In Riga, after the smoke of the Battles of Cēsis and the Strazdumuiža Armistice, two Latvian military forces that had grown separately could finally be put together. On 10 July 1919, Latvia’s Provisional Government united the Separate, or South Latvian, Brigade with the North Latvian Brigade; General Dāvids Sīmansons became commander-in-chief of the new Latvian Army. This was not merely a change of name. The “southerners” and “northerners” – soldiers who had entered Riga from different fronts – now stood under one commander.

After the Battles of Cēsis and the Strazdumuiža Armistice, the Provisional Government could bring its armed forces under one command. A few months later, that army had to defend Riga against Bermondt’s forces and continue the liberation of Latgale.