The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

What happens when a nation of nearly only a million residents takes on the mighty Soviet Union in the late 1980s? What do you use when you have no army or weapons? What role can singing play when a nation is faced with annihilation by its neighbors? Those questions are answered in a 2008 documentary by James and Maureen Tusty.

"The Singing Revolution" will be shown on Saturday, February 22 at 11:00 a.m. at the Appelo Archives Center, 1056 SR 4, Naselle. There is no admission charge.

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania had been occupied for more than 50 years by the USSR, beginning in1940. For a brief period the Germans drove out the Russians, but the Soviets surged back in 1944. During their occupation, resistors were either imprisoned, deported, or executed; Russian became the official language; and the Estonians were not allowed to display their blue, black, and white flag.

In 1947 the first song festival (Laulupidu) was held since the Soviets had taken over Estonia. These had been a tradition in Estonia for perhaps 140 years. In Tallinn the stage held about 30,000 singers whereas the outdoor amphitheater had a maximum occupancy of 300,000. Often, 30 percent of the nation would attend and participate in one concert.

Mu isamaa on minu arm (Land of my Fathers, Land that I Love) based on a poem by Lydia Koidula and set to new music by Gustav Ernesaks in 1947 inspired the Estonians to become bolder and bolder in their defiance against the Soviet Union.

Everything came to a climax in 1991. Gorbachev was placed on house arrest as Soviet troops and tanks entered Estonia. Unarmed, the Estonians faced the intruders while the political leaders gathered to plan the next strategy.

Not only is the history presented accurately and supplemented with archival film, but the music is supurb, and the national costumes splendid.

The film is 97 minutes long and probably not suitable for those under 11 years of age due to some graphic violence. Some of the documentary is in English. Subtitles in English are also provided.