War in the woods : Estonia's struggle for survival, 1944-1956

By Mart Laar ; Translation By Tiina Ets ; Foreword By Tönu Parming. Translation Of: Sõda Metsas. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 257-261) And Index. With the Soviet reoccupation after World War II, Estonians faced a choice of submitting to Communist puppets or trying to survive in the traditional refuge of their forests while waiting for help from the West which never came. Those who chose the second course, Estonia's "Forest Brothers," mounted an armed resistance which, for more than a decade, seriously challenged Soviet rule. This is their story, told for the first time by sources within Estonia. This account is drawn from interviews with Forest Brothers who survived and relatives of those who died, and from documents and photographs from Soviet KGB files. It reflects Estonian courage and humor, the faith and sacrifice of a people suppressed, and the indomitable determination of a free nation to regain independence Table of Contents List of Illustrations Foreword Translator's Mote Preface The Tradition: Guerrillas, Partisans, and Mõrtsuks The Soviets Return Estonia Under Siege The Resistance Takes Form Striking Back The Armed Resistance League In the Forest and the City Manhunt The Last Stand Caught in the KGB Net Epilogue: The Resistance Lived On Appendix A: Description of a Forest Brothers Bunker Appendix B Bylaws of the Armed Resistance League Biographic Profiles Bibliography Index