The strategy of independence

The election of the Latvian Supreme Council did not by itself guarantee independence for Latvia but it did create a feeling among most Latvians that a major step had been taken in a process whose conclusion could only be independence. The turbulent period leading up to the elections was in itself an important catalyst in changing the goals and expectations of most people. Within the span of one year, from June 1989 to June 1990, support for unconditional independence among Latvians rose dramatically from 55 to 85 percent. This support continued to increase so that by March 1991 it had reached 94 percent. There was very little sentiment within the indigenous Latvian population for any compromises short of independence. Disillusionment with the USSR had gone too far and the vision of self-rule was too appealing for Latvians to content themselves with anything less than a final break with the empire. Among non-Latvians, however, support for independence in June 1989 was only 9 percent, rising threefold to 26 percent by June 1990 and to 38 percent by March 1991.

In spite of the firm commitment to independence most Latvians expected this change to happen gradually over a period of several years, and the general public as well as the Latvian political leadership was taken by surprise at the rapid developments following the attempted coup of August 1991.