Polish-Lithuanian War (1920)
Polish-Lithuanian War 1920 - a rarely used designation for the armed conflict between Poland and Lithuania due to territorial disputes over the Vilna region.
During the advance of the Polish army in alliance with Petlyura's units in Ukraine during the Soviet-Polish War, the Soviet government concluded the Moscow Treaty recognizing the independent Lithuanian state (with its capital in Vilnius and vast territories southeast of the city, including Grodno, Oshmyany, Lida) July 12, 1920. On July 14, 1920, the Red Army (3rd Cavalry Corps of G. Guy) reoccupied Vilna, and on July 19, Grodno, but the territories formally transferred to Lithuania were controlled by Soviet military leaders. Only after the evacuation of the red units (August 26) from Vilna did Lithuanian troops enter the city on August 28.
However, already on September 22, Polish troops launched a new offensive. In some places, clashes between Polish and Lithuanian units occurred after Polish units crossed the Neman River in the Druskininkai area and occupied the city of Grodno on September 25. To prevent further clashes, under pressure from the military control commission of the League of Nations, on October 7, 1920, an agreement was signed in the city of Suwalki, which provided for the cessation of hostilities, the exchange of prisoners and a demarcation line delimiting Lithuanian and Polish territories in such a way that most of the Vilna region was under the control of Lithuania .
The treaty was to come into force on October 10, 1920. But the day before, October 9, Polish troops of the 1st Lithuanian-Belarusian division of General Lucian Zheligowski occupied Vilna. On October 12, Zheligovsky proclaimed himself the supreme ruler of the state “Central Lithuania” he created (pending elections to the body authorized to decide the fate of the region). At the request of the League of Nations, hostilities ceased after the battles of Giedroytsy (November 19) and Shirvint (November 21).
According to the resolution of the Vilna Sejm, formed by elections on January 8, 1922, adopted on February 20, 1922, and the Act of Reunification of the Vilna Region, adopted by the Constituent Sejm in Warsaw on March 22, 1922, the Vilna Region unilaterally became part of Poland.
Lithuania recognized the annexation of the Vilna region by Poland only in 1937. On October 10, 1939, after the liquidation of the Polish state, the USSR returned Vilna (part of the Vilna region) to independent Lithuania. In October 1940, the remaining part of the Vilna region, + part of the territory of the BSSR, was transferred to Lithuania.
Bibliography:
1. “On October 7, 1920, in Suwalki, authorized delegations of Lithuania and Poland signed an armistice agreement, which was to begin on October 10. The agreement stipulated the demarcation line between the two states, according to which Vilnius was transferred to Lithuania. But on the eve of the entry into force of the agreement, the Polish general Lucian Zheligowski, staging a revolt of Polish soldiers and residents of the Vilnius region, occupied Vilnius with a sharp attack and created the state of Central Lithuania here.” Thomas CIVAS, Aras LUKSAS The agreement that brought disappointment to Veidas, July 18, 2007, Lithuania
Polish-Lithuanian War 1920 - a rarely used designation for the armed conflict between Poland and Lithuania due to territorial disputes over the Vilna region.
During the advance of the Polish army in alliance with Petlyura's units in Ukraine during the Soviet-Polish War, the Soviet government concluded the Moscow Treaty recognizing the independent Lithuanian state (with its capital in Vilnius and vast territories southeast of the city, including Grodno, Oshmyany, Lida) July 12, 1920. On July 14, 1920, the Red Army (3rd Cavalry Corps of G. Guy) reoccupied Vilna, and on July 19, Grodno, but the territories formally transferred to Lithuania were controlled by Soviet military leaders. Only after the evacuation of the red units (August 26) from Vilna did Lithuanian troops enter the city on August 28.
However, already on September 22, Polish troops launched a new offensive. In some places, clashes between Polish and Lithuanian units occurred after Polish units crossed the Neman River in the Druskininkai area and occupied the city of Grodno on September 25. To prevent further clashes, under pressure from the military control commission of the League of Nations, on October 7, 1920, an agreement was signed in the city of Suwalki, which provided for the cessation of hostilities, the exchange of prisoners and a demarcation line delimiting Lithuanian and Polish territories in such a way that most of the Vilna region was under the control of Lithuania .
The treaty was to come into force on October 10, 1920. But the day before, October 9, Polish troops of the 1st Lithuanian-Belarusian division of General Lucian Zheligowski occupied Vilna. On October 12, Zheligovsky proclaimed himself the supreme ruler of the state “Central Lithuania” he created (pending elections to the body authorized to decide the fate of the region). At the request of the League of Nations, hostilities ceased after the battles of Giedroytsy (November 19) and Shirvint (November 21).
According to the resolution of the Vilna Sejm, formed by elections on January 8, 1922, adopted on February 20, 1922, and the Act of Reunification of the Vilna Region, adopted by the Constituent Sejm in Warsaw on March 22, 1922, the Vilna Region unilaterally became part of Poland.
Lithuania recognized the annexation of the Vilna region by Poland only in 1937. On October 10, 1939, after the liquidation of the Polish state, the USSR returned Vilna (part of the Vilna region) to independent Lithuania. In October 1940, the remaining part of the Vilna region, + part of the territory of the BSSR, was transferred to Lithuania.
Bibliography:
“On October 7, 1920, in Suwalki, authorized delegations of Lithuania and Poland signed an armistice agreement, which was to begin on October 10. The agreement stipulated the demarcation line between the two states, according to which Vilnius was transferred to Lithuania. But on the eve of the entry into force of the agreement, the Polish general Lucian Zheligowski, staging a revolt of Polish soldiers and residents of the Vilnius region, occupied Vilnius with a sharp attack and created the state of Central Lithuania here.” Thomas CIVAS, Aras LUKSAS The agreement that brought disappointment to Veidas, July 18, 2007, Lithuania
Polish-Lithuanian War (1920)
Polish-Lithuanian War 1920 - a rarely used designation for the armed conflict between Poland and Lithuania due to territorial disputes over the Vilna region.
During the advance of the Polish army in alliance with Petlyura's units in Ukraine during the Soviet-Polish War, the Soviet government concluded the Moscow Treaty recognizing the independent Lithuanian state (with its capital in Vilnius and vast territories southeast of the city, including Grodno, Oshmyany, Lida) July 12, 1920. On July 14, 1920, the Red Army (3rd Cavalry Corps of G. Guy) reoccupied Vilna, and on July 19, Grodno, but the territories formally transferred to Lithuania were controlled by Soviet military leaders. Only after the evacuation of the red units (August 26) from Vilna did Lithuanian troops enter the city on August 28.
However, already on September 22, Polish troops launched a new offensive. In some places, clashes between Polish and Lithuanian units occurred after Polish units crossed the Neman River in the Druskininkai area and occupied the city of Grodno on September 25. To prevent further clashes, under pressure from the military control commission of the League of Nations, on October 7, 1920, an agreement was signed in the city of Suwalki, which provided for the cessation of hostilities, the exchange of prisoners and a demarcation line delimiting Lithuanian and Polish territories in such a way that most of the Vilna region was under the control of Lithuania .
The treaty was to come into force on October 10, 1920. But the day before, October 9, Polish troops of the 1st Lithuanian-Belarusian division of General Lucian Zheligowski occupied Vilna. On October 12, Zheligovsky proclaimed himself the supreme ruler of the state “Central Lithuania” he created (pending elections to the body authorized to decide the fate of the region). At the request of the League of Nations, hostilities ceased after the battles of Giedroytsy (November 19) and Shirvint (November 21).
According to the resolution of the Vilna Sejm, formed by elections on January 8, 1922, adopted on February 20, 1922, and the Act of Reunification of the Vilna Region, adopted by the Constituent Sejm in Warsaw on March 22, 1922, the Vilna Region unilaterally became part of Poland.
Lithuania recognized the annexation of the Vilna region by Poland only in 1937. On October 10, 1939, after the liquidation of the Polish state, the USSR returned Vilna (part of the Vilna region) to independent Lithuania. In October 1940, the remaining part of the Vilna region, + part of the territory of the BSSR, was transferred to Lithuania.
Bibliography:
1. “On October 7, 1920, in Suwalki, authorized delegations of Lithuania and Poland signed an armistice agreement, which was to begin on October 10. The agreement stipulated the demarcation line between the two states, according to which Vilnius was transferred to Lithuania. But on the eve of the entry into force of the agreement, the Polish general Lucian Zheligowski, staging a revolt of Polish soldiers and residents of the Vilnius region, occupied Vilnius with a sharp attack and created the state of Central Lithuania here.” Thomas CIVAS, Aras LUKSAS The agreement that brought disappointment to Veidas, July 18, 2007, Lithuania
Polish-Lithuanian War (1920)
Polish-Lithuanian War 1920 - a rarely used designation for the armed conflict between Poland and Lithuania due to territorial disputes over the Vilna region. During the offensive of the Polish army in alliance with Petliura's units in Ukraine during the Soviet-Polish War, the Soviet government concluded the Moscow Treaty recognizing the independent Lithuanian state ( with the capital in Vilnius and vast territories southeast of the city, including Grodno, Oshmyany, Lida) on July 12, 1920. On July 14, 1920, the Red Army (3rd Cavalry Corps of G. Guy) reoccupied Vilna, and on July 19, Grodno, but the territories formally transferred to Lithuania were controlled by Soviet military leaders. Only after the evacuation of the red units (August 26) from Vilna did Lithuanian troops enter the city on August 28. However, already on September 22, Polish troops launched a new offensive. In some places, clashes between Polish and Lithuanian units occurred after Polish units crossed the Neman River in the Druskininkai area and occupied the city of Grodno on September 25. To prevent further clashes, under pressure from the military control commission of the League of Nations, on October 7, 1920, an agreement was signed in the city of Suwalki, which provided for the cessation of hostilities, the exchange of prisoners and a demarcation line delimiting Lithuanian and Polish territories in such a way that most of the Vilna region was under the control of Lithuania The agreement was to come into force on October 10, 1920. But the day before, October 9, Polish troops of the 1st Lithuanian-Belarusian division of General Lucian Zheligowski occupied Vilna. On October 12, Zheligovsky proclaimed himself the supreme ruler of the state “Central Lithuania” he created (pending elections to the body authorized to decide the fate of the region). Hostilities at the request of the League of Nations were stopped after the battles of Giedroytsy (November 19) and Shirvintami (November 21). According to the resolution of the Vilna Sejm, formed by the elections of January 8, 1922, adopted on February 20, 1922, and the Act of Reunification of the Vilna Region, adopted by the Constituent Sejm in Warsaw on March 22, 1922, the Vilna region unilaterally became part of Poland. Lithuania recognized the annexation of the Vilna region by Poland only in 1937. On October 10, 1939, after the liquidation of the Polish state, the USSR returned Vilna (part of the Vilna region) to independent Lithuania. In October 1940, the remaining part of the Vilna region, + part of the territory of the BSSR, was transferred to Lithuania.
Bibliography:
- “On October 7, 1920, in Suwalki, authorized delegations of Lithuania and Poland signed an armistice agreement, which was to begin on October 10. The agreement stipulated the demarcation line between the two states, according to which Vilnius was transferred to Lithuania. But on the eve of the entry into force of the agreement, the Polish general Lucian Zheligowski, staging a revolt of Polish soldiers and residents of the Vilnius region, occupied Vilnius with a sharp attack and created the state of Central Lithuania here.” Thomas CIVAS, Aras LUKSAS The agreement that brought disappointment to Veidas, July 18, 2007, Lithuania
At the end of the NATO summit in Wales, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said that secret documents had been agreed upon, providing for the deployment of arms and military equipment in the country and a contingent of the Alliance's allied countries without restrictions. However, why do Poles have mixed feelings about this news?
The answer lies in the long-standing mutual hostility and enmity of the two countries - Poland and Lithuania, as well as mutual claims to the lands of their neighbor. Thus, the Lithuanians demand the return of the city of Sejny and its environs, lost in the 20s of the last century, and the Poles lay claim to the Vilnius region, where today more than 60% of citizens of Polish nationality live.
Here, for example, is what the Polish media say.
“In the name of unilateral anti-Russian solidarity in the name of Ukraine, Poland forgot about its commitment to the Poles living in Lithuania and about the standards in the field of the rights of national minorities guaranteed by the European Union,” this opinion was expressed by Polish publicist Rafal Zemkiewicz on the pages of the Do Rzeczy publication. According to him, “the Polish minority in Lithuania is clearly persecuted, and in Lithuanian foreign policy it is difficult to recognize any sign of gratitude for many years of Polish concern.”
Therefore, naturally, the growth of the military component in a neighboring state (albeit an ally in the NATO and EU bloc), which has made the oppression of the Polish minority a state policy, raises obvious fears of the possible outbreak of another conflict like the Ukrainian one.
This is especially important to remember in early September, when Vilnius celebrates City Day - the day of liberation from Polish invaders.
Then, in the fall of 1939, the residents of Vilnius rejoiced, welcoming the entry of Lithuanian soldiers into the city. Lithuanian leader Atanas Smetona wrote: “...thanks to the Soviet Union and the Red Army, historical justice was restored - Vilnius was liberated from the Poles, finally reunited with Lithuania and again became its capital.”
However, this was preceded by a bloody war, which went down in history as the Polish-Lithuanian war.
And for Lithuanians, September is associated not only with a joyful event - the return of the capital, but also with the loss of part of their territories. In 2014, it was 95 years since the end of the Polish-Lithuanian conflict, as a result of which the border town of Sejny and the adjacent territories were recaptured from the Lithuanians. This event, which occurred in September 1919, is the subject of an article by Polish historian Adam Grzeszak, published in the weekly Polityka.
Located in the north-east of present-day Poland (modern Podlaskie Voivodeship), the city of Sejny was inhabited mostly by Lithuanians, but in 1919, when German occupation forces began to withdraw from these territories, the new authorities in Warsaw, led by Józef Pilsudski, decided to recapture the city from Lithuania and annex it to Poland.
Meanwhile, for Lithuania, Sejny was a symbolic city, and not just a geographical point on the map. “Sejny is an outstanding place for Lithuanians. It was there and in Kaunas that the Lithuanian national movement was born at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century,” writes the Polish historian. In the city there was a Lithuanian Catholic seminary, whose graduates for the first time dared to conduct services in their churches not in Polish, but in Lithuanian.
In order not to attract too much attention to the annexation of the city, it was decided to occupy the city with the forces of the semi-regular Polish Military Organization (POW) - a structure specifically created for sabotage actions in territories that the country's leadership considered “occupied”.
The separation of this territory from Lithuania led to the fact that until the outbreak of World War II, relations between the two neighboring states could be defined as a “cold war,” writes A. Grzeszak.
Currently, in Sejny, taking into account assimilation, Lithuanians make up only 8% of the residents, but their relations with local Poles can hardly be called good. Analyzing the current situation in Sejny and its environs, Adam Grzeszak concludes that there are still “two different histories” there – Polish and Lithuanian, and “in the Polish version there is no place for Lithuanians, and in the Lithuanian version there are no Poles” .
It should be added that not so long ago, on the Internet, on the social network Facebook, Lithuanian programmers developed and implemented a strategy game “Lithuania needs your help in the war”, where gamers liberate the country from the Poles, killing the latter.
As they say, learning is hard, but fighting is easy...
Unfortunately, the forecasts are disappointing. The unjustified militarization of Lithuania through NATO donor countries could play a cruel joke on the issue of Warsaw-Vilnius relations. The Alliance strategists clearly did not foresee this scenario, filling the Baltic region with decommissioned armored personnel carriers and tanks.