Editing History of Latvia (section)

===Latvian Riflemen===
After on July 17 and 18, 1915 Germans captured [[Dobele]], [[Talsi]], [[Tukums]] and [[Ventspils]], a public proclamation by State Duma members, written by [[Kārlis Skalbe]], called for the formation of volunteer [[Latvian Riflemen]] units. In August the formation of Latvian battalions started. From 1915 to 1917, the Riflemen fought in the Russian army against the Germans in defensive positions along the [[Daugava River]], notably the ''Nāves sala'' (Island of Death) bridgehead position. In December 1916 and January 1917, they suffered heavy casualties in month-long [[Christmas Battles]]. Many of them were buried in the newly created Riga [[Brothers' Cemetery]].

After the great offensive of 1915, the front line stabilized along the Daugava river until the Russian army started to collapse in early 1917. In February 1917 [[February Revolution|Revolution]] broke out in Russia and in the summer the Russian army collapsed. By this time the Riflemen had overwhelmingly transferred their allegiances to the Bolsheviks.<ref name="oDe"/> The following [[Battle of Jugla|German offensive]] was successful and on September 3, 1917, they entered Riga.

In November 1917, the Communist [[Bolshevik]]s took power in Russia. Even though ethnic Latvians had become important assets in the task of securing Soviet power military (with the first ever commander-in-chief of the Red Army being Latvian [[Jukums Vācietis]])<ref name="oDe"/> the Bolshevik government tried to end the war and in March 1918, the [[Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Russia–Central Powers)|Treaty of Brest-Litovsk]] was signed which gave Courland and Livland Governorate to the Germans, who quickly established occupational regime which lasted until November 11, 1918. During this time Germans tried to create the [[United Baltic Duchy]] in perpetual union with the Crown of Prussia.