On July 6. 1940. the Latvian puppet Prime Minister announced to the Latvian people that: The Red Army is assisting us in the defense of our freedom and the defense of our stateonce again I salute the freedom and independence of the Latvian Republic. We are still and will remain free. for we believe in the promises of Stalin. the highest authority of the Soviet Union. Fifteen days later. against a background of Red flags and a large picture of Stalin and Lenin. the puppet parliamentits members virtually unknown to the peopleproclaimed the "Latvian Soviet Republic" and requested permission to admit "Soviet Latvia as a part of the Soviet Union." It was difficult to lower the Latvian high standard of living to that of Russia. but by murder. pillage. and deportations Russia succeeded. Estonia: The Estonians. a FinoUgrian people. having. no racial or linguistic heritage in common with the Slavs. the Germans or their neighboring Baltic people. were conquered by imperialistic Russia in 1710. At the close of World War I the Soviet forces were driven out of the country and a constituent assembly was formed in April 1919. which guaranteed civil rights and liberties.
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deportations