Вацетис — Главком Республики

Ioakim Vatsetis (Jukums Vācietis, 1906-1938) was born into a peasant family in the Latvian gubernia of Russia. A veteran of WWI, he made a successful career first in the tsarist army and then in the Bolshevik army. He offered his services to the Bolshevik revolution in December 1917. He participated in the suppression of anti-Bolshevik rebellions. By September of 1918 he became the first chief-commander of the revolutionary army of new Russia. Like many other officers, he was arrested and shot in 1938. (0.335 kg.)