[1] The incapacity and death of Vladimir Lenin (January 21, 1924) triggered a struggle for power between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin.

The plan envisaged a main attack aimed at Tallinn, with subsequent coups in Tartu, Narva, Pärnu, Viljandi, Rakvere, Kunda, and Kohila.

The 279 communists, mostly infiltrated from the Soviet Union,[7] were armed with 5 Thompson submachine guns, 55 rifles, 65 hand grenades, 8 explosive devices and 150 pistols.

The gunmen's first priority was to take over the Estonian National Defence College based in the Tondi suburb south of the city centre, the main narrow gauge railway station in Tallinn-Väike, and a battalion of engineering troops in Nõmme.

Three guardsmen assisted by four artillery cadets who had managed to get 9 mm semi-automatic pistols from the armory blocked the way to the first floor and opened fire on the attackers.

At the same time a smaller group of insurgents had attacked the cadets' mess, which was empty as the officer on duty and his assistant had left the building.

Another strike team of communists attacked the Toompea Castle, where the offices of the State Elder, Riigikogu and the Government were located.

As all passenger trains were halted by the insurgents, the Minister of Roads, Karl Kark, decided to check personally on the situation.

The Chief of the Tartu garrison, General Ernst Põdder was in Tallinn on an errand, and was having a drink in a mess with his friends close to the exchange of fire early in the morning.

Police officers shot three prominent communists: Arnold Sommerling, Evald Ambos and Osvald Piiri.

The Estonian government awarded the Cross of Liberty to ten people for their contribution: Johan Laidoner, Johan Unt, Hermann Rossländer, Rudolf Aaman, Richard Brücker, Rudolf Kaptein, August Keng, Alfred Klemmer, Albert Pesur and August Schaurup.

Destroyed by the Soviets in 1941, it was rebuilt at the original location and unveiled on Tallinn Day on 15 May 2009 by sculptor Jaak Soans.

Estonia was eventually invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union during and after the World War II until the restoration of the country's independence in 1991.

During the 1944-1991 Soviet occupation of Estonia, the 1924 communist coup attempt was referred to by the authorities as the Tallinn Uprising of December 1, 1924, and described as part of a Marxist world revolution.