Did Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians Hate Russians before 1939 when their Countries Were Annexed to the Soviet Union?

Russia is notoriously hated by all of its neighboring countries - the most obstinate Russophobes being the Poles. However, there's a lesser-known Western exception, Finland, where Russia is not a source of abhorrence, and the Southern -stan states, where Islamic Fundamentalism is considered the greater evil. But what about Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania?

The Sik PU Classiliarion

Estonians were vehemently anti-Russian in 1920. While the Army of Nikolai Yudenich failed in their objective to capture Petrograd (St. Petersburg) in the autumn of 1919, the Red Army successfully repulsed the Army of Yudenich. Alongside the White Army came refugees, families of White Army soldiers, officers, Tsarist officials, and intellectuals. Before the White Offensive, the Army of Yudenich assisted in pushing back the Reds from Estonia, but how did the Estonians treat their allies?

Secret Report from the North-West Army Command

There were warehouses that could provide normal nourishment as well as medicines and uniforms, but the Estonian government declared these warehouses as their property and seized them in Narva, Vaivara, and other settlements/towns.

Essentially, the White Guard was robbed by their allies. Journalist Genrich Grossen and a secret report from the North-West Army Command both provide accounts of the treatment of Russians who fought against the Reds during the Estonian War of Independence.

Effects of Robbery on Epidemics

Without soap, clean bedding, undergarments, and medicines, the robust spread of typhus among malnourished, cold, and lice-infested people was inevitable. The Estonians allowed this to happen, rationalizing their actions until typhus started to spread from Russian barracks. The humiliation, mistreatment, and oppression of allies were primarily due to Estonia's urgent desire to conclude a peace treaty with Bolsheviks. The White Army became an impediment to this goal.

The adherence to this plan is illustrated by Rear Admiral Konstantin Pilkin's diary entry, where he wrote about the registration and expulsion of refugees and the impending concentration camps. The North-West Army and their families were meant to register within three days, with those who complied being issued documents as fugitives. Refusal led to more severe consequences, as seen in the harsh measures described.

Effect of the Moscow Peace Treaty and Tartu Treaty

On December 5, a truce was concluded with Estonia, and on February 2, the Treaty of Tartu was signed. According to this treaty, Estonians were given an additional 1,000 square kilometers of Russian lands, including the cities of Pechory and Ivangorod. Furthermore, Bolsheviks compensated Estonia with 15 million golden roubles. Boston historian Natalya RATAK, an expert on the White Russian Army, finds these actions deplorable, and rightly so. This was a victory not just for Bolsheviks but also for their allies, Estonia, at the expense of the White Army and their soldiers.

Interestingly, during the White Army's offensive in Estonia, they did not only fight against Russians but also against Red Estonian regiments of approximately 6,000 men. Therefore, the Estonian War of Independence was also a Civil War. During Yudenich's offensive, Estonians participated in the defense of Petrograd (St. Petersburg).

Resistance from the White Army

Estonians were vehemently anti-Russian despite the local Russians enlisting in the Estonian army. This indicates the depth of ethnic conflict that existed during this period. This historical context highlights the complex relationships between neighboring countries and the internal conflicts that arose during the tumultuous period following World War I.