Estonian and Latvian naval collaboration during the interwar period of 1920–1940

Abstract

After signing of the peace treaties with Soviet Russia in 1920, both Estonia and Latvia had to start developing their peacetime defense structures. Owing to both countries’ geographical positions with long coastlines, augmenting of naval forces was crucial for their maritime security. Forming a highly technical branch of the armed forces proved to be an arduous process for both nations. In recourse of the retrenchment of their defense budgets, neither country could acquire, maintain nor even complement a strong surface fleet. This inevitably created some unique naval concepts. This article examines the principles, based on which the Estonian (Eesti Merejõud) – and Latvian (Latvijas Kara flote) navies were developed, whether they concentrated on defensive or offensive naval warfare and why did a close collaboration begin between them. The naval cooperation lasted well into the early 1930s and it is interesting to observe, why this was abruptly discontinued. Although the naval alliance seemed logical on a political level, an inescapable question arises – namely, what, if any, were the actual benefits for the fleets and naval commanders themselves. This article only provides the general framework on the subject at hand along with an overview of the collaboration itself. For a better understanding of this exclusive naval collaboration, it is justifiably vital to conduct extensive research in both Estonian – and Latvian archives.