Baltic Way: Two Million Hold Hands for Freedom
Two million people from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania linked hands across 600 kilometers to form an unbroken human chain that shattered Soviet control over the Baltic states. This massive display of unity forced Moscow to acknowledge the region's desire for independence, accelerating the dissolution of the USSR and restoring sovereignty to all three nations within a year.
August 23, 1989
37 years ago
Key Figures & Places
Latvia
Wikipedia
Lithuania
Wikipedia
Vilnius
Wikipedia
Estonia
Wikipedia
Tallinn
Wikipedia
Singing Revolution
Wikipedia
Baltic Way
Wikipedia
Singing Revolution
Wikipedia
Estonia
Wikipedia
Latvia
Wikipedia
Lithuania
Wikipedia
Vilnius
Wikipedia
Tallinn
Wikipedia
Baltic Way
Wikipedia
Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
Wikipedia
Menschenkette
Wikipedia
Soviet Union
Wikipedia
What Else Happened on August 23
After conquering Egypt, Octavian (the future Augustus) ordered the execution of both Marcus Antonius Antyllus, the eldest son of Marc Antony, and Caesarion, the…
Augustus used the Ludi Volcanalici — games held in the precinct of Vulcan's temple — to celebrate Rome's diplomatic triumph over Parthia and the return of the l…
Mount Vesuvius erupted on the feast day of Vulcan, burying Pompeii and Herculaneum under layers of volcanic ash and pumice. This sudden catastrophe perfectly pr…
Roman general Stilicho defeated the Gothic king Radagaisus in 406 AD, executing him and absorbing 12,000 of his warriors into the Roman army or selling them int…
The Germanic chieftain Odoacer was proclaimed King of Italy by his troops in 476 AD, after deposing the last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus. Historia…
Abu Bakr, the first caliph of Islam and closest companion of the Prophet Muhammad, died in Medina in 634 AD after just two years of leadership. He was succeeded…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.