Acta Historica Universitatis Klaipedensis

Following the Bolshevik Red Army’s invasion of what it considered to be the ‘western fringes’ of the former Imperial Russia in November 1918, the Latvian Provisional Government, which claimed part of this territory, concluded an agreement with August Winnig, the plenipotentiary of the German government, on 29 December 1918, to provide aid in its defence. After being promised land, volunteers recruited in Germany headed eastwards to reinforce the units that had already begun to be formed there from the forces of the armed Baltic Germans or the remnants of the retreating German army. Major General Rüdiger von der Goltz, who arrived in Liepāja at the beginning of 1919, took command of all anti-Soviet forces in west Latvia and northwest Lithuania, which were merged into the 6th Reserve Corps. In March 1919, the 6th Reserve Corps launched the Tauwetter, Eisgang and Frühlingswind offensive operations. The offensive resulted in the defeat of the 1st Rifle Brigade and the 2nd Rifle Division of the Soviet Latvian Army, and the liberation of Kurzeme (Kurland) up to the River Lielupe. The article discusses the structure and battle strength of the opposing forces, and the plans drawn up by both sides, and describes in detail the course of the fighting. The aim of the research is to analyse the factors that enable one side or another to implement the principles of mission command while executing manoeuvre warfare.