6th Corps (205th and 219th Infantry Divisions, and 1st Cavalry Division) attacked from West Estonian archipelago to Lihula, Virtsu, and Haapsalu. Estonian Declaration of Independence Between retreating Russian and advancing German troops, the Occupation of Estonia by the German Empire approaching, the Salvation Committee of the Estonian National Council, Maapäev, declared the independence of Estonia on 24 February 1918. However, the German forces did not recognise the independence. On March 23, 1918, the Commander of German 68th Corps declared the just formed Estonian Army illegal. The arrests of the leaders of the national independence movement started in June 1918. The elected head of state Konstantin Päts was sent to Germany to be kept in prison. During this whole period the Estonian Salvation Committee continued its underground activities, entering into relation with the Western Allied powers. Great Britain recognised Estonian independence (de facto) on May 3, 1918, followed by France on May 18, and Italy on May 29, 1918, giving the committee a legal status of the representative of the Estonian nation. After the German Revolution, between 11 and 14 November 1918, the representatives of Germany formally handed over political power in Estonia to the national government. The departure of German troops left a void and the Russian Bolshevik troops moved in. The Estonian War of Independence followed. On 2 February 1920, the Peace Treaty of Tartu was signed by the Republic of Estonia and Bolshevist Russia. The Republic of Estonia obtained international recognition and became a member of the League of Nations in 1921. United Baltic Duchy The Baltic German minority tried to found the United Baltic Duchy. When signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 3, 1918, Soviet Russia formally transferred Estonia to German military administration, its future status having to be determined later. On April 12, 1918 the German Balts assembled Landesversammlung at Riga asking the forming of United Duchy of Estland, Livland and Kurland to be incorporated to Imperial Germany in personal union with Hohenzollern family, a request presented by the Landesrat in Riga to the Emperor of Germany. Ober Ost Tallinn, Tartu, and Narva were placed direct under the German military administration (Ober Ost), but the rest of the country were divided and administrated as Amtsbezirks and smaller Ortsbezirks. Usually, representatives of the Baltic nobility (Baltic German feudal landowners) were appointed as local heads of administration. All Estonian language newspapers, except the German minded Rewaler Tagesblatt