the start of the book, the author sets the stage by providing an overview of Estonia's early history, detailing the beginnings of the Estonian people and their interactions with neighboring nations. Helanen highlights the struggles faced by Estonians against various conquerors, emphasizing their aspirations for independence. The introduction serves to contextualize the subsequent events during the independence struggle, particularly the Finnish support that emerged amid the chaos of the Russian Revolution and its implications for Estonian self-determination. This foundation paves the way for an examination of the military actions, local responses, and the evolution of Estonian nationalism that define the narrative. (This is an automatically generated summary.)