Office of the Historian

740.0011 European War 1939/3981: Telegram

The Chargé in Estonia (Leonard) to the Secretary of State

Tallinn, June 19, 1940—11 a.m.
[Received June 19—10:08 a.m.]

66. Supplementing my telegram No. 64,44a the places mentioned therein have now been occupied and in addition Viljandi, Paide and Mõisakiila. The entry of the troops has taken place without untoward incidents.

The Estonian civil guards have been unarmed but not disbanded. Inhabitants have been warned not to appear unnecessarily on the streets at night but no curfew rule enforced. Cafés and other public places must close by 11 p.m.

Dwellings and other places are being requisitioned in Tallinn and elsewhere. Army barracks have been taken over for Soviet troops and Soviet Military Attaché quartered elsewhere, and I have been informed confidentially today that Soviets have asked for the Estonian General Staff Offices.

There arrived this morning in Tallinn the civil head of the Leningrad District, Zhdanov,45 and I have just learned confidentially that he is now conferring with the President of Estonia about forming a new government.

Leonard
  1. June 17, 11 a.m., p. 373.↩
  2. Andrey Alexandrovich Zhdanov, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Leningrad oblast, and holder of other party and government positions.↩