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Aleksander Einseln

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Aleksander Einseln
Born (1931-10-25) 25 October 1931 (age 93)
Allegiance United States (to 1991)
 Estonia
Service / branchUnited States Army
Estonian Defence Forces
Years of service1950–1985, 1993–1995
RankKindral (General)
CommandsCommander-in-Chief
Battles / warsKorean War
Vietnam War (1965–1966)
Awards2nd class Order of the Cross of the Eagle

Aleksander Einseln (born 25 October 1931, in Tallinn) is a former commander of the Estonian Defence Forces. He held that position from 4 May 1993 to 4 December 1995.

Biography

Born in Estonia, Einseln fled that country with his mother in 1944 as reoccupied the Baltic states after the retreat of German troops. He immigrated to the United States in 1949 and became a U.S. citizen. He enlisted in the Army and served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars and was a one-time staff officer with the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and NATO in Brussels, retiring with the rank of colonel.[1][2]

In 1993, at the request of Estonian President Lennart Meri, Einseln returned to Estonia to take command of its military forces, over the objections of the U.S. State Department.[3] The U.S. threatened to terminate Einseln's military pension and even to revoke his U.S. citizenship. However, after getting support from several U.S. senators, Einseln received official permission from the U.S. authorities to take on his new post.[2]

Einseln's decree ordering immediate resistance in case of foreign aggression

In January 1995, after start of the First Chechen War, Einseln issued a decree stating that in case of foreign troops crossing the border, Estonia Defence Forces must immediately start active resistance, and not cease fighting until ordered so by the President of Estonia. This was seen as attempt to prevent surrender without resistance as had happened in 1939.[4] In 2014, after start of conflict in Ukraine, active Commander-in-Chief general Riho Terras noted that Einseln's decree is still in force.[5]

On 4 December 1995, he was forced to resign due to a disagreement with the defense minister.[6]

In February 1996, he was awarded the Order of the Cross of the Eagle.[7]

Notes

  1. ^ "Estonia Names American as Military Chief, but U.S. Objects." New York Times, May 6, 1993. Accessed September 27, 2008
  2. ^ a b Toivo Miljan. Historical Dictionary of Estonia. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2004. ISBN 978-0-8108-4904-4; pp. 185–186
  3. ^ "Our Man in Estonia" People Magazine, August 2, 1993
  4. ^ Hvostov, Andrei (29 October 2010). "Kuidas kindral Einseln riigikaitsele miini pani" (in Estonian). Eesti Ekspress. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
  5. ^ Terras, Riho (25 September 2014). "Riho Terras: Nutt ja hala meid ei aita" (in Estonian). Maaleht. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
  6. ^ WORLD NEWS BRIEFS;Ex-U.S. Colonel Resigns As Estonian Army Chief - New York Times
  7. ^ The President of Estonia 1992-2001 - Official Duties - Decorations of the Republic of Estonia
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