In 1991, Latvia declared its full independence to end decades of Soviet occupation
History
Latvia seized a pivotal moment during the 1991 Soviet coup attempt to declare full independence, successfully ending five decades of forced occupation and reclaiming its place as a sovereign nation.
On August 21, 1991, as a hardline coup attempt paralyzed the central government in Moscow, the Latvian legislature took a bold stand by declaring the restoration of total independence. This move ended the illegal occupation that began in 1940 and signaled the irreversible collapse of the Soviet Union's grip on the Baltic states.