Lithuanian Wars of Independence

A series of conflicts from 1918 to 1920 in which Lithuania defended its independence against Soviet Russia, Bermontian forces, and Poland.

Lithuanian Declaration of Independence: A declaration issued on 16 February 1918 that proclaimed the restoration of an independent Lithuanian state. It established the state whose survival the wars would determine.
Lithuanian–Soviet War: The 1918–1919 conflict between Lithuania and Soviet Russia over control of Lithuanian territory. It was the first major military test of the new Lithuanian state.
Antanas Smetona: A Lithuanian politician who became the country’s first president in 1919. His presidency coincided with the state’s early military and institutional consolidation.
Treaty of Moscow (1920): A Soviet–Lithuanian peace treaty signed on 12 July 1920 that recognized Lithuania’s independence and assigned Vilnius to it. It ended the war with Soviet Russia and formally recognized Lithuania’s claims to Vilnius.
German occupation of Lithuania during World War I: The military occupation of Lithuania by Germany from 1915 until the end of World War I. German withdrawal left a power vacuum as Lithuania sought to build independent institutions.
Bermontian forces: A Russian-German military formation led by Pavel Bermondt-Avalov that fought in the Baltic region in 1919. Their advance into Lithuania opened a second front after Soviet forces had been pushed back.
Mykolas Sleževičius: A Lithuanian politician who served as prime minister and organized the government’s response to the Soviet advance in 1918. His government called for volunteers as Soviet forces threatened the new state.
League of Nations: An international organization founded in 1920 to promote cooperation and resolve disputes after World War I. It became a forum for attempts to settle the Lithuanian–Polish dispute.
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: A 1918 treaty in which Soviet Russia made peace with the Central Powers and renounced claims to territories including Lithuania. Its collapse after Germany’s defeat reopened the question of who would control Lithuania.
Lithuanian–Polish War: An armed conflict between Lithuania and Poland in 1919–1920, rooted in competing territorial claims and national projects. The struggle with Poland persisted after the main fighting against Soviet Russia and Bermontians.

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