War in the Woods: Estonia's Struggle for Survival 1944-1956

by Tonu Parming, Tiina Ets, Mart Laar

Release Date: November, 1992

Edition: Hardcover

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Great book covering an overlooked topic!!! Must Read!!

I found this to an interesting book. Most books covering this period gloss over the Baltic States and their history. The book covers a short history of the Estonians centuries of struggle for independence then leads into it's main focus, of the Estonian's struggle for survival and hope for western intervention after the Russians returned following a brief Nazi occupation. During the first occupation brought about by the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact many Estonians including the President and his cabinet were deported and later died in gulags if they weren't murdered outright. In fall of 1944, the Russians returned and recommenced their Russification policy, mass deportations and executions ensued while Russians were sent to fill in the lands where Estonians had been deported from. This spurred the guerilla movement. Many who went to hide in the woods were just waiting for the west to intervene as everyone thought that the Americans and British would not allow the Communists to stay in formerly independent territories. Unfortunately, the Russian occupation lasted until 1991. The book describes how collectivization was instituted to eliminate the small family farms which supported the guerillas and everything in Estonia was turned into an economic support system for Moscow.
A great read, well worth the money!!!

Incomplete account

This book gives only one side of the story. Another side of it that most of these rebels were former Nazi soldgiers or served in German police forces. As such they were actively involved in Holocaust (Estonian officials still deny Holocaust existence on the territory of Estonia). While fighting with Soviets, "Brothers" also killed innocent citizens just to inflict the horror on them. Not to mention that the author, prime minister, came to power on the wave of nationalism and ruined an Estonian economy. It was under his leadership that political parties were able to use slogan "Estonia for Estonians".
The bottom line, this book as much politically twisted as books printed earlier by the Soviets about the guerrela movement.