The regions, Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Latgale, where the Latvian have been living for centuries, were under the control of the Russian Empire, when the Russian Revolution occurred in March, 1917. In Latvia the disorder of the Revolution resulted in the establishment of many political groups, organizations and parties. It was on 18th November in 1918 that Latvian Independence was proclaimed, although the Latvians had not even considered the idea of an independent state concretely before the Revolytion.
After the March Revolution, the influence of the Latvian Bolsheviks became very popular in the whole of Latvia, in particular in Vidzeme, because Kurzeme had already been occupied by German troops and the other regions, where the Latvians lived, were faced with an increasing threat of German occupation. Though the Latvian Bolsheviks had insisted on Latvian territorial autonomy after the March Revolution and had won an overwhelming victory (ca. 72%) by the elections of the All-Russian Constituent Assembly, they worked for self-determination after this election because of the Bolsheviks'defeat in the whole of Russia. In spite of the Latvian Bolsheviks'influence in Latvia, the anti-Bolshevbist groups could form the Latvian Provisional Government in November, 1918. They would have taken advantage of the interactions of Latvian groups.
The main issue for the Latvian Provisional Government was to attain recognition as an independent state. Its efforts to get recognition involved the following three points. These characteristics of its foreign policy would influence the development of the Latvian Republic between the two wars. First, the Latvian Provisional Government oriented itself to depend on Britain consistently. Second, it availed itself of German power, though it had desired to exclude German influence in Latvia. Third, it reoriented its foreign policy according to the international situation from insisting on only self-determination to insisting on anti-Bolshevism, in addition to the threat that Germany would cooperate with the white Russians.
These characteristics make clear that economy and security were very important for a small state, such as Latvia. While ecomomic relations with Latvia were necessary also for Britain and Germany, its location between Germany and Russia forced the security problems into Latvian affairs.

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