Pre-Crisis Phase (August 11, 1920-May 14, 1934): Latvia formally achieved its independence from Russia on August 11, 1920. The Supreme Council of the Allied Powers (Britain, France Italy, and Japan) provided diplomatic assistance (diplomatic recognition) to the Latvian government on January 26, 1921. Finland and Poland provided diplomatic assistance (diplomatic recognition) to Latvia on January 26, 1921. Latvia was admitted to the League of Nations (LON) on September 22, 1921. A new constitution was approved by the Constituent Assembly on February 15, 1922, and the constitution went into effect on May 1, 1922. The US provided diplomatic assistance (diplomatic recognition) to the government on July 28, 1922. The constitution provided for the election of a unicameral parliament (Saiema) and a president. Parliamentary elections were held on October 7-8, 1922, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won a plurality of the seats in the Saiema. Jan Chakste was elected president by the Saiema on November 14, 1922, and he was re-elected as president by the Saiema on November 10, 1925. Latvian and Russian representatives signed a non-aggression pact on March 9, 1927. President Cakste died on March 14, 1927, and Pauls Kalnins served as acting president from March 14 to April 8, 1927. Gustav Zemgalis was elected president by the Saiema on April 8, 1927. Albert Kviesis was elected president by the Saiema on April 11, 1930. Latvian and Russian representatives signed a non-aggression pact on July 25, 1932. Karlis Ulmanis formed a government as prime minister on March 16, 1934.
Crisis Phase (May 15, 1934-August 6, 1940): Prime Minister Ulmanis dissolved the parliament, disbanded political parties, and declared a state-of-emergency on May 15-16, 1934. Karlis Ulmanis assumed the presidency on April 11, 1936. The government lifted the state-of-emergency on February 15, 1938. The Latvian government signed a mutual assistance pact with the Soviet Union on October 5, 1939, which provided for the establishment of Soviet military bases in Latvia. The Soviet Union issued an ultimatum to the Latvian government on June 16, 1940, and Soviet troops occupied Latvia beginning on June 17, 1940. The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (LSSR) was established on July 21, 1940, and President Ulmanis was deported to the Soviet Union on July 22, 1940. The Soviet Union formally annexed the LSSR on August 6, 1940.
[Sources: Bilmanis 1951; Langer, 1972, 1041-1042; Laserson, 1943, 233-247; Pabriks and Purs, 2002; Rauch 1974; Thompson, 1934, 499-500; Survey of International Affairs (SIA), 1925 (supplement), 168-171, 1938, 704.]