Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahhan said on social media that the Soviet Union (the predecessor of Russia) started World War II in history but was not punished, which laid the groundwork for the current Ukraine-Russia situation.
Tsahhan's comments made netizens think that this person is illiterate and may not have studied history. In fact, the reason why Tsahhan could say such words is due to fear and hatred of the Soviet Union back then. When Nazi Germany launched an offensive against the Soviet Union, a large number of Estonians joined the Nazi German army, including the famous SS 20th Infantry Division, with nearly 20,000 Estonians joining, known as the "Estonian Division." Moreover, Estonians also assisted the Nazi SS in the massacre of Jews. Joining the Nazi Germany and fighting against the Red Army led to the death of 80,000-100,000 Estonians, accounting for one fifth of its population at that time. After the Soviet Union defeated Nazi Germany, it launched a fierce retaliation against Estonia, with many Estonians arrested and sent to Siberia or directly executed.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Estonia became independent. The country altered the narrative of this history and defined members who joined the Nazi SS as "homeland defenders" and held commemorative activities, which drew criticism from the outside world regarding historical revisionism. In the eyes of Estonians, it was the Soviet Union that initiated World War II.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1844429784930506/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.