Lithuanian–Soviet War
Encyclopedia
The Lithuanian–Soviet War or Lithuanian–Bolshevik War was fought between newly independent
Lithuania
and the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in the aftermath of World War I
. It was part of the larger Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919. The offensive followed retreating German troops with intentions to establish Soviet republics in Ukraine
, Belarus
, Lithuania
, Latvia
, Estonia
, Poland
and link up with the German Revolution. By the end of December 1918 Soviet forces reached Lithuanian borders. Largely unopposed, they took one town after another and by the end of January 1919 controlled about ⅔ of the Lithuanian territory. In February the Soviet advance was stopped by Lithuanian and German volunteers, who prevented the Soviets from capturing Kaunas
, the temporary capital of Lithuania
. From April 1919 the Lithuanian war went parallel with the Polish–Soviet War. Poland had territorial claims over Lithuania, especially the Vilnius Region
, and these tensions spilled over into the Polish–Lithuanian War
. Historian Norman Davies
summarized the situation: "the German army was supporting the Lithuanian nationalists, the Soviets were supporting the Lithuanian communists and the Polish Army was fighting them all." In mid-May the Lithuanian army, now commanded by General Silvestras Žukauskas
, began an offensive against the Soviets in northeastern Lithuania. By mid-June the Lithuanians reached the Latvian border and cornered the Soviets among lakes and hills near Zarasai
, where the Soviets held out until the end of August 1919. The Soviets and Lithuanians, separated by the Daugava River, maintained their fronts until the Battle of Daugavpils
in January 1920. Already in September 1919 the Soviets offered to negotiate a peace treaty, but talks began only in May 1920. The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
was signed on July 12, 1920. Soviet Russia fully recognized independent Lithuania.
Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire
after the final partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795. During World War I Lithuania was occupied by Germany and made part of Ober Ost
. On February 16, 1918 the Council of Lithuania
declared independence
from both Germany and Russia. Three weeks later, the Bolsheviks, encumbered with the Russian Civil War
, sued for peace with the Central Powers
and signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
. They renounced Russian claims to Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland. However, the Lithuanians were only allowed minimal autonomy and could not establish de facto independence. That changed when Germany lost the war and signed the Compiègne Armistice
on November 11, 1918. Lithuania soon began organizing basic institutions, and established their first government led by Augustinas Voldemaras
.
On November 13, 1918, the Soviet Russian government renounced the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
, which had assured Lithuania's independence. The Bolshevik Western Army
followed retreating German troops maintaining a distance of about 10–15 km (6.2–9.3 ) between the two armies. Demoralized Germans often left valuable armaments and other equipment to the Soviets. The Soviets attempted to spread the global proletarian revolution
and sought to establish Soviet republics in the region. They saw Baltic states
as a barrier or a bridge into the Western Europe, where they could join the German and the Hungarian Revolutions
. By the end of December 1918, Bolshevik forces reached eastern Lithuania.
, the first Prime Minister of Lithuania
, did not believe that forming the military was a priority and advocated Lithuanian neutrality. He trusted that German mercenaries would protect Lithuania until the upcoming Paris Peace Conference
could establish peace. Residents organized local self-defense units to defend themselves from retreating Germans. The first laws regarding the army were not issued until November 23. Some Lithuanians, who had served in the Russian army during the World War, returned to Lithuania and started organizing battalions in Kaunas
, Hrodna
, Alytus
. They lacked guns, ammunition, and officers.
At the end of December, with the Bolsheviks already in the country, Lithuania was left leaderless. Augustinas Voldemaras
, Antanas Smetona
, Chairman of the Council of Lithuania, and Martynas Yčas, Minister of Finance, departed for Germany to ask for financial assistance. General Kiprijonas Kundratavičius, Vice Minister of Defense, suggested a retreat to Hrodna and refused to command the Lithuanian defense. The first Cabinet of Ministers resigned on December 26, 1918. Mykolas Sleževičius
stepped in and organized a new government. On December 29, he issued the first mass appeal in four languages calling for volunteers for the Lithuanian Army. Sleževičius government adopted new policy on land reform, which could be summarized in a slogan "land for those who cultivate it." It meant the land would be taken from large landowners and redistributed first to the volunteers for free and then to small peasants for a fee. Mobilization
of officers was announced only on January 25; about 400 people responded.
. However, the soldiers were tired and demoralized and wanted to return home as soon as possible. Recruitment continued in Germany, especially in Saxony
. The volunteers were paid 30 marks per month plus 5 marks per day and had to sign up for three months. The first Saxon Volunteers, as they became known, arrived to Kaunas at the beginning of January, but quite a few of them were judged unfit for duty and sent back. By the end of January, German volunteers numbered 4,000. They were not very reliable as the German Revolution
increased popularity of the Spartacist League
and Soviet causes. There were several attempts at a coup against the Lithuanian government. These volunteers were stationed in and around Kaunas: Alytus
, Jonava
, Kėdainiai
, Baisogala
.
At first they were organized into the 46th Saxon Volunteer Division. On February 22, Lieutenant-General Walter von Eberhardt became its commander. In April–May German forces were reorganized into the South Lithuania Volunteer Brigade composed of three regiments (18th, 19th, and 20th) and a separate battalion in Raseiniai
. The 18th Regiment fought alongside Lithuanians; the 19th Regiment guarded Kaunas area and did not participate in battle; the 20th Regiment was stationed in Hrodna and then in Kėdainiai
; the separate battalion joined the Bermontians. The Baltische Landeswehr
, led by General Rüdiger von der Goltz
, organized a coup against Latvian government and captured Riga
. On May 23, the Paris Peace Conference
reacting to these events asked Germany to withdraw its troops from both Latvia and Lithuania as soon as local forces could defend themselves. The last Saxon Volunteers left Lithuania in mid-July.
, was formed solely from members of the Communist Party of Lithuania
. On December 16, 1918, the revolutionary government declared establishment of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
. Between December 31, 1918 and January 1, 1919, the German garrison withdrew from Vilnius and passed authority over the city to a local Polish committee, against the pleas of the Lithuanian administration. Polish self-defense units made up of local inhabitants, called Lithuanian and Belarusian Self-Defence
, took over the posts. The Lithuanian government withdrew to Kaunas
, the temporary capital of Lithuania
. On January 5, 1919, Vilnius was taken by the Soviets after a five-day fight with Polish paramilitary platoons led by general Władysław Wejtko. Kapsukas and his government arrived in Vilnius from Daugavpils
on January 7. On February 27, the Lithuanian SSR was incorporated into the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic or Litbel.
In the occupied territory the Soviets created revolutionary committee
s and soviets
based on structures developed in Russia. Unlike elsewhere, Lithuanian communist organizations were young and had not yet developed a network of supporting local councils. They nationalized commercial institutions and large estates. The land was to be used for collective farming
instead of being redistributed to small farmers. The Soviet propagated internationalism and atheism
in a country of staunch Catholics and determined nationalists. Soviets were supported by the industrial working class, but it was too small in Lithuania. The Soviets demanded large war contributions from captured cities and villages. For example, Panevėžys was required to pay 1,000,000, Utena – 200,000, villagers – 10 rubles. Such policies alienated local population and contributed to the eventual defeat of the Soviets. For example, in February Kapsukas sent a telegram to Moscow arguing that conscription of local Lithuanians to the Red Army would only encourage Lithuanians to volunteer for the Lithuanian army.
Red Army captured one town after another: Zarasai
and Švenčionys
(Dec. 22), Utena
(Dec. 23), Rokiškis
(Dec. 27), Vilnius
(Jan. 5), Ukmergė
and Panevėžys
(Jan. 9), Šiauliai
(Jan. 15), Telšiai
(Jan. 25). That accounted for about ⅔ of the Lithuanian territory. The front somewhat stabilized when Soviet forces were stopped near the Venta River
by Latvian and German units (Baltische Landeswehr
). Also Germans slowed down withdrawal of their troops after the Spartacist uprising
was subdued on January 12. Southern Lithuania was a little better protected as Germans retreated from Ukraine through Hrodna. To prevent fights between retreating Germans and the Red Army, the Soviets and Germans signed a treaty on January 18. The treaty drew a temporary demarcation line
that went through Daugai
, Stakliškės
, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Kaišiadorys
–Jonava
–Kėdainiai
railway. That barred Bolshevik forces from directly attacking Kaunas
, Lithuania's second-largest city. The Red Army would need to encircle Kaunas and attack through Alytus
or Kėdainiai
. The operation to take Kaunas began on February 7.
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Kėdainiai was attacked by the 2nd Riflemen Regiment of Lithuanian (former Pskov) Division (about 1,000 men). Lithuanian forces from Panevėžys, commanded by Jonas Variakojis
, and from Kėdainiai numbered only about 200 men. Lithuanians withstood Red Army advance near Kėdainiai and with German support repelled it. On February 8, during the course of a reconnaissance mission, Povilas Lukšys became the first Lithuanian soldier to die in the war. On February 10, joint Lithuanian and German forces captured Šėta
and forced the Red Army to retreat. The success of this operation lifted the Lithuanian army's morale and prevented the Red Army from encircling Kaunas from the north.
On February 9, Soviet 7th Riflemen Regiment (900 men) took over Jieznas
, south of Kaunas. The following day Lithuanian forces (300 men) from Prienai
and Kaunas attacked before the Red Army could consolidate position, but were betrayed by their Russian commander and suffered a defeat: 18 Lithuanians were killed and 33 were taken prisoners. Lithuanians retreated, were reinforced by new Lithuanian and Saxon Volunteers, attacked again, and took Jieznas on February 13. The Soviets continued to push for Kaunas. The 3rd and 4th Riflemen Regiments (about 2,000 men) attacked Alytus
on February 12. Germans did not engage in battle and retreated; not yet fully formed Lithuanian 1st Infantry Regiment could not withstand pressure from the Red Army and had to retreat towards Marijampolė
and Prienai. Antanas Juozapavičius, the first Lithuanian officer to die in the wars, was killed during this battle. On the night of February 14–15, German forces and one company of the Lithuanians returned to Alytus and retook the city. Kaunas was defended and the front stabilized for a while. Soviets were ordered to abandon the offensive and maintain defensive position. This break allowed Lithuanians to better organize and train the volunteers.
Northern Lithuania (Samogitia
) was overtaken by the Soviet International Division (about 3,000 men). Its objective was to reach the Baltic Sea
and cut off German supplies to Latvians in their war against the Soviets. Local communists were more active in northern Lithuania as the shortest route for Russian prisoners to return to Russia was through Samogitia. Their biggest achievement was formation of a 1,000-man Samogitian Regiment, commanded by Feliksas Baltušis-Žemaitis
, in the city of Šiauliai
. The regiment included Russian POWs, German deserters, and criminals. There were no units of regular Lithuanian army in Samogitia except for partisans in Skuodas
, rallied by Povilas Plechavičius
and his brother Aleksandras, and in Joniškėlis
.
The movement of the Bolsheviks towards East Prussia
worried Germany, and they sent volunteers (Brigade Shaulen) commanded by General Rudiger von der Goltz
to free the railroad line linking Liepāja
, Mažeikiai
, Radviliškis
, and Kėdainiai
. It was part of a larger counter-offensive in Latvia. At the end of February the Lithuanian partisans, supported by German artillery, took Mažeikiai and Seda, and pursued Bolsheviks to Kuršėnai
. On February 27, 1919, German volunteers supported by Plechavičius' partisans and Joniškėlis' partisans, defeated the Samogitian Regiment in a battle near Luokė
. The regiment disbanded. Before mid-March the Germans took Kuršėnai, Šiauliai, Radviliškis, Šeduva
, Joniškis
and stopped. On few occasions they were aided by Lithuanian partisans and regular units. Joniškėlis' partisans continued to guard the front along the Mūša River
. They were later incorporated into regular Lithuanian military.
and Kupiškis
rebelled, and were quelled only by a Red Army Division from neighboring Latvia. The Bolshevik morale underwent deeper declines, and between March 19 and March 24 their forces left Panevėžys. Lithuanian forces entered the city on March 26, but the Red Army retook it on April 4.
The lull between Soviet attacks was used to strengthen and organize the army. On March 5, Lithuanians announced mobilization of men born 1887–1889. Lithuanian forces rapidly increased their numbers. By May 3 the official headcount reached 440 officers and 10,729 privates. However, only about half of them were properly trained, armed, and assigned to military units. In February–April Lithuanian soldiers were actively undergoing training, the chain of command was streamlined, new military units formed. Lithuania also received new shipments of arms and munitions. Soldiers received first uniforms.
The first organized Lithuanian offensive was carried out between April 3 and April 8, 1919. Lithuanians decided to take advantage of large Polish attacks against the Soviets in Hrodna
area in order to test enemy strength and capture Vilnius. The southern group, formed on the basis of the 1st Riflemen Regiment and led by Kazys Ladiga
, was to attack from Alytus along Daugai
–Valkininkai
line. The northern group, formed on the basis on the 2nd Riflemen Regiment and led by Juozas Butkus, was to attack from Kaišiadorys along Žasliai
–Vievis
line. Germans did not participate. Both regiments were initially successful, but Soviets gathered their forces and stopped the advance. As Lithuanian flanks were not defended, they decided to abandon to offensive. Soviets also accused Germans of violating the demarcation line set on January 18 and pressured them to retreat.
, the territory claimed by Lithuanians. Between April 19 and 21, Poles captured Vilnius during the Vilna offensive
and by May secured their positions. The Polish army forced Soviets to withdraw their left wing from territories south of the Neris River. Polish advance significantly shortened the Lithuanian–Soviet front line and allowed Lithuania to concentrate its forces for operations in northeastern Lithuania. However, it also meant that a new front line with Poland was open. At first, both Poles and Lithuanians cooperated against the Soviets, but soon the cooperation gave way to increasing hostility. The first clashes between Polish and Lithuanian soldiers occurred on April 26 and May 8 near Vievis
.
Poland did not recognize Lithuania, as its Chief of State Józef Piłsudski wanted a union with Lithuania in hopes to revive the old Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (see Międzymorze
federation). Poland justified its actions not only as part of a military campaign against the Soviets but also as the right of self-determination of local Poles, who formed a significant minority in eastern Lithuania. Lithuanians claimed Vilnius as their historical capital and opposed to any federation with Poland, desiring an independent national Lithuanian state. The Lithuanian government in Kaunas saw the Polish presence in Vilnius as occupation. In addition to the Vilnius Region, the nearby Suwałki Region was also disputed. The Polish–Lithuanian relations
were not immediately hostile, but grew worse as each side refused to compromise.
Polish advances against the Soviets necessitated changes in Lithuanian strategy. On April 26, General Silvestras Žukauskas
, who just recovered from typhus
, was designated Chief of Staff. He decided to mount offensive in northeastern Lithuania. The first objective was to take over Ukmergė
. On May 3, the Separate Panevėžys Volunteer Regiment, supported by the 18th Regiment of Saxon Volunteers, had secured the town. The operation was risky as for a while Kėdainiai was unprotected opening a path to Kaunas, but also very successful: some 500 Soviets were taken prisoner and about 50 Poles, captured by the Soviets in the battles near Vilnius, were liberated and returned to Poland. On May 7 Lithuanians entered Širvintos
, where they found Polish troops. Lithuanians and Poles mounted a joint operation to take Giedraičiai
on May 9.
The Lithuanian army's chain of command was reformed. On May 7, General Žukauskas assumed command of the entire Lithuanian army and initiated a complete reorganization of Lithuanian forces into two groups. The first brigade, stationed in Ukmergė, was called the Vilkmergė Group and included a battalion of Saxon Volunteers. Its first commander Kazys Ladiga
was ordered to push along the Utena
–Zarasai
line. The second brigade, called the Panevėžys Group, was charged with capturing Panevėžys and then pushing along the Kupiškis
–Rokiškis
–Obeliai
line. The group, initially commanded by Jonas Variakojis
, was aided by Joniškėlis' partisans from the north. The Ministry of Defense and the Staff were also reorganized.
On May 18 the reorganized army carried out its first operation. The Vilkmergė Group captured Kurkliai
and Anykščiai
. On May 22, the Group launched an attack on Utena. The initiative was met by a Soviet counterattack, and the Lithuanian forces retreated. Further attacks were stopped for several days to wait for the results of the advance on Kupiškis. The drive towards Utena resumed on May 31, and the city was secured on June 2. The Panevėžys Group launched a drive towards Panevėžys on May 18 and secured the city the following day, but lost it to a Bolshevik counterattack, carried out on May 21. However, Soviets left Panevėžys without a fight two days later. The Group charged towards Kupiškis and secured Subačius
. On May 30 Joniškėlis' partisans broke through the Soviet lines and took Rokiškis in Soviet rear; Bolshevik forces, afraid that they will encircled, left Kupiškis on the night of May 30–31, and Lithuania secured that city on June 1.
After the capture of Utena, Saxon Volunteers left the front and by mid-July departed from Lithuania. However, Lithuanian advance continued, and on June 10 Lithuanian forces reached the territory controlled by Latvian partisans (Green Guard) and supplied them with munitions. On June 12, the Soviets counterattacked and Lithuanians were stopped. Another Soviet push came on June 20 and the front stabilized. The Soviets were cornered in a small region around Zarasai
. Between July 6 and 12, Lithuanians with some Latvian assistance attempted to drive out the Bolsheviks. The Soviets gathered their forces from calmer fronts and forced Lithuanians to retreat to their former positions.
While Lithuanian forces battled the Soviets in northeastern Lithuania, tension between Poland and Lithuania grew. Direct negotiations between May 28 and June 11, 1919 collapsed as neither side was inclined to compromise. Trying to prevent a direct military conflict the Allied Supreme Council drew the first demarcation line on June 18, 1919. The line was drawn several kilometers west of the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway
. Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected it as it required the Polish forces to retread up to 30 –; Lithuanians were not content with it as well, as it left Vilnius and Hrodna under Polish control. As German volunteers were departing from Lithuania (their last units left Kaunas in mid-July), Poland mounted an offensive on 100 km (62.1 mi) wide front moving 20 – deeper into the Lithuanian territory. Preoccupied with Soviet threat, Lithuania could not organize an effective defense and the Entente intervened again by drawing the second demarcation line, known as the Foch Line
, on July 26, 1919. Two major modifications were made: Suwałki Region was assigned to Poland and the entire line was moved about 7 km (4.3 mi) west. Neither Lithuanians, Poles, nor Germans (still present in the Suwałki Region) were content with the new demarcation line. Between July 29 and August 2, Polish troops carried out several attacks against the Lithuanians. On August 3, a Polish diplomatic mission in Kaunas declared that Poland has no plans to annex Lithuania and proposed a plebiscite in the contested territories, allowing local inhabitants to determine their future. When the Lithuanian government rejected the Polish proposal, Józef Piłsudski decided that further military action was not a solution. Instead, the Lithuanian government itself needed to be replaced by a party more willing to negotiate a compromise. The front stabilized, but bilateral relations worsened in the aftermath of the Sejny Uprising
(August 23 – September 9) which in turn ruined the attempted coup d'état
by the Polish Military Organisation
against the Lithuanian government (August 28–29).
. The Soviets had larger forces: Lithuanians had two infantry regiments and five separate battalions; the Soviets had six regiments and one separate battalion. The Lithuanians together with Poles planned to push for Daugavpils
starting August 9, but the plans were delayed until August 23.
The Ukmergė Group attacked first and captured Zarasai on August 25. The Group moved about 30 km (18.6 mi) into the Soviet-controlled territory, but neither its right or left flanks were adequately protected by the Polish units or the Panevėžys Group. The Panevėžys Group began its advance on August 26 and Polish troops moved along the railroad towards Turmantas
. The Lithuanians maneuvered around the old Russian fortifications, forcing the Red Army to retreat. Converging on Daugavpils, the Lithuanian–Soviet front shortened and the Lithuanians were able to concentrate their forces. On August 28, the Soviets began retreating north across the Daugava River. By August 31, on the southern shore of the Daugava, the Soviet held only Grīva, a suburb of Daugavpils.
The enemy was driven out from the Lithuanian territory and the narrow front stabilized as Lithuanians and Soviets were separated by the Daugava River. The Lithuanian main forces could be redeployed elsewhere, including protection of the demarcation line with Poland and planned attacks against the Bermontians in northern Lithuania. In September 1919, joint Polish and Latvian forces took the southern shore of Daugava, including Grīva. The Lithuanian–Soviet front remained open until the Battle of Daugavpils
when Latvian and Polish forces captured Daugavpils in January 1920. The Lithuanians did not participate in these operations. The Lithuanians claimed the territory, taken by their soldiers, for themselves despite Latvian protests. This led to several skirmishes between Latvian and Lithuanian troops, but the border issue was successfully mediated by Britain and finally resolved in March 1921.
The first Lithuanian–Soviet attempt at negotiations took place on September 11, 1919, after the People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs of Soviet Russia, Georgy Chicherin
, sent a note with a proposal for a peace treaty
. However, Lithuanian delayed the talks as it feared that negotiations with communist Russia, which was isolated from European politics, would damage its relationships with the western powers that had not yet recognized Lithuania. The talks began only in May 1920 and were highly influenced by the events in the Polish–Soviet War. Russia recognized Lithuania's independence and its right to the Vilnius Region
; in exchange Lithuania granted Soviet forces unrestricted movement during the war against Poland. This compromised Lithuania's declared neutrality and further deepened the Polish–Lithuanian crisis.
On July 14, 1920 the Soviets captured Vilnius, but did not transfer the city to Lithuanian administration, as agreed in the treaty. Instead Soviets planned a coup to overthrow Lithuanian government and establish a Soviet republic. However, Soviets lost the Battle of Warsaw
and were pushed back by the Poles. Some historians credit this victory for saving Lithuania's independence from the Soviet coup. Despite the Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
, Lithuania was very close to being invaded by the Soviets in summer 1920 and being forcibly incorporated into the Soviet state, and only the Polish victory derailed this plan. On August 26, the Red Army left Vilnius and Lithuanians prepared to defend their borders as they were drawn in the treaty. This led to further hostilities with Poland as it did not recognize the treaty. Eventually Lithuania lost the Vilnius Region during the Żeligowski's Mutiny
. When mediation at League of Nations
failed to change the situation, Lithuania and Poland were suspended in the state of "no war, no peace" until the Polish ultimatum of 1938
. During all this time Soviet Russia was Lithuania's strongest ally against Poland.
Act of Independence of Lithuania
The Act of Independence of Lithuania or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16, 1918, proclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuania, governed by democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital. The Act was signed by all twenty...
Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
and the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in the aftermath of World War I
Aftermath of World War I
The fighting in World War I ended in western Europe when the Armistice took effect at 11:00 am GMT on November 11, 1918, and in eastern Europe by the early 1920s. During and in the aftermath of the war the political, cultural, and social order was drastically changed in Europe, Asia and Africa,...
. It was part of the larger Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919. The offensive followed retreating German troops with intentions to establish Soviet republics in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and link up with the German Revolution. By the end of December 1918 Soviet forces reached Lithuanian borders. Largely unopposed, they took one town after another and by the end of January 1919 controlled about ⅔ of the Lithuanian territory. In February the Soviet advance was stopped by Lithuanian and German volunteers, who prevented the Soviets from capturing Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, the temporary capital of Lithuania
Temporary capital of Lithuania
The temporary capital of Lithuania was the official designation of the city of Kaunas in Lithuania during the interwar period. It was in contrast to the declared capital in Vilnius , which was under Polish control from 1920 until 1939...
. From April 1919 the Lithuanian war went parallel with the Polish–Soviet War. Poland had territorial claims over Lithuania, especially the Vilnius Region
Vilnius region
Vilnius Region , refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania, that was originally inhabited by ethnic Baltic tribes and was a part of Lithuania proper, but came under East Slavic and Polish cultural influences over time,...
, and these tensions spilled over into the Polish–Lithuanian War
Polish–Lithuanian War
The Polish–Lithuanian War was an armed conflict between newly independent Lithuania and Poland in the aftermath of World War I. The conflict primarily concerned territorial control of the Vilnius Region, including Vilnius , and the Suwałki Region, including the towns of Suwałki, Augustów, and Sejny...
. Historian Norman Davies
Norman Davies
Professor Ivor Norman Richard Davies FBA, FRHistS is a leading English historian of Welsh descent, noted for his publications on the history of Europe, Poland, and the United Kingdom.- Academic career :...
summarized the situation: "the German army was supporting the Lithuanian nationalists, the Soviets were supporting the Lithuanian communists and the Polish Army was fighting them all." In mid-May the Lithuanian army, now commanded by General Silvestras Žukauskas
Silvestras Žukauskas
Silvestras Žukauskas , was a general in the Russian army, and later in his native Lithuania, after it regained its independence in 1918.- Biography :After graduating from the secondary school in Marijampolė, Žukauskas studied at the military academy...
, began an offensive against the Soviets in northeastern Lithuania. By mid-June the Lithuanians reached the Latvian border and cornered the Soviets among lakes and hills near Zarasai
Zarasai
Zarasai is a city in northeastern Lithuania, surrounded by many lakes and rivers: to the southwest of the city is Zarasas, north – Zarasaitis, southeast – Baltas, and east – Griežtas. Zarasaitis and Griežtas are connected by Laukesa rivulet....
, where the Soviets held out until the end of August 1919. The Soviets and Lithuanians, separated by the Daugava River, maintained their fronts until the Battle of Daugavpils
Battle of Daugavpils
Battle of Daugavpils was the final battle of the joint Polish and Latvian Operation Winter against the Red Army. It took place in late December 1919 in the area around the city of Daugavpils...
in January 1920. Already in September 1919 the Soviets offered to negotiate a peace treaty, but talks began only in May 1920. The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty, also known as the Moscow Peace Treaty, was signed between Lithuania and Soviet Russia on July 12, 1920. In exchange for Lithuania's neutrality and permission to freely move its troops in the recognized territory during its war against Poland, Soviet Russia...
was signed on July 12, 1920. Soviet Russia fully recognized independent Lithuania.
Background
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
after the final partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795. During World War I Lithuania was occupied by Germany and made part of Ober Ost
Ober Ost
Ober Ost is short for Oberbefehlshaber der gesamten Deutschen Streitkräfte im Osten, which is a German term meaning "Supreme Commander of All German Forces in the East" during World War I. In practice it refers not only to said commander, but also to his governing military staff and the district...
. On February 16, 1918 the Council of Lithuania
Council of Lithuania
The Council of Lithuania , after July 11, 1918 The State Council of Lithuania , was convened at the Vilnius Conference that took place between September 18 and 23, 1917. The council was granted the executive authority of the Lithuanian people and was entrusted to establish an independent...
declared independence
Act of Independence of Lithuania
The Act of Independence of Lithuania or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16, 1918, proclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuania, governed by democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital. The Act was signed by all twenty...
from both Germany and Russia. Three weeks later, the Bolsheviks, encumbered with the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, sued for peace with the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
and signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, mediated by South African Andrik Fuller, at Brest-Litovsk between Russia and the Central Powers, headed by Germany, marking Russia's exit from World War I.While the treaty was practically obsolete before the end of the year,...
. They renounced Russian claims to Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland. However, the Lithuanians were only allowed minimal autonomy and could not establish de facto independence. That changed when Germany lost the war and signed the Compiègne Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
on November 11, 1918. Lithuania soon began organizing basic institutions, and established their first government led by Augustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras was a Lithuanian nationalist political figure. He served as the country's first Prime Minister in 1918, and again from 1926 to 1929.- Biography :...
.
On November 13, 1918, the Soviet Russian government renounced the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, mediated by South African Andrik Fuller, at Brest-Litovsk between Russia and the Central Powers, headed by Germany, marking Russia's exit from World War I.While the treaty was practically obsolete before the end of the year,...
, which had assured Lithuania's independence. The Bolshevik Western Army
Western Army (Russia)
The Western Army or 16th Army was created on November 15, 1918, by the Russian SFSR for the purpose of recovering territories lost by the Russian Empire during the First World War and establishing Soviet republics in those territories...
followed retreating German troops maintaining a distance of about 10–15 km (6.2–9.3 ) between the two armies. Demoralized Germans often left valuable armaments and other equipment to the Soviets. The Soviets attempted to spread the global proletarian revolution
World revolution
World revolution is the Marxist concept of overthrowing capitalism in all countries through the conscious revolutionary action of the organized working class...
and sought to establish Soviet republics in the region. They saw Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
as a barrier or a bridge into the Western Europe, where they could join the German and the Hungarian Revolutions
Hungarian Soviet Republic
The Hungarian Soviet Republic or Soviet Republic of Hungary was a short-lived Communist state established in Hungary in the aftermath of World War I....
. By the end of December 1918, Bolshevik forces reached eastern Lithuania.
Lithuanian government
Augustinas VoldemarasAugustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras was a Lithuanian nationalist political figure. He served as the country's first Prime Minister in 1918, and again from 1926 to 1929.- Biography :...
, the first Prime Minister of Lithuania
Prime Minister of Lithuania
The Prime Minister of Lithuania is the head of the executive arm of Lithuania's government, and is chosen by the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas. The modern office of Prime Minister was established in 1990, although the official title was "Chairperson of the Council of Ministers" until 25...
, did not believe that forming the military was a priority and advocated Lithuanian neutrality. He trusted that German mercenaries would protect Lithuania until the upcoming Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
could establish peace. Residents organized local self-defense units to defend themselves from retreating Germans. The first laws regarding the army were not issued until November 23. Some Lithuanians, who had served in the Russian army during the World War, returned to Lithuania and started organizing battalions in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Hrodna
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
, Alytus
Alytus
Alytus is a city with municipal rights in southern Lithuania. It is the capital of Alytus County. Its population in 2007 was 68,835. Alytus is the historical centre of the Dzūkija region. The city lies on the banks of the Nemunas River. The major highways linking Vilnius, Kaunas, Lazdijai, and...
. They lacked guns, ammunition, and officers.
At the end of December, with the Bolsheviks already in the country, Lithuania was left leaderless. Augustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras
Augustinas Voldemaras was a Lithuanian nationalist political figure. He served as the country's first Prime Minister in 1918, and again from 1926 to 1929.- Biography :...
, Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona was one of the most important Lithuanian political figures between World War I and World War II. He served as the first President of Lithuania from April 4, 1919 to June 19, 1920. He again served as the last President of the country from December 19, 1926 to June 15, 1940, before...
, Chairman of the Council of Lithuania, and Martynas Yčas, Minister of Finance, departed for Germany to ask for financial assistance. General Kiprijonas Kundratavičius, Vice Minister of Defense, suggested a retreat to Hrodna and refused to command the Lithuanian defense. The first Cabinet of Ministers resigned on December 26, 1918. Mykolas Sleževičius
Mykolas Sleževicius
Mykolas Sleževičius was a Lithuanian lawyer, political figure, and journalist, who served as Prime Minister of Lithuania on two occasions.- Early life :...
stepped in and organized a new government. On December 29, he issued the first mass appeal in four languages calling for volunteers for the Lithuanian Army. Sleževičius government adopted new policy on land reform, which could be summarized in a slogan "land for those who cultivate it." It meant the land would be taken from large landowners and redistributed first to the volunteers for free and then to small peasants for a fee. Mobilization
Mobilization
Mobilization is the act of assembling and making both troops and supplies ready for war. The word mobilization was first used, in a military context, in order to describe the preparation of the Prussian army during the 1850s and 1860s. Mobilization theories and techniques have continuously changed...
of officers was announced only on January 25; about 400 people responded.
Saxon Volunteers
In Berlin, Smetona and Yčas signed a loan agreement with Germany for 100 million marks. The money was used primarily to build and supply the army. They further negotiated direct German support in the war against the Soviets. Article 12 of the Compiègne Armistice required the Germans to protect Lithuania from possible Soviet attacks, but Germany was also interested in maintaining its influence in the region and weakening Russia. At first they tried to organize volunteers from the retreating soldiers of the 10th German Army, commanded by General Erich von FalkenhaynErich von Falkenhayn
Erich von Falkenhayn was a German soldier and Chief of the General Staff during World War I. He became a military writer after World War I.-Early life:...
. However, the soldiers were tired and demoralized and wanted to return home as soon as possible. Recruitment continued in Germany, especially in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. The volunteers were paid 30 marks per month plus 5 marks per day and had to sign up for three months. The first Saxon Volunteers, as they became known, arrived to Kaunas at the beginning of January, but quite a few of them were judged unfit for duty and sent back. By the end of January, German volunteers numbered 4,000. They were not very reliable as the German Revolution
German Revolution
The German Revolution was the politically-driven civil conflict in Germany at the end of World War I, which resulted in the replacement of Germany's imperial government with a republic...
increased popularity of the Spartacist League
Spartacist League
The Spartacus League was a left-wing Marxist revolutionary movement organized in Germany during World War I. The League was named after Spartacus, leader of the largest slave rebellion of the Roman Republic...
and Soviet causes. There were several attempts at a coup against the Lithuanian government. These volunteers were stationed in and around Kaunas: Alytus
Alytus
Alytus is a city with municipal rights in southern Lithuania. It is the capital of Alytus County. Its population in 2007 was 68,835. Alytus is the historical centre of the Dzūkija region. The city lies on the banks of the Nemunas River. The major highways linking Vilnius, Kaunas, Lazdijai, and...
, Jonava
Jonava
Jonava is the ninth largest city in Lithuania with a population of ca 35,000.It is located in Kaunas County in central Lithuania, north east of Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania. It is served by Kaunas International Airport. The largest fertilizer factory in the Baltic states is...
, Kėdainiai
Kedainiai
Kėdainiai is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania. It is located on the Nevėžis River. First mentioned in the 1372 Livonian Chronicle of Hermann de Wartberge, its population as of 2008 was 30,214. Its old town dates to the 17th century....
, Baisogala
Baisogala
Baisogala is a small town in Lithuania. It is situated on the crossroads of Kėdainiai–Šeduva and Raseiniai–Šeduva roads. According to the 2001 census, it had 2,548 residents.-History:...
.
At first they were organized into the 46th Saxon Volunteer Division. On February 22, Lieutenant-General Walter von Eberhardt became its commander. In April–May German forces were reorganized into the South Lithuania Volunteer Brigade composed of three regiments (18th, 19th, and 20th) and a separate battalion in Raseiniai
Raseiniai
Raseiniai is a city in Lithuania. It is located on the south eastern foothills of the Samogitians highland, some north from the Kaunas–Klaipėda highway.- Grand Duchy of Lithuania :...
. The 18th Regiment fought alongside Lithuanians; the 19th Regiment guarded Kaunas area and did not participate in battle; the 20th Regiment was stationed in Hrodna and then in Kėdainiai
Kedainiai
Kėdainiai is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania. It is located on the Nevėžis River. First mentioned in the 1372 Livonian Chronicle of Hermann de Wartberge, its population as of 2008 was 30,214. Its old town dates to the 17th century....
; the separate battalion joined the Bermontians. The Baltische Landeswehr
Baltische Landeswehr
Baltische Landeswehr was the name of the unified armed forces of the Couronian and Livonian nobility from 7 December 1918 to 3 July 1919.- Command structure :...
, led by General Rüdiger von der Goltz
Rüdiger von der Goltz
Gustav Adolf Joachim Rüdiger, Graf von der Goltz was German Army general during World War I. After World War I he was the commander of the army of the Baltic German-established Government of Latvia, which played an instrumental role in the defeat of Russian Bolsheviks and their local allies in...
, organized a coup against Latvian government and captured Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. On May 23, the Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
reacting to these events asked Germany to withdraw its troops from both Latvia and Lithuania as soon as local forces could defend themselves. The last Saxon Volunteers left Lithuania in mid-July.
Soviet government
On December 8, 1918, a temporary revolutionary government, chaired by Vincas Mickevičius-KapsukasVincas Mickevicius-Kapsukas
Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas was a Lithuanian political activist, one of the founders and leaders of the Communist Party of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic ....
, was formed solely from members of the Communist Party of Lithuania
Communist Party of Lithuania
The Communist Party of Lithuania was a communist party in Lithuania, established in early October 1918. The party was banned in December 1926.-History:...
. On December 16, 1918, the revolutionary government declared establishment of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–1919)
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was an early short-lived Soviet republic declared on December 16, 1918 by the provisional revolutionary government, led by Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas...
. Between December 31, 1918 and January 1, 1919, the German garrison withdrew from Vilnius and passed authority over the city to a local Polish committee, against the pleas of the Lithuanian administration. Polish self-defense units made up of local inhabitants, called Lithuanian and Belarusian Self-Defence
Lithuanian and Belarusian Self-Defence
Lithuanian and Belarusian Self-Defence was a voluntary military formation composed primarily of Poles that was created in the aftermath of First World War during the formation of Second Polish Republic in the Kresy Polish-Russian borderlands....
, took over the posts. The Lithuanian government withdrew to Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, the temporary capital of Lithuania
Temporary capital of Lithuania
The temporary capital of Lithuania was the official designation of the city of Kaunas in Lithuania during the interwar period. It was in contrast to the declared capital in Vilnius , which was under Polish control from 1920 until 1939...
. On January 5, 1919, Vilnius was taken by the Soviets after a five-day fight with Polish paramilitary platoons led by general Władysław Wejtko. Kapsukas and his government arrived in Vilnius from Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
on January 7. On February 27, the Lithuanian SSR was incorporated into the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic or Litbel.
In the occupied territory the Soviets created revolutionary committee
Revolutionary committee
Revolutionary committees or revkoms were Bolshevik-led organizations in Soviet Russia and in areas of its activities established to serve as provisional governments and temporary Soviet administrations in territories under the control of the Red Army in 1918-1920, during the Russian Civil War and...
s and soviets
Soviet (council)
Soviet was a name used for several Russian political organizations. Examples include the Czar's Council of Ministers, which was called the “Soviet of Ministers”; a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia; and the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union....
based on structures developed in Russia. Unlike elsewhere, Lithuanian communist organizations were young and had not yet developed a network of supporting local councils. They nationalized commercial institutions and large estates. The land was to be used for collective farming
Collective farming
Collective farming and communal farming are types of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise...
instead of being redistributed to small farmers. The Soviet propagated internationalism and atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
in a country of staunch Catholics and determined nationalists. Soviets were supported by the industrial working class, but it was too small in Lithuania. The Soviets demanded large war contributions from captured cities and villages. For example, Panevėžys was required to pay 1,000,000, Utena – 200,000, villagers – 10 rubles. Such policies alienated local population and contributed to the eventual defeat of the Soviets. For example, in February Kapsukas sent a telegram to Moscow arguing that conscription of local Lithuanians to the Red Army would only encourage Lithuanians to volunteer for the Lithuanian army.
Soviet military gains
Soviet troops (about 18,000–20,000 men) approached the Lithuanian territory on December 12, 1918. About 5,000 of them were Lithuanians. Three divisions were employed: Pskov division (later renamed Lithuanian Division), International Division (later renamed 2nd Latvian Riflemen Division; included 39th, 41st, 47th, and 60th Regiments), and 17th Division (later renamed Western Division; included 5th Vilnius Regiment). The divisions did not have a common military commander. Later more units were sent from Russia. The soviets also recruited partisan groups behind the front lines. Soviet soldiers were poorly supplied and had to support themselves by requisitioning food, horses, and clothes from local residents. Lithuania could not offer serious resistance as at the time its army consisted only of about 3,000 untrained volunteers. Only local partisans, armed with weapons acquired from retreating Germans, offered brief resistance.Red Army captured one town after another: Zarasai
Zarasai
Zarasai is a city in northeastern Lithuania, surrounded by many lakes and rivers: to the southwest of the city is Zarasas, north – Zarasaitis, southeast – Baltas, and east – Griežtas. Zarasaitis and Griežtas are connected by Laukesa rivulet....
and Švenčionys
Švencionys
Švenčionys is a city located north of Vilnius in Lithuania. It is the capital of the Švenčionys district municipality. As of 2005, it had population of 5,658 of which about one-third is part of the Polish minority in Lithuania.- Name :...
(Dec. 22), Utena
Utena
Utena is a city in north-east Lithuania. It is the administrative center of Utena district and Utena County. Utena is one of the oldest settlements of Lithuania. The name of the city is most probably derived from a hydronym. The name of the settlement has been known since 1261.Utena is an...
(Dec. 23), Rokiškis
Rokiškis
Rokiškis is a city in northeastern Lithuania with population of about 16,000.-History:The legend of the founding of Rokiškis tells about a hunter called Rokas who had been hunting for hares . However, cities ending in "-kiškis" are quite popular in the region. The city was first mentioned in 1499...
(Dec. 27), Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
(Jan. 5), Ukmergė
Ukmerge
-Early history:Ukmergė was first mentioned as a settlement in 1333. It was essentially a wooden fortress that stood on a hill, near the confluence of the Vilkmergė River and the Šventoji River. Ukmergė was attacked by the Teutonic Knights and the Livonian Order in 1333, 1365, 1378, 1386, and even...
and Panevėžys
Panevežys
Panevėžys see also other names, is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2008, it occupied 50 square kilometers with 113,653 inhabitants. The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys is the Cido Arena...
(Jan. 9), Šiauliai
Šiauliai
Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...
(Jan. 15), Telšiai
Telšiai
Telšiai , is a city in Lithuania with about 35,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of Telšiai County and Samogitia region, and it is located on Lake Mastis.-Names:...
(Jan. 25). That accounted for about ⅔ of the Lithuanian territory. The front somewhat stabilized when Soviet forces were stopped near the Venta River
Venta River
Venta River is a river in north-western Lithuania and western Latvia. Its source is near Kuršėnai in the Lithuanian Šiauliai County. It flows into the Baltic Sea at Ventspils in Latvia....
by Latvian and German units (Baltische Landeswehr
Baltische Landeswehr
Baltische Landeswehr was the name of the unified armed forces of the Couronian and Livonian nobility from 7 December 1918 to 3 July 1919.- Command structure :...
). Also Germans slowed down withdrawal of their troops after the Spartacist uprising
Spartacist uprising
The Spartacist Uprising , also known as the January uprising , was a general strike in Germany from January 5 to January 15, 1919. Its suppression marked the end of the German Revolution...
was subdued on January 12. Southern Lithuania was a little better protected as Germans retreated from Ukraine through Hrodna. To prevent fights between retreating Germans and the Red Army, the Soviets and Germans signed a treaty on January 18. The treaty drew a temporary demarcation line
Demarcation line
A demarcation line means simply a boundary around a specific area, but is commonly used to denote a temporary geopolitical border, often agreed upon as part of an armistice or ceasefire.See the following examples:...
that went through Daugai
Daugai
Daugai is a small city in Alytus district municipality, Lithuania. It is situated some to east from Alytus on the shores of Lake Didžiulis. The city has the Church of Divine Providence dating from 1862, extant bazaar square, Daugai Vladas Mironas secondary school, art school, agricultural...
, Stakliškės
Stakliškes
Stakliškės is a village in Lithuania, located east of Prienai, in Prienai district of Kaunas County on the Prienai-Trakai road. Stakliškės is a center of Stakliškės elderate...
, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Kaišiadorys
Kaišiadorys
Kaišiadorys is a city in central Lithuania. It is situated between Vilnius and Kaunas. Kaišiadorys is one of six Lithuanian diocese centres. It is home to the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Christ built in 1932. The Lithuanian Veterinary Institute is located there.-Etymology:Its name is...
–Jonava
Jonava
Jonava is the ninth largest city in Lithuania with a population of ca 35,000.It is located in Kaunas County in central Lithuania, north east of Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania. It is served by Kaunas International Airport. The largest fertilizer factory in the Baltic states is...
–Kėdainiai
Kedainiai
Kėdainiai is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania. It is located on the Nevėžis River. First mentioned in the 1372 Livonian Chronicle of Hermann de Wartberge, its population as of 2008 was 30,214. Its old town dates to the 17th century....
railway. That barred Bolshevik forces from directly attacking Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Lithuania's second-largest city. The Red Army would need to encircle Kaunas and attack through Alytus
Alytus
Alytus is a city with municipal rights in southern Lithuania. It is the capital of Alytus County. Its population in 2007 was 68,835. Alytus is the historical centre of the Dzūkija region. The city lies on the banks of the Nemunas River. The major highways linking Vilnius, Kaunas, Lazdijai, and...
or Kėdainiai
Kedainiai
Kėdainiai is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania. It is located on the Nevėžis River. First mentioned in the 1372 Livonian Chronicle of Hermann de Wartberge, its population as of 2008 was 30,214. Its old town dates to the 17th century....
. The operation to take Kaunas began on February 7.
Encirclement of Kaunas
Jonas Variakojis
Jonas Variakojis was a Lithuanian army officer....
, and from Kėdainiai numbered only about 200 men. Lithuanians withstood Red Army advance near Kėdainiai and with German support repelled it. On February 8, during the course of a reconnaissance mission, Povilas Lukšys became the first Lithuanian soldier to die in the war. On February 10, joint Lithuanian and German forces captured Šėta
Šėta
Šėta is a small town in Kaunas County in central Lithuania. As of 2001 it had a population of 1025.-References:*This article was initially translated from the Lithuanian Wikipedia....
and forced the Red Army to retreat. The success of this operation lifted the Lithuanian army's morale and prevented the Red Army from encircling Kaunas from the north.
On February 9, Soviet 7th Riflemen Regiment (900 men) took over Jieznas
Jieznas
Jieznas is a small city in the Prienai district municipality, Lithuania. It is located east of Prienai along the northern shores of Lake Jieznas.-History:...
, south of Kaunas. The following day Lithuanian forces (300 men) from Prienai
Prienai
Prienai is a city in Lithuania situated on the Neman River, south of Kaunas. In 2001 the city had 11,353 inhabitants. The name of the city is a derivative from a surname Prienas. Pociūnai Airport is associated with the city.-History:...
and Kaunas attacked before the Red Army could consolidate position, but were betrayed by their Russian commander and suffered a defeat: 18 Lithuanians were killed and 33 were taken prisoners. Lithuanians retreated, were reinforced by new Lithuanian and Saxon Volunteers, attacked again, and took Jieznas on February 13. The Soviets continued to push for Kaunas. The 3rd and 4th Riflemen Regiments (about 2,000 men) attacked Alytus
Alytus
Alytus is a city with municipal rights in southern Lithuania. It is the capital of Alytus County. Its population in 2007 was 68,835. Alytus is the historical centre of the Dzūkija region. The city lies on the banks of the Nemunas River. The major highways linking Vilnius, Kaunas, Lazdijai, and...
on February 12. Germans did not engage in battle and retreated; not yet fully formed Lithuanian 1st Infantry Regiment could not withstand pressure from the Red Army and had to retreat towards Marijampolė
Marijampole
Marijampolė is an industrial city and the capital of the Marijampolė County in the south of Lithuania, bordering Poland and Russian Kaliningrad oblast, and Lake Vištytis. The population of Marijampolė is 48,700...
and Prienai. Antanas Juozapavičius, the first Lithuanian officer to die in the wars, was killed during this battle. On the night of February 14–15, German forces and one company of the Lithuanians returned to Alytus and retook the city. Kaunas was defended and the front stabilized for a while. Soviets were ordered to abandon the offensive and maintain defensive position. This break allowed Lithuanians to better organize and train the volunteers.
German offensive
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
) was overtaken by the Soviet International Division (about 3,000 men). Its objective was to reach the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and cut off German supplies to Latvians in their war against the Soviets. Local communists were more active in northern Lithuania as the shortest route for Russian prisoners to return to Russia was through Samogitia. Their biggest achievement was formation of a 1,000-man Samogitian Regiment, commanded by Feliksas Baltušis-Žemaitis
Feliksas Baltušis-Žemaitis
Feliksas Baltušis-Žemaitis was a Soviet Lithuanian Red Army major general and lecturer/docent at the Frunze Military Academy in 1935–1940. Baltušis-Žemaitis briefly commanded the Lithuanian Army in 1940 during Lithuania's incorporation into the Soviet Union. He earned his Candidate of Military...
, in the city of Šiauliai
Šiauliai
Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...
. The regiment included Russian POWs, German deserters, and criminals. There were no units of regular Lithuanian army in Samogitia except for partisans in Skuodas
Skuodas
Skuodas is a city located in Klaipeda County, in northwestern Lithuania, on the border with Latvia. The Bartuva river flows through the town....
, rallied by Povilas Plechavičius
Povilas Plechavicius
Povilas Plechavičius was an Imperial Russian and then Lithuanian military officer and statesman. In the service of Lithuania he rose to the rank of General of the army in the interwar period...
and his brother Aleksandras, and in Joniškėlis
Joniškelis
Joniškėlis is city in the Pasvalys district municipality, Lithuania. It is located west of Pasvalys.-Name:Versions of the city's name in other languages include Polish: Johaniszkiele, Russian: Иоганишкели Ioganishkeli, Belarusian: Iоганiшкели Iohanishkeli, Yiddish: יאַנישקעל Yonishkel....
.
The movement of the Bolsheviks towards East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
worried Germany, and they sent volunteers (Brigade Shaulen) commanded by General Rudiger von der Goltz
Rüdiger von der Goltz
Gustav Adolf Joachim Rüdiger, Graf von der Goltz was German Army general during World War I. After World War I he was the commander of the army of the Baltic German-established Government of Latvia, which played an instrumental role in the defeat of Russian Bolsheviks and their local allies in...
to free the railroad line linking Liepāja
Liepaja
Liepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
, Mažeikiai
Mažeikiai
Mažeikiai is a city in the north-western Lithuania, on the Venta River. It has a population of around 45,300, making it the eighth largest city in Lithuania. The city is the administrative center of Mažeikiai district municipality in Telšiai County. It is the largest city that does not have its...
, Radviliškis
Radviliškis
Radviliškis is a city in the Radviliškis district municipality , Šiauliai County, Lithuania. Radviliškis has been the administrative center of the district since 1950, and is an important railway junction.-History:...
, and Kėdainiai
Kedainiai
Kėdainiai is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania. It is located on the Nevėžis River. First mentioned in the 1372 Livonian Chronicle of Hermann de Wartberge, its population as of 2008 was 30,214. Its old town dates to the 17th century....
. It was part of a larger counter-offensive in Latvia. At the end of February the Lithuanian partisans, supported by German artillery, took Mažeikiai and Seda, and pursued Bolsheviks to Kuršėnai
Kuršenai
Kuršėnai is the twenty-fifth largest city in Lithuania. According to the 2001 census, it had 14,197 residents.-Famous people:* Stasys Raštikis, Lithuanian army general* Donald Kagan, Yale Classics professor-References:...
. On February 27, 1919, German volunteers supported by Plechavičius' partisans and Joniškėlis' partisans, defeated the Samogitian Regiment in a battle near Luokė
Luokė
Luokė is a town in Telšiai County, Lithuania. According to the 2001 census, the town has a population of 777 people....
. The regiment disbanded. Before mid-March the Germans took Kuršėnai, Šiauliai, Radviliškis, Šeduva
Šeduva
Šeduva is a city in the Radviliškis district municipality, Lithuania. It is located east of Radviliškis.Shadova-Šeduva was an agricultural town dealing in cereals, flax and linseed, pigs and geese and horses, at the site of a royal estate and beside a road from Kaunas to Riga. The population...
, Joniškis
Joniškis
Joniškis is a city in northern Lithuania with a population of about 11,150. It is located 40 kilometers north of Šiauliai and 14 kilometers south of the Lithuania–Latvia border...
and stopped. On few occasions they were aided by Lithuanian partisans and regular units. Joniškėlis' partisans continued to guard the front along the Mūša River
Muşa River
The Muşa River is a tributary of the Bâsca Mică River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
. They were later incorporated into regular Lithuanian military.
Lithuanian preparations
As the Soviet forces were stopped, Lithuanian army slowly began to prepare itself for an offensive. After the Battle of Kėdainiai, Panevėžys volunteer regiment had secured its positions and grew in strength. Between mid-February and end of March it carried out small expeditions into nearby towns. Their main purpose was to demoralize the enemy forces and boost confidence of local residents and Lithuanian volunteers. As a reward for its successful operations, the volunteer regiment was given a name on March 22: the Separate Panevėžys Battalion . Demoralization campaign was successful: the Bolshevik forces stationed in PanevėžysPanevežys
Panevėžys see also other names, is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2008, it occupied 50 square kilometers with 113,653 inhabitants. The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys is the Cido Arena...
and Kupiškis
Kupiškis
Kupiškis is a city in north-eastern Lithuania. It is the capital of the Kupiškis district municipality. Kupiškis is situated on the Lėvuo and Kupa rivers. The name of the city originates from Kupa River. Gediminas bridge crosses river Kupa.-History:...
rebelled, and were quelled only by a Red Army Division from neighboring Latvia. The Bolshevik morale underwent deeper declines, and between March 19 and March 24 their forces left Panevėžys. Lithuanian forces entered the city on March 26, but the Red Army retook it on April 4.
The lull between Soviet attacks was used to strengthen and organize the army. On March 5, Lithuanians announced mobilization of men born 1887–1889. Lithuanian forces rapidly increased their numbers. By May 3 the official headcount reached 440 officers and 10,729 privates. However, only about half of them were properly trained, armed, and assigned to military units. In February–April Lithuanian soldiers were actively undergoing training, the chain of command was streamlined, new military units formed. Lithuania also received new shipments of arms and munitions. Soldiers received first uniforms.
The first organized Lithuanian offensive was carried out between April 3 and April 8, 1919. Lithuanians decided to take advantage of large Polish attacks against the Soviets in Hrodna
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
area in order to test enemy strength and capture Vilnius. The southern group, formed on the basis of the 1st Riflemen Regiment and led by Kazys Ladiga
Kazys Ladiga
Kazys Ladiga was a Lithuanian general and one of the first volunteer officers of the Lithuanian army....
, was to attack from Alytus along Daugai
Daugai
Daugai is a small city in Alytus district municipality, Lithuania. It is situated some to east from Alytus on the shores of Lake Didžiulis. The city has the Church of Divine Providence dating from 1862, extant bazaar square, Daugai Vladas Mironas secondary school, art school, agricultural...
–Valkininkai
Valkininkai
Valkininkai is a historic town in Lithuania, located about northeast from Varėna and about southeast from Vilnius. According to the 2001 census, it had a population of 238. It is situated on the confluence of Merkys River with its tributaries Šalčia and Geluža...
line. The northern group, formed on the basis on the 2nd Riflemen Regiment and led by Juozas Butkus, was to attack from Kaišiadorys along Žasliai
Žasliai
Žasliai is a small town in Kaunas County in central Lithuania. As of 2001 it had a population of 818.-References:*This article was initially translated from the Lithuanian Wikipedia....
–Vievis
Vievis
Vievis is a small city in Elektrėnai municipality, Lithuania. It is located 14 km east of Elektrėnai. The city is surrounded by Lake Vievis.In 1522 year the Vievis manor, in 1539 year - town, which belonged to Ogiński family, was mentioned...
line. Germans did not participate. Both regiments were initially successful, but Soviets gathered their forces and stopped the advance. As Lithuanian flanks were not defended, they decided to abandon to offensive. Soviets also accused Germans of violating the demarcation line set on January 18 and pressured them to retreat.
Polish offensive
Poland started an offensive against the Soviets in March 1919. They pushed east and north, entering Vilnius RegionVilnius region
Vilnius Region , refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania, that was originally inhabited by ethnic Baltic tribes and was a part of Lithuania proper, but came under East Slavic and Polish cultural influences over time,...
, the territory claimed by Lithuanians. Between April 19 and 21, Poles captured Vilnius during the Vilna offensive
Vilna offensive
The Vilna offensive was a campaign of the Polish–Soviet War of 1919–1921. The Polish army launched an offensive on April 16, 1919, to take Vilnius from the Red Army. After three days of street fighting from April 19–21, the city was captured by Polish forces, causing the Red Army to...
and by May secured their positions. The Polish army forced Soviets to withdraw their left wing from territories south of the Neris River. Polish advance significantly shortened the Lithuanian–Soviet front line and allowed Lithuania to concentrate its forces for operations in northeastern Lithuania. However, it also meant that a new front line with Poland was open. At first, both Poles and Lithuanians cooperated against the Soviets, but soon the cooperation gave way to increasing hostility. The first clashes between Polish and Lithuanian soldiers occurred on April 26 and May 8 near Vievis
Vievis
Vievis is a small city in Elektrėnai municipality, Lithuania. It is located 14 km east of Elektrėnai. The city is surrounded by Lake Vievis.In 1522 year the Vievis manor, in 1539 year - town, which belonged to Ogiński family, was mentioned...
.
Poland did not recognize Lithuania, as its Chief of State Józef Piłsudski wanted a union with Lithuania in hopes to revive the old Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (see Międzymorze
Miedzymorze
Międzymorze was a plan, pursued after World War I by Polish leader Józef Piłsudski, for a federation, under Poland's aegis, of Central and Eastern European countries...
federation). Poland justified its actions not only as part of a military campaign against the Soviets but also as the right of self-determination of local Poles, who formed a significant minority in eastern Lithuania. Lithuanians claimed Vilnius as their historical capital and opposed to any federation with Poland, desiring an independent national Lithuanian state. The Lithuanian government in Kaunas saw the Polish presence in Vilnius as occupation. In addition to the Vilnius Region, the nearby Suwałki Region was also disputed. The Polish–Lithuanian relations
Polish–Lithuanian relations
Polish–Lithuanian relations dates from the 13th century, when the Grand Duchy of Lithuania under Mindaugas took over some of the lands of Rus' and thus established a border with the then-fragmented Kingdom of Poland. Polish-Lithuanian relations improved, leading to an alliance...
were not immediately hostile, but grew worse as each side refused to compromise.
Lithuanian offensive
Silvestras Žukauskas
Silvestras Žukauskas , was a general in the Russian army, and later in his native Lithuania, after it regained its independence in 1918.- Biography :After graduating from the secondary school in Marijampolė, Žukauskas studied at the military academy...
, who just recovered from typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
, was designated Chief of Staff. He decided to mount offensive in northeastern Lithuania. The first objective was to take over Ukmergė
Ukmerge
-Early history:Ukmergė was first mentioned as a settlement in 1333. It was essentially a wooden fortress that stood on a hill, near the confluence of the Vilkmergė River and the Šventoji River. Ukmergė was attacked by the Teutonic Knights and the Livonian Order in 1333, 1365, 1378, 1386, and even...
. On May 3, the Separate Panevėžys Volunteer Regiment, supported by the 18th Regiment of Saxon Volunteers, had secured the town. The operation was risky as for a while Kėdainiai was unprotected opening a path to Kaunas, but also very successful: some 500 Soviets were taken prisoner and about 50 Poles, captured by the Soviets in the battles near Vilnius, were liberated and returned to Poland. On May 7 Lithuanians entered Širvintos
Širvintos
Širvintos is a city in Vilnius County in the eastern part of Lithuania. It is the administrative center of the Širvintos district municipality.The word Širvintos is the plural form of the name of the Širvinta River, which flows through the city....
, where they found Polish troops. Lithuanians and Poles mounted a joint operation to take Giedraičiai
Giedraiciai
Giedraitis is the name of a Lithuanian noble family, most probably dating back to the time of Mindaugas, although it has no connections with him...
on May 9.
The Lithuanian army's chain of command was reformed. On May 7, General Žukauskas assumed command of the entire Lithuanian army and initiated a complete reorganization of Lithuanian forces into two groups. The first brigade, stationed in Ukmergė, was called the Vilkmergė Group and included a battalion of Saxon Volunteers. Its first commander Kazys Ladiga
Kazys Ladiga
Kazys Ladiga was a Lithuanian general and one of the first volunteer officers of the Lithuanian army....
was ordered to push along the Utena
Utena
Utena is a city in north-east Lithuania. It is the administrative center of Utena district and Utena County. Utena is one of the oldest settlements of Lithuania. The name of the city is most probably derived from a hydronym. The name of the settlement has been known since 1261.Utena is an...
–Zarasai
Zarasai
Zarasai is a city in northeastern Lithuania, surrounded by many lakes and rivers: to the southwest of the city is Zarasas, north – Zarasaitis, southeast – Baltas, and east – Griežtas. Zarasaitis and Griežtas are connected by Laukesa rivulet....
line. The second brigade, called the Panevėžys Group, was charged with capturing Panevėžys and then pushing along the Kupiškis
Kupiškis
Kupiškis is a city in north-eastern Lithuania. It is the capital of the Kupiškis district municipality. Kupiškis is situated on the Lėvuo and Kupa rivers. The name of the city originates from Kupa River. Gediminas bridge crosses river Kupa.-History:...
–Rokiškis
Rokiškis
Rokiškis is a city in northeastern Lithuania with population of about 16,000.-History:The legend of the founding of Rokiškis tells about a hunter called Rokas who had been hunting for hares . However, cities ending in "-kiškis" are quite popular in the region. The city was first mentioned in 1499...
–Obeliai
Obeliai
Obeliai is a small city in the Rokiškis district municipality of Panevėžys County, Lithuania. At the foot of the town is one of the area's many lakes....
line. The group, initially commanded by Jonas Variakojis
Jonas Variakojis
Jonas Variakojis was a Lithuanian army officer....
, was aided by Joniškėlis' partisans from the north. The Ministry of Defense and the Staff were also reorganized.
On May 18 the reorganized army carried out its first operation. The Vilkmergė Group captured Kurkliai
Kurkliai
Kurkliai is a town in Anykščiai district municipality, in Utena County, in northeast Lithuania. According to the 2001 census, the town has a population of 474 people. Center of eldership. In town there is Anykščiai Regional Park....
and Anykščiai
Anykšciai
Anykščiai is a ski resort town in Lithuania, 20 miles west of Utena. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Matthias in Anykščiai is the tallest church in Lithuania, with spires measuring 79 meters in height.The city has a football club FK Anykščiai.-Name:...
. On May 22, the Group launched an attack on Utena. The initiative was met by a Soviet counterattack, and the Lithuanian forces retreated. Further attacks were stopped for several days to wait for the results of the advance on Kupiškis. The drive towards Utena resumed on May 31, and the city was secured on June 2. The Panevėžys Group launched a drive towards Panevėžys on May 18 and secured the city the following day, but lost it to a Bolshevik counterattack, carried out on May 21. However, Soviets left Panevėžys without a fight two days later. The Group charged towards Kupiškis and secured Subačius
Subacius
Subačius is a city in Panevėžys County, northwestern Lithuania. It is located on the banks of the Viešinta River about west of Kupiškis....
. On May 30 Joniškėlis' partisans broke through the Soviet lines and took Rokiškis in Soviet rear; Bolshevik forces, afraid that they will encircled, left Kupiškis on the night of May 30–31, and Lithuania secured that city on June 1.
After the capture of Utena, Saxon Volunteers left the front and by mid-July departed from Lithuania. However, Lithuanian advance continued, and on June 10 Lithuanian forces reached the territory controlled by Latvian partisans (Green Guard) and supplied them with munitions. On June 12, the Soviets counterattacked and Lithuanians were stopped. Another Soviet push came on June 20 and the front stabilized. The Soviets were cornered in a small region around Zarasai
Zarasai
Zarasai is a city in northeastern Lithuania, surrounded by many lakes and rivers: to the southwest of the city is Zarasas, north – Zarasaitis, southeast – Baltas, and east – Griežtas. Zarasaitis and Griežtas are connected by Laukesa rivulet....
. Between July 6 and 12, Lithuanians with some Latvian assistance attempted to drive out the Bolsheviks. The Soviets gathered their forces from calmer fronts and forced Lithuanians to retreat to their former positions.
Polish–Lithuanian conflict
While Lithuanian forces battled the Soviets in northeastern Lithuania, tension between Poland and Lithuania grew. Direct negotiations between May 28 and June 11, 1919 collapsed as neither side was inclined to compromise. Trying to prevent a direct military conflict the Allied Supreme Council drew the first demarcation line on June 18, 1919. The line was drawn several kilometers west of the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway
Warsaw – Saint Petersburg Railway
The Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway, Russian "Санкт-Петербурго-Варшавская железная дорога" is a long railway, built in the 19th century by the Russian Empire to connect Russia with Central Europe. At the time the entire railway was within Russia, as Warsaw was under a Russian partition of Poland...
. Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected it as it required the Polish forces to retread up to 30 –; Lithuanians were not content with it as well, as it left Vilnius and Hrodna under Polish control. As German volunteers were departing from Lithuania (their last units left Kaunas in mid-July), Poland mounted an offensive on 100 km (62.1 mi) wide front moving 20 – deeper into the Lithuanian territory. Preoccupied with Soviet threat, Lithuania could not organize an effective defense and the Entente intervened again by drawing the second demarcation line, known as the Foch Line
Foch Line
The Foch Line was a temporary demarcation line between Poland and Lithuania proposed by the Entente in the aftermath of World War I. The line was proposed by Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch and was accepted by the Conference of Ambassadors in 1919. With small adjustments the line formed the basis...
, on July 26, 1919. Two major modifications were made: Suwałki Region was assigned to Poland and the entire line was moved about 7 km (4.3 mi) west. Neither Lithuanians, Poles, nor Germans (still present in the Suwałki Region) were content with the new demarcation line. Between July 29 and August 2, Polish troops carried out several attacks against the Lithuanians. On August 3, a Polish diplomatic mission in Kaunas declared that Poland has no plans to annex Lithuania and proposed a plebiscite in the contested territories, allowing local inhabitants to determine their future. When the Lithuanian government rejected the Polish proposal, Józef Piłsudski decided that further military action was not a solution. Instead, the Lithuanian government itself needed to be replaced by a party more willing to negotiate a compromise. The front stabilized, but bilateral relations worsened in the aftermath of the Sejny Uprising
Sejny Uprising
The Sejny Uprising or Seinai Revolt refers to a Polish uprising in the ethnically-mixed area surrounding Sejny against the Lithuanian authorities in August 1919. When German forces, which occupied the territory during World War I, retreated from the area, the administration was handed to the...
(August 23 – September 9) which in turn ruined the attempted coup d'état
1919 Polish coup d'état attempt in Lithuania
The Polish coup d'état attempt in Lithuania refers to a failed attempt by Józef Piłsudski to overthrow the existing government of Lithuania, led by Prime Minister Mykolas Sleževičius, and install a more pro-Polish cabinet that would agree to a union with Poland. The coup d'etat was to be carried...
by the Polish Military Organisation
Polish Military Organisation
Polish Military Organisation, PMO was a secret military organization created by Józef Piłsudski in August 1914, and officially named in November 1914, during World War I. Its tasks were to gather intelligence and sabotage the enemies of the Polish people...
against the Lithuanian government (August 28–29).
Final battles
Due to threat from Poland, the front with the Soviets was quiet for more than a month. There were minor incidents involving scouts or outpost guards. The Red Army used the time to reorganize and strengthen their forces, using natural barriers, like plentiful lakes, rivers, and hills, enhanced with trenches and barbed wires, to secure their position. They also had fortifications built during World War I about 10 km (6.2 mi) south of DaugavpilsDaugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
. The Soviets had larger forces: Lithuanians had two infantry regiments and five separate battalions; the Soviets had six regiments and one separate battalion. The Lithuanians together with Poles planned to push for Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
starting August 9, but the plans were delayed until August 23.
The Ukmergė Group attacked first and captured Zarasai on August 25. The Group moved about 30 km (18.6 mi) into the Soviet-controlled territory, but neither its right or left flanks were adequately protected by the Polish units or the Panevėžys Group. The Panevėžys Group began its advance on August 26 and Polish troops moved along the railroad towards Turmantas
Turmantas
Turmantas is a town in the Zarasai district municipality, Lithuania. Located on the border with Latvia, it is a railway station on the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg railway. The village is known since 1798. It began growing after completion of the railway in 1862. As part of the Vilnius Region,...
. The Lithuanians maneuvered around the old Russian fortifications, forcing the Red Army to retreat. Converging on Daugavpils, the Lithuanian–Soviet front shortened and the Lithuanians were able to concentrate their forces. On August 28, the Soviets began retreating north across the Daugava River. By August 31, on the southern shore of the Daugava, the Soviet held only Grīva, a suburb of Daugavpils.
The enemy was driven out from the Lithuanian territory and the narrow front stabilized as Lithuanians and Soviets were separated by the Daugava River. The Lithuanian main forces could be redeployed elsewhere, including protection of the demarcation line with Poland and planned attacks against the Bermontians in northern Lithuania. In September 1919, joint Polish and Latvian forces took the southern shore of Daugava, including Grīva. The Lithuanian–Soviet front remained open until the Battle of Daugavpils
Battle of Daugavpils
Battle of Daugavpils was the final battle of the joint Polish and Latvian Operation Winter against the Red Army. It took place in late December 1919 in the area around the city of Daugavpils...
when Latvian and Polish forces captured Daugavpils in January 1920. The Lithuanians did not participate in these operations. The Lithuanians claimed the territory, taken by their soldiers, for themselves despite Latvian protests. This led to several skirmishes between Latvian and Lithuanian troops, but the border issue was successfully mediated by Britain and finally resolved in March 1921.
Peace treaty
Georgy Chicherin
Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin was a Marxist revolutionary and a Soviet politician. He served as People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs in the Soviet government from March 1918 to 1930.-Childhood and early career:...
, sent a note with a proposal for a peace treaty
Peace treaty
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a state of war between the parties...
. However, Lithuanian delayed the talks as it feared that negotiations with communist Russia, which was isolated from European politics, would damage its relationships with the western powers that had not yet recognized Lithuania. The talks began only in May 1920 and were highly influenced by the events in the Polish–Soviet War. Russia recognized Lithuania's independence and its right to the Vilnius Region
Vilnius region
Vilnius Region , refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania, that was originally inhabited by ethnic Baltic tribes and was a part of Lithuania proper, but came under East Slavic and Polish cultural influences over time,...
; in exchange Lithuania granted Soviet forces unrestricted movement during the war against Poland. This compromised Lithuania's declared neutrality and further deepened the Polish–Lithuanian crisis.
On July 14, 1920 the Soviets captured Vilnius, but did not transfer the city to Lithuanian administration, as agreed in the treaty. Instead Soviets planned a coup to overthrow Lithuanian government and establish a Soviet republic. However, Soviets lost the Battle of Warsaw
Battle of Warsaw (1920)
The Battle of Warsaw sometimes referred to as the Miracle at the Vistula, was the decisive battle of the Polish–Soviet War. That war began soon after the end of World War I in 1918 and lasted until the Treaty of Riga resulted in the end of the hostilities between Poland and Russia in 1921.The...
and were pushed back by the Poles. Some historians credit this victory for saving Lithuania's independence from the Soviet coup. Despite the Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty, also known as the Moscow Peace Treaty, was signed between Lithuania and Soviet Russia on July 12, 1920. In exchange for Lithuania's neutrality and permission to freely move its troops in the recognized territory during its war against Poland, Soviet Russia...
, Lithuania was very close to being invaded by the Soviets in summer 1920 and being forcibly incorporated into the Soviet state, and only the Polish victory derailed this plan. On August 26, the Red Army left Vilnius and Lithuanians prepared to defend their borders as they were drawn in the treaty. This led to further hostilities with Poland as it did not recognize the treaty. Eventually Lithuania lost the Vilnius Region during the Żeligowski's Mutiny
Zeligowski's Mutiny
Żeligowski's Mutiny was a sham mutiny led by Polish General Lucjan Żeligowski in October 1920, which resulted in the creation of the short-lived Republic of Central Lithuania. Polish Chief of State Józef Piłsudski had surreptitiously ordered Żeligowski to carry out the operation, and revealed the...
. When mediation at League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
failed to change the situation, Lithuania and Poland were suspended in the state of "no war, no peace" until the Polish ultimatum of 1938
1938 Polish ultimatum to Lithuania
The 1938 Polish ultimatum to Lithuania was an ultimatum delivered to Lithuania by Poland on March 17, 1938. The Lithuanian government had steadfastly refused to have any diplomatic relations with Poland after 1920, protesting the annexation by Poland of the Vilnius Region. As pre-World War II...
. During all this time Soviet Russia was Lithuania's strongest ally against Poland.