Soviet Red Army Occupies Tallinn: September 28, 1944

On September 28, 1944, the Soviet Red Army occupied Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, as part of its Baltic Offensive during the later stages of World War II. This event was a significant moment in the Eastern European theater of the war and marked the re-establishment of Soviet control over Estonia, which had been under Nazi occupation since 1941.

Background

Prelude to Occupation

• Soviet Advances: As the tide of war turned in favor of the Allies, the Soviet Union pushed westward, regaining territories lost to Nazi Germany in the early years of the war as part of Operation Barbarossa.
• Estonia in WWII: Estonia, like its Baltic neighbors, was caught between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. Initially annexed by the USSR in 1940, it was occupied by Germany in 1941, becoming part of the Nazi-occupied territories.
• Baltic Offensive: The Soviet Baltic Offensive, launched in September 1944, aimed to recapture the Baltic states and neutralize German forces in the region. It included multiple strategic operations targeting key cities and infrastructure.

Key Events of September 28, 1944

• Strategic Attacks: Soviet forces, particularly the 8th Estonian Rifle Corps, spearheaded the operation to capture Tallinn. By leveraging previous gains in the Tartu and Narva regions, Soviet troops advanced rapidly towards the capital.
• German Withdrawal: The German forces, recognizing the untenable position due to Soviet military superiority, rapidly evacuated, leaving the strategically significant city to the advancing Soviet army.
• Occupation: By the end of the day on September 28, Soviet troops had firmly established control over Tallinn, marking an end to three years of German occupation.

Aftermath and Impact

• Soviet Control: The occupation of Tallinn effectively brought Estonia back under Soviet control, setting the stage for its re-incorporation into the Soviet Union, which was formally finalized in 1945.
• Post-War Consequences: The post-war period for Estonia, as with many Eastern European countries, was marked by Sovietization, repression, and resistance movements.
• Historical Significance: The occupation of Tallinn is a crucial event in the broader narrative of both Soviet wartime strategy and the complex history of Baltic states in the 20th century. It exemplifies the geopolitical shifts and the political reconfiguration of Eastern Europe in the aftermath of World War II.

The Soviet occupation of Tallinn on September 28, 1944, symbolized the Soviet Union’s near-complete domination of the Baltic region during WWII, setting the stage for the subsequent decades of Soviet influence over Estonia.