| Lithuanian–Soviet War | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofLithuanian Wars of Independence andSoviet westward offensive of 1918–1919 | |||||||
 Soviet prisoners of war in a Lithuanian camp. As of December 1, 1919, the Lithuanians held 1,773 Soviet prisoners.[1] | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Mykolas Sleževičius Silvestras Žukauskas | Vladimir Lenin Jukums Vācietis Dmitry Nadyozhny Vincas Kapsukas | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
 8,000 Lithuanians (August 1919)[2] 10,000 Germans[2] |  18,000–20,000 | ||||||
TheLithuanian–Soviet War orLithuanian–Bolshevik War (Lithuanian:karas su bolševikais) was fought betweennewly independentLithuania and theRussian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic in theaftermath of World War I. It was part of the largerSoviet westward offensive of 1918–1919. The offensive followed the retreat of German troops and sought to establishSoviet republics inUkraine,Belarus,Lithuania,Latvia,Estonia, andPoland, and to link up with theGerman Revolution.[3] By the end of December 1918, Soviet forces reached Lithuanian borders. Largely unopposed, they occupied one town after another and by the end of January 1919, they controlled about two thirds of the Lithuanian territory. In February, the Soviet advance was stopped by Lithuanian and German volunteers, who prevented the Soviets from capturingKaunas, thetemporary capital of Lithuania. From April 1919, the Lithuanian war went parallel with thePolish–Soviet War. Poland had territorial claims over Lithuania, especially theVilnius Region; these tensions spilt over into thePolish–Lithuanian War.
British-Polish historianNorman 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."[4] In mid-May, the Lithuanian army, now commanded by GeneralSilvestras Žukauskas, began an offensive against the Soviets in Northeastern Lithuania. By mid-June, the Lithuanians reached theLatvian border and cornered the Soviets among lakes and hills nearZarasai, where the Soviets held out until the end of August 1919. The Soviets and Lithuanians, separated by theDaugava River, maintained their fronts until theBattle of Daugavpils in January 1920. As early as September 1919, the Soviets offered to negotiate a peace treaty, but talks began only in May 1920. TheSoviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty was signed on July 12, 1920. Soviet Russia fully recognized independent Lithuania.
Lithuania became part of theRussian Empire after the finalpartition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795. During World War I, Lithuania was occupied by Germany and made part ofOber Ost. On February 16, 1918, theCouncil of Lithuaniadeclared independence from both Germany and Russia. Three weeks later, theBolsheviks, encumbered with theRussian Civil War, sued for peace with theCentral Powers and signed theTreaty of Brest-Litovsk. They renounced Russian claims to Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland.[5] However, Germany granted the Lithuanians only minimal autonomy and they could not establishde facto independence.[6] That changed when Germany lost the war and signed the CompiègneArmistice of 11 November 1918. Lithuania soon began organizing basic institutions and established its first government led byAugustinas Voldemaras.
On November 13, 1918, the Soviet Russian government renounced the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which had assured Lithuania's independence.[5] The BolshevikWestern Army followed retreating German troops, maintaining a distance of 10–15 kilometres (6.2–9.3 mi) between the two armies.[7] Demoralized Germans often left valuable armaments and other equipment to the Soviets.[8] The Soviets attempted to spread theglobal proletarian revolution and sought to establish Soviet republics in the region. They sawBaltic states as a barrier or a bridge into Western Europe, where they could join the German and theHungarian revolutions.[9] By the end of December 1918, Bolshevik forces reached eastern Lithuania.
Augustinas Voldemaras, the firstPrime Minister of Lithuania, did not believe that forming the military was a priority and advocated for Lithuanianneutrality.[10] He trusted that German mercenaries would protect Lithuania until the upcomingParis Peace Conference could establish peace.[11] Residents organized local self-defense units to defend themselves from the retreating Germans.[10] The first laws regarding the army were not issued until 23 November 1918. Some Lithuanians, who had served in the Russian army during the World War, returned to Lithuania and started organizing battalions inKaunas,Gardinas, andAlytus.[10] They lacked guns, ammunition, and officers.
At the end of December, with the Bolsheviks already in the country, Lithuania was left leaderless.Augustinas Voldemaras, Chairman of the Council of LithuaniaAntanas Smetona, andMartynas Yčas, minister of finance, departed for Germany to ask for financial assistance.[2] GeneralKiprijonas Kundratavičius, vice minister of defense, suggested a retreat to Gardinas and refused to command the Lithuanian defense.[10] 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.[12] Sleževičius' government adopted a new policy on land reform, which could be summarized in a slogan "land for those who cultivate it."[13] 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.[14]Mobilization of officers was announced only on January 25; about 400 people responded.[12]
In Berlin, Smetona and Yčas signed a loan agreement with Germany for 100 millionmarks.[13] 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,[15] but Germany was also interested in maintaining its influence in the region and weakening Russia.[16] At first, they tried to organize volunteers from the retreating soldiers of the10th German Army, commanded by GeneralErich von Falkenhayn. However, the soldiers were tired and demoralized and wanted to return home as soon as possible.[17] Recruitment continued in Germany, especially inSaxony. The volunteers were paid 30 marks per month plus 5 marks per day and had to sign up for three months.[18] The first Saxon volunteers, as they became known, arrived in 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.[18] They were unreliable, as the German Revolution increased the popularity of theSpartacus League and Soviet causes. There were several attempts at a coup against the Lithuanian government.[18] These volunteers were stationed in and around Kaunas:Alytus,Jonava,Kėdainiai, andBaisogala.[18]
At first, they were organized into the 46th Saxon Volunteer Division.[18] On February 22, Lieutenant-GeneralWalter 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 inRaseiniai.[19] The 18th Regiment fought alongside Lithuanians; the 19th Regiment guarded the Kaunas area and did not participate in battle; the 20th Regiment was stationed in Gardinas and then inKėdainiai; the separate battalion joined theBermontians.[18] TheBaltische Landeswehr, led by GeneralRüdiger von der Goltz, organized a coup against the Latvian government and capturedRiga. On May 23, theParis 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.[20] The last Saxon Volunteers left Lithuania in mid-July.[21]
On 8 December 1918, a revolutionary government was formed from members of theCommunist Party of Lithuania, chaired byVincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas.[2] On December 16, the revolutionary government declared the establishment of theLithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. Between 31 December 1918 and 1 January 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.[22] TheLithuanian and Belarusian Self-Defence, which aligned itself withPoland, took over the posts. The Lithuanian government withdrew toKaunas, thetemporary capital of Lithuania.[23] On January 5, 1919, Vilnius was taken by the Soviets after a five-day fight with Polish paramilitary platoons led by generalWładysław Wejtko. Kapsukas and his government arrived in Vilnius fromDaugavpils on January 7.[24] On February 27, the Lithuanian SSR was incorporated into theSocialist Soviet Republic of Lithuania and Belorussia or Litbel.
In the occupied territory, the Soviets createdrevolutionary committees andsoviets based on structures developed in Russia.[25] Unlike elsewhere, Lithuanian communist organizations were young and had not yet developed a network of supporting local councils.[9] They nationalized commercial institutions and large estates. The land was to be used forcollective farming instead of being redistributed to small farmers.[26] The Soviet propagatedinternationalism andatheism in a country of staunch Catholics and determined nationalists.[25][27] Soviets were supported by the industrial working class, but it was too small in Lithuania.[27] 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.[28] Such policies alienated the local population and contributed to the eventual defeat of the Soviets.[27] 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.[25]
Soviet troops (about 18,000[29] to 20,000 men[30]) approached the Lithuanian territory on December 12, 1918.[30] About 5,000 of them were Lithuanians.[31] Three divisions were employed: Pskov Division (later renamed as the Lithuanian Division), International Division (later renamed as the 2nd Latvian Rifle Division; included 39th, 41st, 47th, and 60th Regiments), and 17th Division (later renamed asWestern Division; included 5th Vilnius Regiment).[28] The divisions did not have a common military commander.[19] Later, more units were sent from Russia. The Soviets also recruited partisan groups behind the front lines.[31] Soviet soldiers were poorly supplied and relied on requisitioning food, horses, and clothes from locals.[25] Lithuania could not offer serious resistance as at the time its army consisted only of about 3,000 untrained volunteers.[32] Only local partisans, armed with weapons acquired from retreating Germans, offered brief resistance.
Red Army captured one town after another:Zarasai andŠvenčionys (Dec. 22),Utena (Dec. 23),Rokiškis andVilnius[33] (Jan. 5),Ukmergė andPanevėžys (Jan. 9),Šiauliai (Jan. 15), andTelšiai (Jan. 25).[30] That accounted for about2⁄3 of the Lithuanian territory. The front somewhat stabilized when Soviet forces were stopped near theVenta River by Latvian and German units (Baltische Landeswehr).[34] Also, Germans slowed down the withdrawal of their troops after theSpartacist uprising was subdued on January 12.[35] Southern Lithuania was a little better protected as Germans retreated from Ukraine through Gardinas. To prevent fights between retreating Germans and the Red Army, the Soviets and Germans signed a treaty on January 18. The treaty drew a temporarydemarcation line that went throughDaugai,Stakliškės, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of theKaišiadorys–Jonava–Kėdainiai railway.[36] That barred Bolshevik forces from directly attackingKaunas, Lithuania's second-largest city. The Red Army would need to encircle Kaunas and attack throughAlytus orKėdainiai. The operation to take Kaunas began on February 7.
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Kėdainiai was attacked by the 2nd Rifle Regiment of the Lithuanian (former Pskov) Division (about 1,000 men). Lithuanian forces from Panevėžys, commanded byJonas Variakojis, and from Kėdainiai numbered only about 200 men.[36] 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.[37] On February 10, joint Lithuanian and German forces capturedŠėta and forced the Red Army to retreat. The operation's success lifted the Lithuanian army's morale and prevented the Red Army from encircling Kaunas from the north.[36]
On February 9, Soviet 7th Rifle Regiment (900 men) seizedJieznas, south of Kaunas.[38] Thebattle of Jieznas lasted three days, and, after the setback of the betrayal by a Russian officer in Lithuanian service, Lithuanians, together with German support, ultimately won on February 13 and liberated Jieznas.[39] The Soviets continued to push for Kaunas. The 3rd and 4th Rifle Regiments (about 2,000 men) attackedAlytus on February 12. Germans did not engage in battle and retreated; not yet fully formed Lithuanian1st Infantry Regiment could not withstand pressure from the Red Army and had to retreat towardsMarijampolė and Prienai.[40]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 once more liberated the city.[41] Kaunas was defended and the front stabilized for a while. Soviets were ordered to abandon the offensive and maintain a defensive position.[42] 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 theBaltic Sea and cut off German supplies to Latvians intheir war against the Soviets.[43] Local communists were more active in northern Lithuania as the shortest route for Russian prisoners to return to Russia was through Samogitia.[44] Their biggest achievement was forming a 1,000-manSamogitian Regiment, commanded byFeliksas Baltušis-Žemaitis, in the city ofŠiauliai. The regiment included RussianPOWs, German deserters, and criminals.[45] There were no units of regular Lithuanian army in Samogitia except forpartisans inSkuodas, rallied byPovilas Plechavičius and his brotherAleksandras, and inJoniškėlis.[36]
The movement of the Bolsheviks towardsEast Prussia worried Germany, and they sent volunteers (Brigade Schaulen) commanded by GeneralRüdiger von der Goltz to free a section of theLibau–Romny Railway line linkingLiepāja,Mažeikiai,Radviliškis, andKėdainiai.[46] It was part of a larger counter-offensive in Latvia.[47] At the end of February, the Lithuanian partisans, supported by German artillery, liberated Mažeikiai andSeda, and pursued the Bolsheviks toKuršėnai. On February 27, 1919, German volunteers, supported by Plechavičius' partisans and Joniškėlis' partisans, defeated the Samogitian Regiment in a battle nearLuokė.[45] The regiment disbanded. Before mid-March, the Germans took Kuršėnai, Šiauliai, Radviliškis,Šeduva, andJoniškis, and stopped.[48] On a few occasions, they were aided by Lithuanian partisans and regular units. Joniškėlis' partisans continued to guard the front along theMūša River.[49] They were later incorporated into the regular Lithuanian military.[50]
As the Soviet forces were stopped, the Lithuanian army slowly began preparing itself for an offensive. After the Battle of Kėdainiai, the Panevėžys volunteer regiment had secured its positions and grew in strength.[51] Between mid-February and end of March, it carried out smallexpeditions into nearby towns. Their main purpose was to demoralize the enemy forces and boost the confidence of locals and Lithuanian volunteers.[52] As a reward for its successful operations, the volunteer regiment was named the Separate Panevėžys Battalion (Lithuanian:Panevėžio atskirasis batalionas) on March 22.[53] The demoralization campaign was successful; the Bolshevik forces stationed inPanevėžys andKupiškis rebelled and were quelled only by a Red Army division from neighbouring Latvia.[54] 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.[55]
The lull between Soviet attacks was used to strengthen and organize the army. On March 5, Lithuanians announced the mobilization of men born in 1887–1889.[2] Lithuanian forces rapidly increased their numbers. By May 3, the official headcount reached 440 officers and 10,729 privates.[56] However, only about half of them were properly trained, armed, and assigned to military units.[56] In February–April, Lithuanian soldiers were actively undergoing training, the chain of command was streamlined, and new military units were formed. Lithuania also received new shipments of arms and munitions. Soldiers received their first uniforms.[57]
The first organized Lithuanian offensive was carried out on April 3–8, 1919. Lithuanians decided to take advantage of large Polish attacks against the Soviets in the area near Gardinas to test enemy strength and liberate Vilnius.[57] The southern group, formed based on the 1st Infantry Regiment and led byKazys Ladiga, was to attack from Alytus along theDaugai–Valkininkai line.[57] The northern group, formed on the basis on the 2nd Infantry Regiment and led byJuozas Butkus, was to attack from Kaišiadorys along theŽasliai–Vievis line.[57] Germans did not participate. Both regiments were initially successful, but the Soviets gathered their forces and stopped the advance. As Lithuanian flanks were not defended, they decided to abandon the offensive. Soviets also accused Germans of violating the demarcation line set on January 18 and pressured them to retreat.[49]
Poland started an offensive against the Soviets in March 1919. They pushed east and north, entering theVilnius Region, the territory claimed by Lithuanians. Between April 19 and 21, Poles captured Vilnius during theVilna offensive, and by May, secured their positions.[58] The Polish army forced the Soviets to withdraw their left wing from the territories south of theNeris River. This Polish advance significantly shortened the Lithuanian–Soviet front line and allowed Lithuania to concentrate its forces for operations in northeastern Lithuania.[59] 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.[60] The first clashes between Polish and Lithuanian soldiers occurred on April 26 and May 8 nearVievis.[61]
Poland did not recognize Lithuania, as its Chief of StateJózef Piłsudski wanted a union with Lithuania in hopes of reviving the oldPolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (seeMiędzymorze federation).[26] 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.[62] Lithuanians claimed Vilnius as their historical capital and opposed to any federation with Poland, desiring an independent national Lithuanian state.[58] The Lithuanian government in Kaunas saw the Polish presence in Vilnius as an occupation. In addition to the Vilnius Region, the nearbySuwałki Region was also disputed. ThePolish–Lithuanian relations were not immediately hostile but grew worse as each side refused to compromise.[60]
Polish advances against the Soviets necessitated changes in Lithuanian strategy. On April 26, GeneralSilvestras Žukauskas, who just recovered fromtyphus, was designatedChief of the General Staff.[19] He decided to mount an offensive in northeastern Lithuania. The first objective was to take overUkmergė. 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,[32] but it was also very successful; some 500 Soviet soldiers were taken prisoner and about 50 Poles, captured by the Soviets in the battles near Vilnius, were liberated and returned to Poland.[63] On May 7, Lithuanians enteredŠirvintos, where they found Polish troops. Lithuanians and Poles mounted a joint operation to takeGiedraičiai on May 9.[32]
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 the Lithuanian forces into two groups.[64] The first brigade, stationed in Ukmergė, was called theVilkmergė Group and included a battalion of Saxon Volunteers. Its first commanderKazys Ladiga was ordered to push along theUtena–Zarasai line.[32] The second brigade, called thePanevėžys Group, was charged with capturing Panevėžys and then pushing along theKupiškis–Rokiškis–Obeliai line.[32] The group, initially commanded byJonas Variakojis, was aided by Joniškėlis' partisans from the north. The Ministry of Defense and theGeneral Staff were also reorganized.[64]
On May 18, the reorganized army carried out its first operation. The Vilkmergė Group capturedKurkliai andAnykščiai.[65] 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.[66] 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.[32] However, the Soviets left Panevėžys without a fight two days later.[67] The Group charged towards Kupiškis and securedSubačius. On May 30, Joniškėlis' partisans broke through the Soviet lines and liberated Rokiškis in Soviet rear;[68] Bolshevik forces, afraid that they could be encircled, left Kupiškis on the night of May 30–31, and Lithuania secured that city on June 1.[69]
After Utena's liberation, Saxon Volunteers left the front, and by mid-July, they had departed Lithuania.[32] However, Lithuanian advances continued and, on June 10, Lithuanian forces reached the territory controlled by Latvian partisans (Green Guard) and supplied them with munitions.[70] On June 12, the Soviets counterattacked and Lithuanians were stopped. Another Soviet push came on June 20 and the front stabilized.[71] The Soviets were cornered in a small region aroundZarasai. 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.[68]
While Lithuanian forces battled the Soviets in northeastern Lithuania, the tension between Poland and Lithuania grew. Direct negotiations between May 28 and June 11, 1919, collapsed as neither side was inclined to compromise.[72] Trying to prevent a direct military conflict, the Allied Supreme Council drew the first demarcation line on June 18, 1919.[62] The line was drawn several kilometres west of theSaint Petersburg–Warsaw railway. ThePolish Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected it as it required the Polish forces to retreat up to 30–35 km (19–22 mi); Lithuanians were discontent as well, as it left Vilnius and Gardinas under Polish control.[73] As German volunteers were departing from Lithuania (their last units left Kaunas in mid-July), Poland mounted an offensive on 100 km (62 mi) wide front, moving 20–30 km (12–19 mi) deeper into the Lithuanian territory.[74] Preoccupied with the Soviet threat, Lithuania could not organize an effective defence and the Entente intervened again by drawing the second demarcation line, known as theFoch 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.[75] Neither Lithuanians, Poles, nor Germans (still present in the Suwałki Region) were content with the new demarcation line.[76] Between July 29 and August 2, Polish troops attacked Lithuanians several times.[77] On August 3, a Polish diplomatic mission in Kaunas declared that Poland has no plans to annex Lithuania and proposed aplebiscite in the contested territories, allowing local inhabitants to determine their future.[78] 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.[78][79] The front stabilized, but bilateral relations worsened in the aftermath of theSejny Uprising (August 23 – September 9) which, in turn, ruined theattempted coup d'état by thePolish Military Organisation against the Lithuanian government (August 28–29).[80]
Due to the threat from Poland, the front with the Soviets was quiet for more than a month. There were minor incidents involving scouts or outpost guards.[81] 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.[82] They also had field fortifications from World War I about 10 km (6.2 mi) south ofDaugavpils.[68] The Soviets had larger forces: Lithuanians had two infantry regiments and five separate battalions; the Soviets had six regiments and one separate battalion.[68] Together, the Lithuanians and the Poles planned to advance toDaugavpils starting August 9, but the plans were delayed until August 23.[83]
The Ukmergė Group attacked first and liberated Zarasai on August 25. The Group moved about 30 km (19 mi) into the Soviet-controlled territory, but neither the right nor left flanks were adequately protected by the Polish units or the Panevėžys Group.[84] The Panevėžys Group began advancing on August 26 and Polish troops moved along the railroad towardsTurmantas.[85] The Lithuanians manoeuvred around the old Russian fortifications, forcing the Red Army to retreat.[68] Converging on Daugavpils, the Lithuanian–Soviet front shortened and the Lithuanians were able to concentrate their forces.[86] On August 28, the Soviets began retreating north across theDaugava River.[87] By August 31, on the southern shore of the Daugava, the Soviet held only Grīva, a suburb of Daugavpils.[88]
The Bolshevik 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 the planned attacks against theBermontians in northern Lithuania.[1] In September 1919, joint Polish and Latvian forces took Daugava's southern shore, including Grīva. The Lithuanian–Soviet front remained open until theBattle of Daugavpils when Latvian and Polish forces captured Daugavpils in January 1920. The Lithuanians did not participate in these operations.[89] The Lithuanians claimed the territory, taken by their soldiers, for themselves, despite Latvian protests.[90] 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.[90]
The first Lithuanian–Soviet attempt at negotiations took place on 11 September 1919, after thePeople's Commissar of Foreign Affairs of Soviet Russia,Georgy Chicherin, sent a note with a proposal for apeace treaty.[91] However, Lithuania delayed the talks as it feared that negotiations with communist Russia, which was isolated from European politics, would damage its relationships with the Allied Powers that had not yet recognized Lithuania.[91] The talks began only in May 1920 and were highly influenced by the events in thePolish–Soviet War. TheSoviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty was concluded on July 12. Russia recognized Lithuania's independence and its right to theVilnius Region; in exchange, Lithuania granted Soviet forces unrestricted movement during the war against Poland.[80] This compromised Lithuania's declared neutrality and further deepened the Polish–Lithuanian crisis.[92]
On 14 July 1920, the Soviets occupied Vilnius but did not transfer the city to the Lithuanian administration as agreed in the peace treaty. Instead, the Soviets planned a coup to overthrow the Lithuanian government and establish a Soviet republic.[92] However, the Soviets lost theBattle of Warsaw and were pushed back by the Poles. Some historians credit this victory for saving Lithuania's independence from the Soviet coup.[80][93] On August 26, the Red Army left Vilnius and Lithuanians prepared to defend their borders. As Poland did not recognize the treaty, this led to further hostilities. Eventually, Lithuania lost the Vilnius Region to Poland during theŻeligowski's Mutiny. When mediation by theLeague of Nations failed to change the situation, Lithuania and Poland were suspended in the state of "no war, no peace" until thePolish ultimatum of 1938.[94] During all this time, Soviet Russia became Lithuania's strongest ally against Poland.[95]
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