Latvian Riflemen
라트비아 소총병
Latvian units formed within the Russian Imperial Army in 1915 to meet the German advance. Going over to the Bolsheviks in 1917, they became the most reliable force of the Soviet regime. They helped put down the Left SR uprising in Moscow and the Yaroslavl uprising in July 1918 and fought as an elite of the Red Army throughout the Civil War.
In depth
Why was there a unit of Latvians alone?
As German troops pushed into Latvia in 1915, Duma deputies such as Jānis Goldmanis asked for Latvian battalions, and the tsar approved them on 19 July. Latvians resented Russification but resented the Germans more, and they knew the ground. The units were filled first by volunteers and from 1916 by conscription; about 40,000 served in all.
Why did they side with the Bolsheviks?
In the Christmas Battles of December 1916 and January 1917 the Latvian Riflemen broke the German line, but the attack was not followed through and the effort was wasted, with 9,000 Latvian casualties, about a third of their number. Anger against the generals and the tsar grew and turned into support for the Bolsheviks, who promised an end to the war. From May 1917 the regiments went over to the Bolsheviks in large numbers.
What part did they play in the Soviet regime?
On 13 April 1918 the regiments were combined into the Soviet Latvian Riflemen Division, the first regular division of the Red Army. They also served as guards of the Kremlin and the revolutionary leadership. On 6 and 7 July 1918, when the rest of the garrison held back, Ioakim Vatsetis led them to end the Left SR uprising with artillery, and they went on to help suppress the Yaroslavl uprising. Later they fought the Czechoslovak Legion, Denikin, Yudenich and Wrangel. In early 1919 they were used to set up Soviet Latvia but lost the Latvian War of Independence.