“No Sensational Disclosures”: Foreign States and the Establishment of an Authoritarian Regime in Estonia in 1934

Abstract

On 12 March 1934, the Estonian government carried out a coup d’état and justified it by the danger allegedly posed by the radical right movement, the Estonian War of Independence Veterans’ League. This article examines the reports of diplomats residing in Estonia from six countries and concludes that the foreign diplomats were convinced that the real reason for the coup was the government’s fear of losing power to the Veterans as a result of the forthcoming elections. Nevertheless, the coup and the subsequent establishment of an undemocratic regime did not damage Estonia’s international position.