Soviet agents had instituted a reign of terror. Estonians. Latvians. and Lithuanians by the tens of thousands were arrested. imprisoned. and deported to distant parts of the Soviet Union. The terror continued until the Red army was forced out of these countries by the Nazis. in late June of 1941. In midJune. however. just before their eviction. Soviet authorities intensified their reign of terror. and in one night alone. on June 1314. tens of thousands of innocent people were deported. All told. during the first stage of their occupation of these countries. Soviet authorities deported many hundred thousand Baltic people. whose sad fate is not known to this day. It is tragic that we solemnize the anniversary of this tragedy while the fate of its victims is still not fully known. and while the survivors of that tragedy still suffer under Soviet totalitarian tyranny. We pay homage to the memory of those who suffered and died for their righteous cause. and pray for the freedom of those who still survive.
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deported