Battle of Paju | |||||||
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Part of Estonian War of Independence | |||||||
Battle of Paju. Painting by Maximilian Maksolly | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic Soviet Russia | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Hans Kalm Julius Kuperjanov † Johannes Soodla | Emīls Vītols | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Tartumaa Partisan Battalion Pohjan Pojat | Red Latvian Riflemen | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Estonia: 300 soldiers 13 machine guns 2 field guns Finnish volunteers: 380 soldiers 9 machine guns 4 field guns Total: 683 soldiers 22 machine guns 6 field guns | 1,200 soldiers 32 machine guns 4 field guns 1 armoured train | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
156 | 300 dead |
The Battle of Paju (Estonian : Paju lahing) was fought in Paju, near Valga, Estonia, on 31 January 1919 during the Estonian War of Independence. After heavy fighting, the Tartu-Valga group of the Estonian Army pushed the Red Latvian Riflemen out of the Paju Manor. [1] It was the fiercest battle in the early period of war. Estonian commander Julius Kuperjanov fell in the fighting.
In early January 1919 Estonian forces had started a full-scale counterattack against invading Soviets. Their main objective was liberating north Estonia including Narva, which was achieved by 17 January. They then started to advance into south Estonia. On 14 January the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion, organised and led by Lt. Julius Kuperjanov, and armoured trains liberated Tartu.
At that time the only working railway connection to Riga, which the Red Army had captured on 3 January, passed through Valga, so defending it had strategic importance for Soviet Russia. [2] Among other units, a large part of the elite Latvian Riflemen were sent to stop the Estonians. [2] Commander-in-chief Johan Laidoner reinforced the Estonian advance in the south, including Finnish volunteers, The Sons of the North, led by Col. Hans Kalm. Finnish Gen. Paul Martin Wetzer became commander of the southern front. [3]
To liberate Valga it was necessary to capture Paju Manor. On 30 January Estonian partisans had captured it, but were soon pushed out. With his 300 men, two guns and 13 machine guns Kuperjanov decided to recapture Paju on 31 January. [4] Armoured trains were unable to support, due to the destruction of Sangaste railway bridge. The Latvian Riflemen had about 1,200 men with four guns and 32 machine guns. [5] They were also able to rely on support from a Soviet armoured train and armoured cars.
The Tartumaa Partisan Battalion attacked the manor directly over open fields. At 400 metres the Bolsheviks opened fire, inflicting heavy casualties. Kuperjanov led the attack personally, [4] as usual, and was badly wounded, dying two days later. When he was hit, Lt. Johannes Soodla took command of the battalion. Finnish Sons of the North units with about 380 men arrived later, bringing with them four guns and nine machine guns. They also assaulted the manor in a frontal attack, which caused heavy losses.
In the evening the Estonians and Finns finally pushed into the park of the estate where heavy hand-to-hand combat started, which resulted in the capture of the manor. Retreating Latvian Riflemen were subjected to heavy fire. The next day the Estonians marched into Valga without resistance. [6]
The bloody Battle of Paju resulted in the liberation of Valga the next day. The victory cut off the Soviets' railway supply line and denied them the use of armoured trains. Soon almost all of southern Estonia was liberated and Estonian troops advanced into northern Latvia.
To honour Julius Kuperjanov, who died of the wounds he sustained during the battle, on 2 February, the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion was renamed Kuperjanov's Partisan Battalion. [6] The current Estonian Defence Force still includes the Kuperjanov Battalion. [7] The battle is commemorated by a granite monument on a three–step pyramid of earth, which was reopened by Estonian President Lennart Meri in 1994 on the 75th anniversary of the battle.
The Estonian War of Independence, also known as the Estonian Liberation War, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Soviet Russian westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the 1919 aggression of the pro–German Baltische Landeswehr. The campaign was the struggle of the newly established democratic state of Estonia for independence in the aftermath of World War I. It resulted in a victory for Estonia and was concluded in the 1920 Treaty of Tartu.
Julius Kuperjanov VR I/2, VR II/2 and VR II/3 was an Estonian military officer who was well-known in Estonia for being one of the Liberators of Tartu during the War of Independence and commander of the Tartumaa Partisan Battalion.
Nikolai Reek VR I/2, VR II/2, VR II/3 was the Estonian military commander during the Estonian War of Independence.
Jaan Soots was an Estonian military commander during the Estonian War of Independence and politician.
Karl Parts VR I/1, VR II/2, VR II/3 was an Estonian military commander during the Estonian War of Independence.
Aleksander Warma VR I/3 was an Estonian navy officer, diplomat and painter.
Jaan Teemant was an Estonian lawyer and politician.
Ants Piip VR III/1 was an Estonian lawyer, diplomat and politician. Piip was the 1st Head of State of Estonia and the 5th Prime Minister of Estonia. Piip played a key role in internationalising the independence aspirations of Estonia during the Paris Peace Conference following World War I.
Juhan (Johann) Kukk was an Estonian politician.
Jüri Jaakson was an Estonian lawyer and statesman.
The Battle of Cēsis, fought near Cēsis (Wenden) in June 1919, was a decisive battle in the Estonian War of Independence and the Latvian War of Independence. After heavy fighting an Estonian force moving from the north, supplemented by Latvian units, repelled Baltic German attacks and went on full counter-attack.
The Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion is a battalion of the Estonian Land Forces. It is a part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade. Battalion headquarters is at Taara Army Base, Võru.
Estonian Auxiliary Police were Estonian police units that collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.
The Meredessantpataljon, was a short-lived Estonian marine infantry battalion during the Estonian War of Independence of the Estonian Defence Forces subject to the Estonian Navy. The battalion was created from the crews of the Estonian surface warships, students and Finnish volunteer soldiers. The battalion was created and later disbanded in Tallinn after it had fulfilled its military objectives in 1919.
The 1st Division was one of the three Estonian divisions created during the Estonian War of Independence, which was active until the Soviet occupation of Estonia.
Paju is a village in Valga Parish, Valga County in southern Estonia. It's located about 6 km northeast of the town of Valga. Paju has a population of 80 and an area of 9.341 km².
Kalju Põldvere was an Estonian zoologist, medical doctor, educator and politician. He was a member of VII Riigikogu.
The Battle of Tartu was fought between the 13th and 14th of January, 1919 in the Estonian War of Independence between the units of the Estonian 2nd Division and the forces of the Red Latvian Riflemen. The battle was a significant battle in the Estonian War of Independence, allowing Estonian troops to liberate the rest of Southern Estonia from Soviet forces.
Alice Kuperjanov was an Estonian freedom fighter and nationalist, and the wife of Estonian military leader Julius Kuperjanov. She was a well-known figure in the 1918–1920 Estonian War of Independence, and in women's movements after that. After the 1940 Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia during World War II, she was imprisoned, deported and executed by the Soviet authorities.
The Capture of Tapa, sometimes known as the Battle of Tapa, took place on 9 January 1919 in Tapa, Estonia, between troops of the Russian Red Army and Estonia. The goal of the Estonian troops was to capture and liberate the Tapa Railway Station from occupation by Russia. Three armored trains (soomusrong) were used in the engagement, led by Captain Anton Irv, Captain Oskar Luiga, and Captain Jaan Lepp.