bolsheviks. Certain episodes of the Latvian Independence War are therefore also considered by Polish historians to be a part of the Polish-Soviet War (particularly the Battle of Daugavpils). Timeline 1918
Image:Latvian Independence War 1918.svg|November 1918: After World War I most of Latvia was occupied by German forces (orange)
1919 - 31 January: Most of Latvia is under the control of the Red Army, the Latvian government and German forces control the neighbourhood of Liepāja.
- 3 March: United Baltic German and Latvian forces commence counterattack against the forces of Soviet Latvia.
- 21 March: 1st Latvian Independent Battalion is reformed into a brigade.
- 16 April: The puppet Latvian Government established by the Baltic nobility
- 22 May: The forces of the Baltic nobility capture Riga.
- 23 May: The Latvian Independent Brigade marches into Riga.
- 3 June: The forces of the Baltic German Latvian Government reach Cēsis.
- 6 June: The Battle of Wenden, between the forces of the Baltic nobility and the joint forces of the 3rd Estonian Division and the North Latvian Brigade begins, fighting continues until 3 July.
- 3 July: Ceasefire of Strazdumuiža is signed.
- 6 July: The North Latvian Brigade and the 3rd Estonian Division enter Riga.
- 3 November: Latvian Army launches counter attack against the West Russian Volunteer Army.
- 11 November: Latvian Army defeats West Russian Volunteer Army at Riga.
Image:Latvian Independence War 1919.03.06.svg|6 March 1919: After Soviet attack most of Latvia is under control of the Bolsheviks (pink)
Image:Latvian Independence War 1919.04.16.svg|16 April 1919: In March the united German and Latvian forces (orange and yellow) launches counter attack, taking most of Courland
Image:Latvian Independence War 1919.06.22.svg|22 June 1919: The 3rd Estonian Division and North Latvian Brigade (purple) confronted German forces at Cēsis in the beginning of June and gained victory on 23 June
Image:Latvian Independence War 1919.11.11.svg|11 November 1919: Latvian army has taken most of Vidzeme and is attacking the West Russian Volunteer Army, which is forced to retreat.
1920 - 13 January: Government of the Latvian SSR resigns.
- 1 May: First session of Constitutional Assembly.
- 15 July: Latvia signs ceasefire with Germany.
Bibliography- BischoffJosef, Die letzte Front. Geschichte der Eiserne Division im Baltikum 1919, Berlin 1935.
- Darstellungen aus den Nachkriegskämpfen deutscher Truppen und Freikorps, Bd 2: Der Feldzug im Baltikum bis zur zweiten Einnahme von Riga. Januar bis Mai 1919, Berlin 1937; Bd 3: Die Kämpfe im Baltikum nach der zweiten Einnahme von Riga. Juni bis Dezember 1919, Berlin 1938.
- Die baltische Landeswehr im Befreiungskampf gegen den Bolschevismus. Ein Gedenkbuch, herausgegeben vom baltischen Landeswehrein, Riga 1929.
- Kiewisz Leon, Sprawy łotewskie w bałtyckiej polityce Niemiec 1914-1919, Poznań 1970.
- Łossowski Piotr, Między wojną a pokojem. Niemieckie zamysły wojenne na wschodzie w obliczu traktatu wersalskiego. Marzec-kwiecień 1919, Warszawa 1976.
- Paluszyński Tomasz, Walka o niepodległość Łotwy 1914-1920, Warszawa 1999.
- Von den baltische Provinzen zu den baltischen Staaten. Beiträge zur Entstehungsgeschichte der Republiken Estland und Lettland, Bd I (1917-1918), Bd II (1919-1920), Marburg 1971, 1977.
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