The Second World War, which began in Europe on September 1, 1939 - the German attack on Poland (see figure below), was the most devastating war in human history.

Pictured: The invasion of Poland by the Nazi German army. September 1, 1939.

More than 53 million people lost their lives in the war - both soldiers and civilians.

A week before the German attack - on August 23, 1939, in order to prevent mutual conflicts and obtain guarantees, the USSR Foreign Minister Molotov and the German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop concluded an agreement (see figure below), in which the USSR and Germany pledged not to attack each other, in a secret additional protocol to the agreement, both countries divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence.

In the picture: the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on August 23, 1939. In the background in a light jacket - the leader of the USSR Stalin.

According to this agreement, the Baltic states, including Latvia, came into the sphere of influence of the USSR.

The fate of the Baltic states was decided in the agreement. Of course, the countries dependent on it were not informed about the agreement on the additional protocol.

In the summer of 1940, the Soviet Union, or the USSR, occupied the Baltic states. Latvia, like Estonia and Lithuania, were included in the USSR.