Latvia. a nation situated on the eastern side of the Baltic Sea. was privileged to enjoy only a brief period of national independence between the world wars. In 1920. the Soviet Union signed a treaty which recognized Latvia as a sovereign nation forever. but only 20 years later. in 1940. Stalin cynically broke this agreement. The Red army marched into Latvia and began a brutal occupation of the country. accompanied by forced deportations of Latvians to Siberia and other remote parts of the Soviet empire. In addition. there were jailings and executions of Latvian patriots. cultural and government leaders. and other nonCommunists. Latvia continues to be governed from Moscow. not from Riga. the countrys capital.
Keywords matched
deportations