POLLING, UNDER THE GUN: POLITICAL ATTITUDES IN ESTONIA, SURVEYED AT THE HEIGHT OF THE SOVIET COUP ATTEMPT, AUGUST 1991

In Moscow on Monday, August 19, 1991, the eight-member Committee for the Soviet Coup d'Etat declared itself in power over the entire Soviet Union. The Estonian Prime Minister Edgar Savissaar cut short a state visit to Sweden and returned to Tallinn by boat via Finland. On Tuesday, August 20, the Estonian Supreme Council declared independence. That day, as tanks were approaching the capital city Tallinn by land, Soviet special forces paratroopers were landing at the municipal airport. On Wednesday, August 21, tanks surrounded the television building and a standoff ensued, lasting all day. Estonian television was dark from 4:30 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. The Saar Poll of the Mass Communication Research and Information Centre conducted telephone interviews between 4 and 9 P.M. on Wednesday, August 21, the third day of the coup. The intent in doing interviews during the height of tensions, when it was uncertain which direction events would go, was to learn whether in a crisis situation support was going toward the invading military forces or the Estonian government. A six-item questionnaire was drawn up (see Appendix), telephone interviews conducted, and results analyzed and faxed to the Baltic News Service for distribution by half past midnight the same night. Concurrently, Gorbachev was en route to Moscow from his house arrest in the Crimea, and the following day, Thursday, August 22, the coup had ended.