How did the Baltic States gain their independence from the Soviet Union?

All three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) unilaterally declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, initially going unrecognized with Gorbachev unwilling to accept their loss. Soviet troops were deployed into Lithuania and Latvia in January 1991, resulting in violent confrontations that caused 14 Lithuanian and 6 Latvian civilian deaths. These tragic events actually strengthened support for independence among Baltic populations. By early August 1991, with the Warsaw Pact dissolved and Germany reunified, all three Baltic republics had solidified their independence, contributing to the broader collapse of Soviet control in Eastern Europe.