Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty
Encyclopedia
The Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty was a bilateral treaty signed between the Soviet Union
and Lithuania
on October 10, 1939. According to provisions outlined in the treaty, Lithuania would acquire about one fifth of the Vilnius Region
, including Lithuania's historical capital, Vilnius
, and in exchange would allow five Soviet military bases with 20,000 troops to be established across Lithuania. In essence the treaty with Lithuania was very similar to the treaties that the Soviet Union signed with Estonia
on September 28, and with Latvia
on October 5. According to official Soviet sources, the Soviet military was strengthening the defenses of a weak nation against possible attacks by Nazi Germany
. The treaty provided that Lithuania's sovereignty would not be affected. However, in reality the treaty opened the door for the first Soviet occupation of Lithuania and was described by The New York Times
as "virtual sacrifice of independence."
from the Russian Empire
on February 16, 1918. On June 12, 1920, following the brief Lithuanian–Soviet War
, a Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
was signed. The Soviet Union recognized Lithuania's independence and its right to the Vilnius Region
. The region was fiercely contested with Poland and fell under its control after Żeligowski's Mutiny
in October 1920. It was then incorporated into the Republic of Central Lithuania
, and later annexed by Poland in 1922. The Lithuanians refused to recognize Polish control and continued to claim legal and moral rights to the region. The Soviet Union continued to support Lithuanian claims against Poland. The two parties confirmed the Peace Treaty of 1920 by signing the Soviet–Lithuanian Non-Aggression Pact
in 1926, and later extended it to 1944.
On August 23, 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. According to pact's secret protocols, Lithuania was assigned to the German sphere of influence while Latvia and Estonia, the other two Baltic states
, were assigned to the Soviets. This different treatment could be explained by Lithuania's economic dependence on Germany. Germany accounted for approximately 80% of Lithuania's foreign trade and after the 1939 German ultimatum
had control of Klaipėda
, Lithuania's only port. Also, Lithuania and Russia did not have a common border.
. Wehrmacht
pushed Polish forces behind the line agreed with the Soviets. Germans took control of the Lublin Voivodeship
and eastern Warsaw Voivodeship
. When on September 17 Red Army
invaded Poland
, Russian troops took over Vilnius Region
, which according to the 1920 and 1926 Soviet–Lithuanian treaties was recognized to Lithuania. As a result, Soviets and Germans re-negotiated the secret protocols of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. On September 28, 1939, they signed the Boundary and Friendship Treaty. Its secret attachment detailed that to compensate the Soviet Union for German-occupied Polish territories, Germany would transfer Lithuania, except for a small territory in Suvalkija
, to the Soviet sphere of influence. The exchange of territories was also motivated by Russia's control of Vilnius: the Soviet Union could exert significant influence on the Lithuanian government, which claimed Vilnius to be its de jure
capital. In the secret protocols, both Russia and Germany explicitly recognized Lithuanian interest in Vilnius.
arrived to Moscow
on October 3. During the meeting Stalin personally informed Urbšys about the Soviet–German secret protocols and showed maps of the spheres of influence. He demanded that Lithuania signed three separate treaties, according to which:
Urbšys' protested the Soviet bases arguing that it would mean virtual occupation of Lithuania. Soviets argued that their army would protect Lithuania from possible attacks from Nazi Germany and that a similar treaty was already signed with Estonia. Urbšys argued that Lithuania's neutrality was enough to guarantee its security and proposed to strengthen Lithuanian army. Soviets agreed to reduce the number of troops to 35,000. Urbšys also bargained for more territories in the Vilnius Region, especially in the vicinity of Druskininkai
and Švenčionys
, territories with larger Lithuanian population. The Soviets replied that the boundary draw by the 1920 peace treaty was inaccurate and that Belarusians also laid claims to the territory. Russians tentatively agreed that territories, where Lithuanian majority could be proven, would be transferred to Lithuania. The most shocking demand was to cede part of Lithuanian territory to Germany. Lithuanians decided to postpone any negotiations regarding territory transfer to Germany until Germans expressed clear demands.
Urbšys returned to Lithuania to consult the government. German officials confirmed that the secret protocols were real and informed Lithuanians that transfer of the territory in Suvalkija was not an urgent matter. Eventually, Nazi Germany sold rights this territory to the Soviet Union for 7.5 million dollars on January 10, 1941 in the German–Soviet Border and Commercial Agreement
. Lithuanians in principle agreed to sign the mutual assistance treaty, but were instructed to resist Soviet bases as much as possible. Alternatives included doubling Lithuanian army, exchanging military missions, and building fortifications on the western border with Germany similar to the Maginot Line
in France. On October 7, Lithuanian delegation, including General Stasys Raštikis
and Deputy Prime Minister Kazys Bizauskas
, returned to Moscow. Stalin refused the proposed alternatives, but agreed to reduce the number of Russian troops to 20,000 – about the size of the entire Lithuanian army. Russians wanted to sign the treaty right then to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the Żeligowski's Mutiny
and Lithuania's loss of Vilnius. Political rallies, organized in Vilnius demanding city's incorporation into the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, put additional pressure on Lithuanians and provided a sense of urgency. Urbšys refused to sign and the talks receded for the second time.
In Lithuania, President Antanas Smetona
doubted that it was worth gaining Vilnius for such a price and debated whether the negotiations could be broken of. Bizauskas argued that refusing the treaty would not prevent Soviet Union from implementing its plan. Russia had already threatened Estonia with force in case it refused its mutual assistance treaty and was gathering forces in Vilnius Region in the east and in Latvia in the north. In such light, the government decided to demand as much territory as possible. However, when the delegation returned to Moscow, it found the atmosphere changed. Russians were inflexible, refused further negotiations, and intimidated the delegation to sign the treaty. They presented a new draft, which combined the mutual assistance pact and transfer of Vilnius into one agreement. The Lithuanian delegation saw little choice but to sign the proposed treaty. After signing the treaty, Stalin invited the Lithuanian delegation to celebrate and to watch two movies with him. Urbšys informed the Lithuanian government about signing of the treaty only in the morning of October 11 – at the time the treaty was already published by Russian news agency TASS
.
The treaty also had a secret supplement, which specified that the Soviets could station only up to 20,000 of their troops.
, was sent to Lithuania to discuss the specifics on October 22. The Lithuanians sought to limit Soviet bases to Vilnius Region and southern Lithuania, offering Pabradė
, Nemenčinė
, Naujoji Vilnia
, and Alytus
. They considered a base in Samogitia
(western Lithuania) to be the worst possible outcome. The Lithuanians preferred fewer, but bigger bases with no permanent runways for the aircraft. The Russians initially proposed to have their bases in Vilnius, Kaunas
, Alytus
, Ukmergė
, and Šiauliai
. The final agreement was signed on October 28, the same day when the Lithuanian army marched into Vilnius. A day before, another agreement determined the new border of eastern Lithuania: Lithuania received 6739 square kilometre of territory with population of approximately 430,000. The territory comprised about one fifth of the Vilnius Region recognized to Lithuania by the Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
of 1920; population of Lithuania reached about 3.8 million.
According to the final agreement, four military bases would be established in Lithuania with 18,786 military personnel from the 16th Special Rifle Corps, 5th Rifle Division
, and 2nd Light Tank Brigade. The bases were to be located in Alytus
(infantry, artillery, and mechanized units with 8,000 troops), Prienai
(infantry and artilery units with 2,500 soldiers), Gaižiūnai
(mechanized and tank units with 3,500 troops), and in Naujoji Vilnia
(headquarters, infantry and artillery units with 4,500 troops). For comparison, on June 1, 1940 Lithuanian army had 22,265 soldiers and 1,728 officers. While aircraft bases in Alytus and Gaižiūnai were under construction, Russian aircraft were to be stationed in Kirtimai, a neighborhood of Vilnius. The final location of the bases showed that the Soviets were more concerned with encircling Kaunas, the temporary capital
, than with defending the country against a possible foreign attack.
failed to mediate Polish–Lithuanian dispute. Soviets also worked to assure Lithuanians that Soviet friendship is effective protection from and a welcome alternative to Nazi aggression. Polish government-in-exile officially protested the treaty as it did not recognize Russian conquest and claimed sovereignty over territories of the Second Polish Republic
. Lithuanians replied that the region was legally part of Lithuania. Poles resented the transfer and as soon as the Soviet Army left Vilnius, anti-Lithuanian riots broke out accusing Lithuanians of betrayal. France and Great Britain, traditional allies of Poland, also condemned the treaty. Belarusian activists, who campaigned for Vilnius incorporation into the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, were arrested, deported, or executed by the Soviet authorities. The transfer upset their national aspirations to position Belarus as a successor to the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania
. Lithuanian relations with Vatican were expected to improve as the cause for tension, Vilnius Region assigned to Poland by the Concordat of 1925
, now was under Lithuanian control.
Lithuanian politicians attempted to show the regained Vilnius as a major diplomatic victory. The Lithuanian Nationalists Union
, ruling political party in Lithuania since the 1926 coup
, used celebrations of return of the city to increase its prestige and popularity. The government stressed its competence and the opposition emphasized Soviet generosity. While politicians publicly praised the Soviet Union and taunted "traditional Soviet–Lithuanian friendship," in private they understood this treaty was a serious threat to Lithuanian independence. Popular attitude was reflected in a known slogan "Vilnius – mūsų, Lietuva – rusų" (Vilnius is ours, but Lithuania is Russia's). After the treaty was signed, Lithuania lost its neutrality and could not independently execute its foreign policy. For example, Lithuania could not support Finland when the Winter War
broke out after Finland rejected a similar mutual assistance treaty proposed by Russia. In international politics, Lithuania became a Russian satellite.
) and hospitals, vehicles and trains, cultural objects from museums and libraries. After the Russian troops left, Polish residents, seeing the deal as a betrayal of Poland, protested against the Lithuanian government. On October 30 – November 1, when bread price suddenly rose, clashes between local communists and Poles turned into a riot against the Jewish population. Many Jewish shops were raided and some 35 people were injured. Jews accused Lithuanian police of inaction and sympathizing with Polish rioters. Soviet soldiers, uninvited by the Lithuanian government, helped to subdue the riots.
The territory presented an economic challenge to Lithuania: unemployment was rampant, food was in short supply, valuables were stolen by Russian army, war refugees were gathering from other former Polish territories. The Lithuanian army would provide up to 25,000 daily rations of hot soup and bread to residents of Vilnius. Lithuanian government exchanged the Polish złoty to Lithuanian litas
at a favorable rate, losing over 20 million litas. The Lithuanian government decided to implement a land reform similar to the land reform, executed in 1920s. Large estates would be nationalized and distributed to landless peasants in exchange for redemption dues payable in 36 years. Politicians hoped that such reform would weaken pro-Polish landowners and would win peasants' loyalty to the Lithuanian state. By March 1940, 90 estates and 23,000 hectares were distributed. Lithuanians proceeded to "re-Lithuanize" cultural life in Vilnius Region. They closed many Polish cultural and educational institutions, including Stephan Batory University
with over 3,000 students. Lithuanians sought to introduce the Lithuanian language
in public life and sponsored Lithuanian organizations and cultural activities.
, was formed on November 21. Lithuanians were careful to follow the treaty to a letter and not to give any excuses for Moscow to accuse them of treaty violations. At first, delayed by the Winter War, the Soviets did not interfere with Lithuania's domestic affairs and Russian soldiers were well-behaved in their bases. The Lithuanian government started debating its options and what could be done to prepare for the future occupation. Despite various resolutions, nothing material was accomplished. Lithuania had no counterweight to Soviet influence: its own forces were small, Germany was in effect Russia's ally, Poland was conquered, France and Great Britain had bigger issues in western Europe. After the Winter War was over, Soviet Union turned its attention to the Baltic States
.
After months of intense propaganda and diplomatic pressure, the Soviets issued an ultimatum
on June 14, 1940 – the same day when world's attention was focused on fall of Paris during the Battle of France
. Soviets accused Lithuania of violating the treaty and abducting Russian soldiers from their bases. Soviets demanded that a new government, which would comply with the Mutual Assistance Treaty, would be formed and that an unspecified number of Soviet troops would be admitted to Lithuania. With Soviet troops already in the country, it was impossible to mount military resistance. Soviets took control of government institutions, installed a new pro-Soviet government, and announced elections to the People's Seimas. Proclaimed Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was incorporated into the Soviet Union on August 3, 1940.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and 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...
on October 10, 1939. According to provisions outlined in the treaty, Lithuania would acquire about one fifth of 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,...
, including Lithuania's historical capital, 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...
, and in exchange would allow five Soviet military bases with 20,000 troops to be established across Lithuania. In essence the treaty with Lithuania was very similar to the treaties that the Soviet Union signed with 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...
on September 28, and with 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...
on October 5. According to official Soviet sources, the Soviet military was strengthening the defenses of a weak nation against possible attacks by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. The treaty provided that Lithuania's sovereignty would not be affected. However, in reality the treaty opened the door for the first Soviet occupation of Lithuania and was described by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as "virtual sacrifice of independence."
Pre-war treaties
Lithuania declared independenceAct 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 the Russian Empire
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...
on February 16, 1918. On June 12, 1920, following the brief Lithuanian–Soviet War
Lithuanian–Soviet War
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...
, a 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. The Soviet Union 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,...
. The region was fiercely contested with Poland and fell under its control after 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...
in October 1920. It was then incorporated into the Republic of Central Lithuania
Republic of Central Lithuania
The Republic of Central Lithuania or Middle Lithuania , or simply Central Lithuania , was a short-lived political entity, which did not gain international recognition...
, and later annexed by Poland in 1922. The Lithuanians refused to recognize Polish control and continued to claim legal and moral rights to the region. The Soviet Union continued to support Lithuanian claims against Poland. The two parties confirmed the Peace Treaty of 1920 by signing the Soviet–Lithuanian Non-Aggression Pact
Soviet–Lithuanian Non-Aggression Pact
Soviet–Lithuanian Non-Aggression Pact was a non-aggression pact, signed between the Soviet Union and Lithuania on September 28, 1926. The pact confirmed all basic provisions of the Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty of 1920...
in 1926, and later extended it to 1944.
On August 23, 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. According to pact's secret protocols, Lithuania was assigned to the German sphere of influence while Latvia and Estonia, the other two 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...
, were assigned to the Soviets. This different treatment could be explained by Lithuania's economic dependence on Germany. Germany accounted for approximately 80% of Lithuania's foreign trade and after the 1939 German ultimatum
1939 German ultimatum to Lithuania
1939 German ultimatum to Lithuania was an oral ultimatum presented to Juozas Urbšys, Foreign Minister of Lithuania, by Joachim von Ribbentrop, Foreign Minister of Nazi Germany, on March 20, 1939...
had control of Klaipėda
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
, Lithuania's only port. Also, Lithuania and Russia did not have a common border.
World War II
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded PolandInvasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
. Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
pushed Polish forces behind the line agreed with the Soviets. Germans took control of the Lublin Voivodeship
Lublin Voivodeship (1919-1939)
Lublin Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division of the Second Polish Republic, in the years 1919–1939. Its capital and biggest city was Lublin.-Location and area:...
and eastern Warsaw Voivodeship
Warsaw Voivodeship (1919-1939)
Warsaw Voivodeship was a voivodeship of Poland in the years 1919–1939. Its capital and biggest city was Warsaw.-Location and area:In the years 1919–1939, Warsaw Voivodeship covered north-central part of Poland, bordering East Prussia to the north, Pomorze Voivodeship and Łódź Voivodeship to the...
. When on September 17 Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
invaded Poland
Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)
The 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland was a Soviet military operation that started without a formal declaration of war on 17 September 1939, during the early stages of World War II. Sixteen days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west, the Soviet Union did so from the east...
, Russian troops took over 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,...
, which according to the 1920 and 1926 Soviet–Lithuanian treaties was recognized to Lithuania. As a result, Soviets and Germans re-negotiated the secret protocols of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. On September 28, 1939, they signed the Boundary and Friendship Treaty. Its secret attachment detailed that to compensate the Soviet Union for German-occupied Polish territories, Germany would transfer Lithuania, except for a small territory in Suvalkija
Suvalkija
Suvalkija or Sudovia is the smallest of the five cultural regions of Lithuania. Its unofficial capital is Marijampolė. People from Suvalkija are called suvalkiečiai or suvalkietis . It is located south of the Neman River, in the former territory of Vilkaviškis bishopric...
, to the Soviet sphere of influence. The exchange of territories was also motivated by Russia's control of Vilnius: the Soviet Union could exert significant influence on the Lithuanian government, which claimed Vilnius to be its de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
capital. In the secret protocols, both Russia and Germany explicitly recognized Lithuanian interest in Vilnius.
Initial stance
On September 29, the next day after the Boundary and Friendship Treaty, Germany canceled planned talks with Lithuania and the Soviet Union informed Lithuania that it wished to open negotiations regarding future relationship between the two countries. The new Soviet–Lithuanian negotiations were supposed to formally resolve the status of the Vilnius Region. Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Juozas UrbšysJuozas Urbšys
Juozas Urbšys was a prominent interwar Lithuanian diplomat, the last head of foreign affairs in independent interwar Lithuania, and a translator. He served in the military between 1916 and 1922, afterwards joining the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs...
arrived to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on October 3. During the meeting Stalin personally informed Urbšys about the Soviet–German secret protocols and showed maps of the spheres of influence. He demanded that Lithuania signed three separate treaties, according to which:
- military bases would be established and up to 50,000 Soviet soldiers would be stationed in Lithuania (the original mutual assistance pact);
- Lithuanian territory west of the Šešupė River would be ceded to the Nazi Germany (as agreed between Germany and Russia in the Boundary and Friendship Treaty);
- portion of the Vilnius Region would be attached to Lithuania.
Urbšys' protested the Soviet bases arguing that it would mean virtual occupation of Lithuania. Soviets argued that their army would protect Lithuania from possible attacks from Nazi Germany and that a similar treaty was already signed with Estonia. Urbšys argued that Lithuania's neutrality was enough to guarantee its security and proposed to strengthen Lithuanian army. Soviets agreed to reduce the number of troops to 35,000. Urbšys also bargained for more territories in the Vilnius Region, especially in the vicinity of Druskininkai
Druskininkai
Druskininkai is a spa town on the Neman River in southern Lithuania, close to the borders of Belarus and Poland. The city of Druskininkai has a population of 18,233 and dates back as a spa resort to the 19th century.-Names:...
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 :...
, territories with larger Lithuanian population. The Soviets replied that the boundary draw by the 1920 peace treaty was inaccurate and that Belarusians also laid claims to the territory. Russians tentatively agreed that territories, where Lithuanian majority could be proven, would be transferred to Lithuania. The most shocking demand was to cede part of Lithuanian territory to Germany. Lithuanians decided to postpone any negotiations regarding territory transfer to Germany until Germans expressed clear demands.
Acceptance
German–Soviet Border and Commercial Agreement
The German–Soviet Border and Commercial Agreement, signed on January 10, 1941, was a broad agreement settling border disputes and continuing raw materials and war machine trade between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany...
. Lithuanians in principle agreed to sign the mutual assistance treaty, but were instructed to resist Soviet bases as much as possible. Alternatives included doubling Lithuanian army, exchanging military missions, and building fortifications on the western border with Germany similar to the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
in France. On October 7, Lithuanian delegation, including General Stasys Raštikis
Stasys Raštikis
Stasys Raštikis was a Lithuanian military officer, ultimately obtaining the rank of General of the Lithuanian Army, as well as the Minister of Defense in the Provisional Government established before the German takeover of Lithuania in 1941.-Biography:Born in Kuršėnai, Raštikis attended school in...
and Deputy Prime Minister Kazys Bizauskas
Kazys Bizauskas
Kazys Bizauskas was a Lithuanian statesman, diplomat, author, and one of the twenty signatories of the Act of Independence of Lithuania....
, returned to Moscow. Stalin refused the proposed alternatives, but agreed to reduce the number of Russian troops to 20,000 – about the size of the entire Lithuanian army. Russians wanted to sign the treaty right then to commemorate the 19th anniversary of 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...
and Lithuania's loss of Vilnius. Political rallies, organized in Vilnius demanding city's incorporation into the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, put additional pressure on Lithuanians and provided a sense of urgency. Urbšys refused to sign and the talks receded for the second time.
In Lithuania, President 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...
doubted that it was worth gaining Vilnius for such a price and debated whether the negotiations could be broken of. Bizauskas argued that refusing the treaty would not prevent Soviet Union from implementing its plan. Russia had already threatened Estonia with force in case it refused its mutual assistance treaty and was gathering forces in Vilnius Region in the east and in Latvia in the north. In such light, the government decided to demand as much territory as possible. However, when the delegation returned to Moscow, it found the atmosphere changed. Russians were inflexible, refused further negotiations, and intimidated the delegation to sign the treaty. They presented a new draft, which combined the mutual assistance pact and transfer of Vilnius into one agreement. The Lithuanian delegation saw little choice but to sign the proposed treaty. After signing the treaty, Stalin invited the Lithuanian delegation to celebrate and to watch two movies with him. Urbšys informed the Lithuanian government about signing of the treaty only in the morning of October 11 – at the time the treaty was already published by Russian news agency TASS
Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union , was the central agency for collection and distribution of internal and international news for all Soviet newspapers, radio and television stations...
.
Provisions
Articles of the treaty
The mutual assistance treaty contained nine articles:- Article I: Transfer of Vilnius Region and the city of Vilnius to Lithuania
- Article II: Mutual assistance in case of an attack
- Article III: Soviet Union renders assistance to the Lithuanian Army in terms of munitions and equipment
- Article IV: Soviet Union receives right to station its troops in Lithuania. Base locations are to be decided by a separate treaty.
- Article V: Coordinated actions in case of an attack
- Article VI: Agreement not to participate in alliances against the other party
- Article VII: Sovereignty is not affected by this treaty
- Article VIII: Articles II to VII are valid for a period of 15 years with an automatic extension for another 10 (note that transfer of Vilnius is permanent)
- Article IX: Date of effect
The treaty also had a secret supplement, which specified that the Soviets could station only up to 20,000 of their troops.
Location of Soviet troops
The treaty did not decide the exact location of the Soviet bases and 18-member Russian delegation, led by Mikhail KovalyovMikhail Kovalyov
Colonel-General Mikhail Prokofievich Kovalyov was a Soviet military officer.Mikhail Kovalyov was born to family of a peasants in stanitsa Bryukovetskaya, Krasnodar Krai. In 1915 he enlisted in the Russian Army. After graduating from a School for Praporshchiks Kovalyov fought in World War I...
, was sent to Lithuania to discuss the specifics on October 22. The Lithuanians sought to limit Soviet bases to Vilnius Region and southern Lithuania, offering Pabradė
Pabrade
Pabradė is a city in Lithuania, in Švenčionys district municipality, on Žeimena river, 38 km south-west of Švenčionys.Pabradė is a busy place as the Vilnius–Daugavpils railway is close to the city. It was quite a small settlement until the 19th century, when the Warsaw – Saint Petersburg...
, Nemenčinė
Nemencine
Nemenčinė is a city in Vilnius district municipality, Lithuania, it is located about north-east of Vilnius.-Names:Nemenčinė is the original name of the city reflected in historical documents and still in use today. It derives from a Lithuanian word referring to the river Nemenčia...
, Naujoji Vilnia
Naujoji Vilnia
Naujoji Vilnia is a neighborhood in eastern Vilnius, Lithuania situated along the banks of the Vilnia River. It has eldership status. The district has a population of about 32,800...
, and 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 considered a base in Samogitia
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...
(western Lithuania) to be the worst possible outcome. The Lithuanians preferred fewer, but bigger bases with no permanent runways for the aircraft. The Russians initially proposed to have their bases in Vilnius, 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...
, 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...
, 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 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 final agreement was signed on October 28, the same day when the Lithuanian army marched into Vilnius. A day before, another agreement determined the new border of eastern Lithuania: Lithuania received 6739 square kilometre of territory with population of approximately 430,000. The territory comprised about one fifth of the Vilnius Region recognized to Lithuania by 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...
of 1920; population of Lithuania reached about 3.8 million.
According to the final agreement, four military bases would be established in Lithuania with 18,786 military personnel from the 16th Special Rifle Corps, 5th Rifle Division
5th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
The 5th Rifle Division of the Soviet Red Army was initially formed in September 1918 as the 2nd Penza Infantry Division. It was later renamed as the 5th Rifle Division , Saratov , Vitebsk , and 'in the name of the Czechoslovak Proletariat'...
, and 2nd Light Tank Brigade. The bases were to be located in 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...
(infantry, artillery, and mechanized units with 8,000 troops), 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:...
(infantry and artilery units with 2,500 soldiers), Gaižiūnai
Gaižiūnai
Gaižiūnai is a village in Jonava district municipality, Lithuania. It is situated on the Taurosta River, tributary of Neris, about southeast of Jonava and northeast of Kaunas. The railroad from Šiauliai forks into Kaunas and Vilnius near the village...
(mechanized and tank units with 3,500 troops), and in Naujoji Vilnia
Naujoji Vilnia
Naujoji Vilnia is a neighborhood in eastern Vilnius, Lithuania situated along the banks of the Vilnia River. It has eldership status. The district has a population of about 32,800...
(headquarters, infantry and artillery units with 4,500 troops). For comparison, on June 1, 1940 Lithuanian army had 22,265 soldiers and 1,728 officers. While aircraft bases in Alytus and Gaižiūnai were under construction, Russian aircraft were to be stationed in Kirtimai, a neighborhood of Vilnius. The final location of the bases showed that the Soviets were more concerned with encircling Kaunas, the temporary capital
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...
, than with defending the country against a possible foreign attack.
International and domestic reaction
The treaty was presented as proof of Soviet respect to small nations and Stalin's benevolence by Soviet propaganda. Russians emphasized that it was the second time the Soviet Union gave Vilnius to Lithuania while the League of NationsLeague 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 mediate Polish–Lithuanian dispute. Soviets also worked to assure Lithuanians that Soviet friendship is effective protection from and a welcome alternative to Nazi aggression. Polish government-in-exile officially protested the treaty as it did not recognize Russian conquest and claimed sovereignty over territories of the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
. Lithuanians replied that the region was legally part of Lithuania. Poles resented the transfer and as soon as the Soviet Army left Vilnius, anti-Lithuanian riots broke out accusing Lithuanians of betrayal. France and Great Britain, traditional allies of Poland, also condemned the treaty. Belarusian activists, who campaigned for Vilnius incorporation into the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, were arrested, deported, or executed by the Soviet authorities. The transfer upset their national aspirations to position Belarus as a successor to the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
. Lithuanian relations with Vatican were expected to improve as the cause for tension, Vilnius Region assigned to Poland by the Concordat of 1925
Concordat of 1925
The 1925 concordat between the Holy See and the Second Polish Republic had 27 articles, which guaranteed the freedom of the Church and the faithful...
, now was under Lithuanian control.
Lithuanian politicians attempted to show the regained Vilnius as a major diplomatic victory. The Lithuanian Nationalists Union
Lithuanian Nationalists Union
The Lithuanian Nationalist Union , also known as the Nationalists , was a nationalist, right-wing political party in Lithuania, founded in 1924 when the Party of National Progress merged with the Lithuanian Farmers' Association. It was the ruling party of Lithuania from the 1926 Lithuanian coup...
, ruling political party in Lithuania since the 1926 coup
1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
The 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état was a military coup d'etat in Lithuania that resulted in the replacement of the democratically elected government with a conservative authoritarian government led by Antanas Smetona. The coup took place on December 17, 1926 and was largely organized by the military;...
, used celebrations of return of the city to increase its prestige and popularity. The government stressed its competence and the opposition emphasized Soviet generosity. While politicians publicly praised the Soviet Union and taunted "traditional Soviet–Lithuanian friendship," in private they understood this treaty was a serious threat to Lithuanian independence. Popular attitude was reflected in a known slogan "Vilnius – mūsų, Lietuva – rusų" (Vilnius is ours, but Lithuania is Russia's). After the treaty was signed, Lithuania lost its neutrality and could not independently execute its foreign policy. For example, Lithuania could not support Finland when the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
broke out after Finland rejected a similar mutual assistance treaty proposed by Russia. In international politics, Lithuania became a Russian satellite.
In Vilnius Region
On October 28, the Lithuanian Army entered Vilnius for the first time since 1920. Before handing over the city to the Lithuanians, the Soviets robbed and transported to Russia all valuables: equipment from factories (including ElektritElektrit
Elektrit Radiotechnical Society was the biggest private-run company in Wilno in the interwar period. With over 1100 workers, the society produced approximately 50 thousand radio receivers annually. A large percentage of the production was exported abroad, mostly to Sweden, Germany, Czechoslovakia...
) and hospitals, vehicles and trains, cultural objects from museums and libraries. After the Russian troops left, Polish residents, seeing the deal as a betrayal of Poland, protested against the Lithuanian government. On October 30 – November 1, when bread price suddenly rose, clashes between local communists and Poles turned into a riot against the Jewish population. Many Jewish shops were raided and some 35 people were injured. Jews accused Lithuanian police of inaction and sympathizing with Polish rioters. Soviet soldiers, uninvited by the Lithuanian government, helped to subdue the riots.
The territory presented an economic challenge to Lithuania: unemployment was rampant, food was in short supply, valuables were stolen by Russian army, war refugees were gathering from other former Polish territories. The Lithuanian army would provide up to 25,000 daily rations of hot soup and bread to residents of Vilnius. Lithuanian government exchanged the Polish złoty to Lithuanian litas
Lithuanian litas
The Lithuanian litas is the currency of Lithuania. It is divided into 100 centų...
at a favorable rate, losing over 20 million litas. The Lithuanian government decided to implement a land reform similar to the land reform, executed in 1920s. Large estates would be nationalized and distributed to landless peasants in exchange for redemption dues payable in 36 years. Politicians hoped that such reform would weaken pro-Polish landowners and would win peasants' loyalty to the Lithuanian state. By March 1940, 90 estates and 23,000 hectares were distributed. Lithuanians proceeded to "re-Lithuanize" cultural life in Vilnius Region. They closed many Polish cultural and educational institutions, including Stephan Batory University
Vilnius University
Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It is also the largest university in Lithuania....
with over 3,000 students. Lithuanians sought to introduce the Lithuanian language
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
in public life and sponsored Lithuanian organizations and cultural activities.
In Lithuania
Future of the Vilnius Region caused frictions between political and military leaders in Lithuania. As first Russian troops moved into Lithuania on November 14, the government, which included four generals, resigned. A new civilian cabinet, led by controversial Prime Minister Antanas MerkysAntanas Merkys
Antanas Merkys |Bajorai]], near Skapiškis, Vilna Governorate of the Russian Empire; died on March 5, 1955 in Vladimir Oblast, Soviet Union) was the last Prime Minister of independent Lithuania, serving from November 1939 to June 1940. When Soviet Union presented an ultimatum to Lithuania, President...
, was formed on November 21. Lithuanians were careful to follow the treaty to a letter and not to give any excuses for Moscow to accuse them of treaty violations. At first, delayed by the Winter War, the Soviets did not interfere with Lithuania's domestic affairs and Russian soldiers were well-behaved in their bases. The Lithuanian government started debating its options and what could be done to prepare for the future occupation. Despite various resolutions, nothing material was accomplished. Lithuania had no counterweight to Soviet influence: its own forces were small, Germany was in effect Russia's ally, Poland was conquered, France and Great Britain had bigger issues in western Europe. After the Winter War was over, Soviet Union turned its attention to the 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...
.
After months of intense propaganda and diplomatic pressure, the Soviets issued an ultimatum
1940 Soviet ultimatum to Lithuania
The Soviet Union issued an ultimatum to Lithuania before midnight of June 14, 1940. The Soviets, using a formal pretext, demanded to allow an unspecified number of Soviet soldiers to enter the Lithuanian territory and to form a new pro-Soviet government...
on June 14, 1940 – the same day when world's attention was focused on fall of Paris during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. Soviets accused Lithuania of violating the treaty and abducting Russian soldiers from their bases. Soviets demanded that a new government, which would comply with the Mutual Assistance Treaty, would be formed and that an unspecified number of Soviet troops would be admitted to Lithuania. With Soviet troops already in the country, it was impossible to mount military resistance. Soviets took control of government institutions, installed a new pro-Soviet government, and announced elections to the People's Seimas. Proclaimed Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was incorporated into the Soviet Union on August 3, 1940.
See also
- Soviet–Estonian Mutual Assistance TreatySoviet–Estonian Mutual Assistance TreatyThe Soviet–Estonian Mutual Assistance Treaty was a bilateral treaty signed in Moscow on September 28, 1939. The treaty obliged both parties to respect each other's sovereignty and independence, while in practice allowed the Soviet government to establish military bases in Estonia, which facilitated...
- Soviet–Latvian Mutual Assistance TreatySoviet–Latvian Mutual Assistance TreatyThe Soviet–Latvian Mutual Assistance Treaty was a bilateral treaty signed in Moscow on October 5, 1939. The treaty obliged both parties to respect each other's sovereignty and independence, while in practice allowed the Soviet government to establish military bases in Latvia, which facilitated the...
- Polish National-Territorial RegionPolish National-Territorial RegionThe Polish National-Territorial Region was an autonomous region in Lithuania, self-proclaimed by the local Poles on 6 September 1990. The region included areas surrounding Vilnius , capital of Lithuania, where Poles formed the majority...