Estonian Military History
Course code
KAV6201.HR
old course code
KAV6201
Course title in Estonian
Eesti sõjaajalugu
Course title in English
Estonian Military History
ECTS credits
3.0
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
lecturer of 2024/2025 Spring semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
Course aims
Forming readiness to understand military science, military history, and military matters and the connections between them.
Brief description of the course
The notion of military history and the idea of war theory. War, military science, military history, military matters – interpreting the terms. Different levels of treating war. The most important representatives of the war theory idea (Sun Tzu, Thukydides, Clausewitz, Jomini and others).
The role of military matters in the social history. War as the „natural state” of society. Causes of wars. Changes in the meaning of war in history. Ways of warfare in ancient times and in Middle Ages. Formation of professional armies. Permanent armies. Officers. Revolutionary armies. Era of Napoleonic wars. Transition to general military duty. Mass armies. The influence of engineering on military matters. War and economy. Changes in warfare. Antiwar movement. The extent of warfare and its social impact in the 20th century.
The Estonian history of war in the context of general history of war. The era of crusades and the ancient battle for freedom. Military organisation of Estonians in ancient times. Army. The battles of great powers over Old Livonia. The events of the Hundred Years War in Estonia (1558–1661). The Great Northern War and its consequences. Joining the Estonian territory with the Russian Empire. The wars of the Russian Empire and Estonia. Military taxes. Military duties on the Estonian territory. M. A. Barclay de Tolly. Military buildings. World War I and the establishment of Estonian independence. National military units. War of Independence 1918–1920. The role of students in the War of Independence. Treaty of Tartu. Estonian national defence in 1920–1940.
World War II and Estonia. The occupation of Estonia and the war events in 1941. Battles in Estonia in 1944. Estonian in the German army and in the Red Army. Estonian volunteers in the Finnish Wars. Forest Brothers.
The presence of the occupation army. The presence of the Soviet army and its consequences. Paldiski. Estonians in the Soviet Army. Soviet Army leaving the Estonian territories.
The role of military matters in the social history. War as the „natural state” of society. Causes of wars. Changes in the meaning of war in history. Ways of warfare in ancient times and in Middle Ages. Formation of professional armies. Permanent armies. Officers. Revolutionary armies. Era of Napoleonic wars. Transition to general military duty. Mass armies. The influence of engineering on military matters. War and economy. Changes in warfare. Antiwar movement. The extent of warfare and its social impact in the 20th century.
The Estonian history of war in the context of general history of war. The era of crusades and the ancient battle for freedom. Military organisation of Estonians in ancient times. Army. The battles of great powers over Old Livonia. The events of the Hundred Years War in Estonia (1558–1661). The Great Northern War and its consequences. Joining the Estonian territory with the Russian Empire. The wars of the Russian Empire and Estonia. Military taxes. Military duties on the Estonian territory. M. A. Barclay de Tolly. Military buildings. World War I and the establishment of Estonian independence. National military units. War of Independence 1918–1920. The role of students in the War of Independence. Treaty of Tartu. Estonian national defence in 1920–1940.
World War II and Estonia. The occupation of Estonia and the war events in 1941. Battles in Estonia in 1944. Estonian in the German army and in the Red Army. Estonian volunteers in the Finnish Wars. Forest Brothers.
The presence of the occupation army. The presence of the Soviet army and its consequences. Paldiski. Estonians in the Soviet Army. Soviet Army leaving the Estonian territories.
Learning outcomes in the course
Upon completing the course the student:
- knows the most important events in the Estonian military history and is able to link these with the events in the military history of the world and Europe;
- knows the most important battles held on the Estonian territory and understands their impact on the statehood, society, and individuals of Estonia;
- is able to interpret the notions of war, military science, military history, and military matters and discuss the connections between them;
- describes the impact of war on the development of a state, society and individuals;
- can communicate the knowledge to secondary school students.
- knows the most important events in the Estonian military history and is able to link these with the events in the military history of the world and Europe;
- knows the most important battles held on the Estonian territory and understands their impact on the statehood, society, and individuals of Estonia;
- is able to interpret the notions of war, military science, military history, and military matters and discuss the connections between them;
- describes the impact of war on the development of a state, society and individuals;
- can communicate the knowledge to secondary school students.
Teacher
Õppejõud Igor Kopõtin (MA), Hellar Lill (MA)
Prerequisite course 1
Study programmes containing that course