Latvians in The German and Soviet Armies
The Soviet Union conscripted into its army sections of independent Latvia's military units, as well as those Latvians who had ended up in Russia as a result of previous wars or had originally lived there. Nazi Germany also mobilised former Latvian soldiers. Initially, volunteer recruitment campaigns were organised, but when these did not work, soldiers were forcibly conscripted into the SS "Volunteer" Legions. In 1943-1944, two divisions of Waffen SS were formed, largely from Latvian soldiers, to fight the Soviet army. In 1944, heavy fighting took place in Latvia between German and Soviet troops, with the USSR gaining the upper hand.
Read more about this topic: Occupation Of Latvia By Nazi Germany
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