Latvia parts of the Russian Empire, which may have been influenced by the Protestant religion of the inhabitants. World War I devastated the territory of what became the state of Latvia, and other western parts of the Russian Empire. Demands for self-determination were initially confined to autonomy, until a power vacuum was created by the Russian Revolution in 1917, followed by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk between Russia and Germany in March 1918, then the Allied armistice with Germany on 11 November 1918. On 18 November 1918, in Riga, the People's Council of Latvia proclaimed the independence of the new country, with
The Case for Latvia says ""The book is well written and will find its best audience among those who, like my students, have an interest in but little systematic knowledge of Latvia"". The image on the cover of the book for both editions is of a drawing by Benita Plezere, who was deported on 25 May 1949 from Latvia to Siberia, together with her family. She created drawings of their experiences during their travel, which she mailed as postcards to her grandmother. The drawings now are the property of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. The Case for Latvia The Case for Latvia.