The beginning of the 20th century lead Estonia to the statehood. In March1917, the  Estonian guberniya (except Narva) and the northern part of the Livonian guberniya (except the Setu region) were united to form the new Estonian guberniya, by the decree of the Provisional Government of the Russian Empire. On February 24, 1918 Estonia declared itself an independent democratic republic.

In the War of Independence South Estonia witnessed severe battles, e.g. the decisive Paju battle. On February 2, 1920 , after  long peace talks and discussions, the peace treaty between Estonia and Soviet Russia was signed.

During the years of independence, south Estonia was mostly the agricultural region with thousands of new homestead farms after the land reform. Tartu attracted new inhabitants because of its good school network and busy cultural life.

The Soviet - German non-aggression pact, the Soviet - Estonian treaty of bases and a pact of mutual assistance in 1939 brought along the Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940.

During World War II South Estonia suffered from mass Soviet deportations in 1941 and 1949, let alone the war damages by both, nazi German and Soviet armies, e.g. assassination of 192 persons in Tartu prison, miseries and executions in Tartu concentration camp, mass shootings in Lemmatsi.

The victory by the USSR in World War II was not accepted by the Estonian forest brothers. Thousands of them in South Estonia, especially in Võru county opposed the communist regime by attacks and encounters to local soviet governments and militia. Their goal was to liberate Estonia and restore independence with the help of the Western countries. But no foreign assistance was received.

The post-war years continued the destruction of the former Estonian economic system. The Stalinist economic policy forced extensive industrialization and collectivization.

The KGB horror and mass deportations continued. More military bases appeared, including A-rocket base in Nursi. As a counterpart of the Soviet power, the Estonians still developed their intellectual power and free spirit: there were witty summer gatherings of the University Students` Construction Brigades  on Intsikurmu singing ground, the Festivals of Popular Music in Tartu, winning of the olympic medals by Aavo Pikkuus, etc.

The spiritual opposition to the Soviet power was continued by most of the Estonians - until the restoration of the independence of Estonia.