Baltic Independence

• The break-up of the Soviet Union began in the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
• The states had been independent in the 1920s and 1930s but were conquered by Stalin in 1940.
• By 1988, large popular front movements dedicated to gaining independence were growing in all three Baltic states.
• Estonia declared itself sovereign and began educating citizens about the Estonian language.
• Lithuania declared independence in March 1990, after nationalist victories in the election of a new Lithuanian Supreme Soviet.
• Gorbachev imposed economic sanctions instead of force, but they failed.
• In January 1991, Soviet troops killed 14 people in response to political protest.
• The event led to outrage across the Soviet Union and protests from Ukrainian miners.
• Yeltsin created a Russian army to defend Russian Republics from Soviet attack.