Latvia Legions
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[edit] Legions day
From 16 till 18 march 1944 heavy battle was fought in eastern shore of Velikaja river for height "93,4". It was strategically important height for both armies. I was defended by 15th and 19th waffen-SS divisions. Morning 16 soviet assault begun, and defenders were forced to withdraw, but soviets did not manage to break resistance, and in 18 march counter-attack by 15th led by colonel Arturs Silgailis height was recaptured with minimal loses. After that soviets did not try to attack there. 16 march was first day in WWII when both Latvian divisions where fighting together and only battle in WWII led by only latvian commanders. Thus in 16 march was chosen by Daugavas vanagi as day of Latvian legion.
In year 1988 latvian saeima (parliament) voted this to be national remembrance day. Word "legion" was excluded from remembrances day name, to include all who fight against bolshevism both during WWII and as resistance fighters afterwards. But international jewish and communist pressure groups forced latvian saeima to cancel it, and in 17 february 2000 resistance day was withdrawn from law "State remembrance days", and many officials started to distance themselves from legionnaires. However many Latvians view this decision as betrayal, and so it become highly politicized and contraversional.
[edit] Latvian legions
Latvian Legions were created in 1943 by Nazi Germany. Latvia Legions consisted from Latvians who wanted to protect Latvia from soviet invasion, which happened in 1940 when Red Army occupied Latvia and sent meny people to Siberia. About 115 000 Latvians volunteered or were conscripted into 15th and 19th waffen-SS divisions. It is debated how many did volunteer and how many were force to, as refusal to "volunteer" might end up in prison. Latvia Legion soldiers hoped to win first Russians and after that Germans, just like it happened in 1920. After WWII many of legionaries still fought more than 10 years with comunistic government as guerilla or like they were called in Latvia forest-brothers.
