Using the new Regional Government of Northwest Russia as a base, the newly formed Northwestern Army had launched an attack from Pskov and drove north to Petrograd.

After the White advance severed a railroad junction from Moscow to Petrograd, the Bolsheviks began to fear the city might soon fall.

Trotsky personally went north to rally the city's defenses, he oversaw the utilization of an alternative rail line to bring in supplies from Moscow needed to fend off the attack.

Hoping to secure a peace deal with Soviet Russia, the Estonian government refused to allow the Northwestern Army to be restationed in the nation.

On October 21 the Red Army attacked pushing the Whites back from Pulkovo and retook Tsarskoe Selo and Pavlovsk 2 days later.

After several pleas, the Estonian government agreed to take in small groups, provided that they would be unarmed and would not be wearing the uniform of Northwestern Army.