▁They ▁returned ▁to ▁live ▁in ▁an ▁a partment ▁in ▁R iga ▁r ented ▁from ▁bibli ograph er ▁J ā nis ▁M isi ņ š , ▁where ▁within ▁his ▁extensive ▁library ▁the ▁pair ▁began ▁to ▁translate ▁John ▁Stein beck ' s ▁novel ▁The ▁G rap es ▁of ▁W r ath ▁into ▁Lat v ian . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁signing ▁of ▁the ▁Mol ot ov – R ib b ent rop ▁non - ag gression ▁p act ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁the ▁We hr macht ▁invasion ▁of ▁Poland ▁began ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁After ▁the ▁Soviet - J apan ese ▁ce ase fire ▁agreement ▁took ▁effect ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 6 , ▁St alin ▁ordered ▁his ▁own ▁invasion ▁of ▁Poland ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 7 . ▁This ▁triggered ▁Lat via ▁and ▁the ▁USS R ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁treat y ▁in ▁Moscow ▁on ▁October ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁USS R ' s ▁south ▁western ▁border . ▁This ▁allowed ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁to ▁in va de ▁part ▁of ▁south - e astern ▁region ▁of ▁Finland ▁( K are lia ▁and ▁Sal la ) ▁in ▁the ▁Winter ▁War , ▁which ▁after ▁ 1 0 5 ▁days ▁were ▁an nex ed . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁death ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁Ed v arts ▁Vir za , ▁in ▁an ▁un stable ▁Lat v ian ▁political ▁environment ▁that ▁was ▁highly