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The Case for Latvia

Book cover
Author	Jukka Rislakki
Original title	Tapaus Latvia
Translator	Richard Impola
Cover artist	Benita Plezere
Language	English
Series	On The Boundary of Two Worlds
Publisher	Rodopi
Publication date	2008
Publication place	Finland
Pages	296
ISBN	978-90-420-2424-3
OCLC	233026199

The Case for Latvia. Disinformation Campaigns Against a Small Nation. Fourteen Hard Questions and Straight Answers about a Baltic Country is the complete title of a non-fictional book on the history of Latvia by the awarded Finnish author Jukka Rislakki. The book was first published 2007 in the Finnish language with the title "Tapaus Latvia. Pieni kansakunta disinformaatiokampanjan kohteena", and has since then also been published in the Latvian language with the title: "Maldināšana: Latvijas gadījums", and in the Russian language with the title: "Манипуляции фактами: латвийский вариант". The Finnish version was translated to English by Richard Impola and published by the Rodopi publishing house 2008.

The image on the cover of the book is of a drawing by Benita Plezere, who was deported on 25 May 1949 from Latvia to Siberia, together with her family. She created drawings of their experiences during their travel, which she mailed as postcards to her grandmother. The drawing now is the property of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia.

Cross of Recognition

The author of The Case for Latvia, Jukka Rislakki, was awarded the Latvian Cross of Recognition for "selfless promotion of the Latvian image abroad and national patriotic education of youth". The Case for Latvia is the only book by Jukka Rislakki about Latvia, that has been translated to English. Jukka Rislakki received the Cross of Recognition in Riga on 4 May 2009, the day of restoration of independence of the Republic of Latvia.

Contents

Prologue

• Misinformation, disinformation?

Questions and Answers

1. Are minorities, especially the Russians, discriminated against in Latvia? Is it very difficult for them to become citizens? Do they have political rights?
2. Are the Russians denied the right to use their language in Latvian society and in the schools?
3. Were the Baltic lands a small, underdeveloped province in a far corner of Europe, to which Germans, Swedes, Poles, and Russians brought religion, culture, and well-being and where no prerequisites for independence existed?
4. Did the Latvian Reds help Lenin seize power in Russia? Did they help murder the Russian royal family?
5. Was Latvia granted independence as a present? Was the War of Independence an exaggerated myth? Was it a series of minor skirmishes that the Latvians were able to win with foreign help?
6. Why did the Latvians not resist the Soviet Army's taking over their country in 1940? Did the people carry out an anti-bourgeois anti-fascist revolution, after which Latvia joined the Soviet Union legally, by means of election?
7. Did Latvians murder their Jews in 1941? How anti-Semitic is and was Latvia?
8. Why did tens of thousands of Latvian volunteers fight in the SS troops, and why are SS veterans still allowed to march on the streets of Riga instead of being brought to justice?
9. Did the Soviet Union occupy Latvia? Were the Latvians victims of genocide?
10. Did the Latvians succumb to Soviet power, cooperate with the Communist authorities, and start their independence movement only after the Lithuanians and Estonians had begun theirs?
11. Has Latvia always belonged to Russia and benefited from it? Is it a strategically indispensable area for Russia?
12. Shouldn't Latvia be grateful for factories, houses, schools, roads, and harbors built during the Soviet era? Shouldn't she pay compensation as well?
13. Has Latvia been unwilling to establish good relations with neighboring Russia? Does Latvia champion an intransigent, hostile line toward Russia in the European Union, and did she decline a border agreement with Russia? Does she demand that Russia hand over some border areas to her?
14. Have the new leaders of Latvia privatized state property for their own use and are they guilty of massive corruption while the majority of the people live in poverty?

Back of the Book

• Acknowledgements: How and Why This Book Came to Be
• Basic Facts about Latvia
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index

References

1. "Osuuskunta Vastapaino - Tapaus Latvia" (in Finnish). Vastapaino. Retrieved 28 August 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
2. ^ "Maldināšana. Latvijas gadījums (krievu valodā)" (in Latvian). gramata24.lv. Retrieved 28 August 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
3. "Latvijas valsts apbalvojumus saņem Pori pilsētas mērs Aino Maija Lūkonena un somu žurnālists Juka Rislaki" (in Latvian). Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Helsinki. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2011. Ordeņu kapituls iecēlis par Atzinības krusta virsnieku somu žurnālistu un rakstnieku Juku Rislaki (Jukka Rislakki). Viņam tika piešķirts IV šķiras Atzinības krusts par nesavtīgu Latvijas tēla popularizēšanu ārvalstīs un jauniešu nacionāli patriotisko audzināšanu. Atzinības krustu Juka Rislaki saņēma Latvijas Neatkarības deklarācijas pasludināšanas dienā Rīgā {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
4. "Results for "Jukka Rislakki"". Worldcat. Retrieved 4 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
5. "Ar Atzinības krustu apbalvoto personu reģistrs" (doc) (in Latvian). Chancery of the Latvian President. Retrieved 4 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

Further reading

• The Case for Latvia at Google Book Search

• 2008 books
• History books about Latvia
• Finnish non-fiction books
• Propaganda in Russia
• Books about propaganda
• Rodopi (publisher) books
• Books about disinformation