Stasys Raštikis
Stasys Raštikis (September 13, 1896 – May 3, 1985) was a Lithuanian military officer, ultimately obtaining the rank of divisional general. He was Chief of Defence (Lithuania), the commander of the Lithuanian Army from September 21, 1934, to April 23, 1940. During World War I, he served in the Imperial Russian Army mostly in the Caucasus Campaign. After return to Lithuania in 1918, he joined the newly formed Lithuanian Army and fought in the Lithuanian–Soviet War. He was severely injured and spent 20 months in Soviet captivity. He returned to the 5th Infantry Regiment (Lithuania), 5th Infantry Regiment and later joined the Intelligence Department of the Defence Staff (Lithuania), General Staff. The 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état, coup d'état of December 1926 brought his future wife's uncle, Antanas Smetona, to power, which propelled his career. Raštikis completed military education in Germany and, after the 1934 Lithuanian coup d'état attempt, failed military coup in 1934, bec ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Kuršėnai
Kuršėnai (; Samogitian dialect, Samogitian: ''Koršienā'') is a city in northwestern Lithuania, Šiauliai County, Šiauliai district municipality. It is the twenty-fifth largest city in Lithuania. According to the 2023 estimate, it had 10,651 residents. Etymology The city's name was first documented in the 16th century. According to historian , its name is derived from the word ''kuršis'' (Curonians, Curonian). However, according to folk etymology, folk legend, the city didn't have a name for a long time. But, one summer day the river Venta (river), Venta flooded and washed all hay bales which were standing at the river banks. People started questioning each other: where is the hay? where is the hay? („Kur šienai? Kur šienai?“). Since then, the city name stayed as Kuršėnai. In other languages the town is referred to as: ''Kurshon''; ; ; . History Early history The town and its surroundings fall within the boundaries of the territory inhabited by the ancient Samogi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lithuanian–Soviet War
The Lithuanian–Soviet War or Lithuanian–Bolshevik War () was fought between newly independent Lithuania and the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic in the aftermath of World War I. It was part of the larger Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919. The offensive followed the retreat of German troops and sought to establish Soviet republics in Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and link up with the German Revolution. By the end of December 1918 Soviet forces reached Lithuanian borders. Largely unopposed, they occupied one town after another and by the end of January 1919 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 capturing Kaunas, the temporary capital of Lithuania. From April 1919, the Lithuanian war went parallel with the Polish–Soviet War. Poland had territorial claims over Lithuania, especially the Vilnius Region; these ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lithuanian Nationalist Union
The Lithuanian Nationalist Union ( or LTS), also known as the Nationalists (), was the ruling political party in Lithuania during the authoritarian regime of President Antanas Smetona from 1926 to 1940. The party was established in 1924 but was not popular. It came to power as a result of the December 1926 military coup. From 1927 to 1939, the Council of Ministers included only members of the LTS. In 1936, other parties were officially disbanded, leaving LTS the only legal party in the country. At the end of the 1930s new members started bringing in new ideas, right wing and closer to Italian Fascism. The party was disestablished after the Soviet occupation of Lithuania in June 1940. A party of the same name (known as the Lithuanian Nationalist and Republican Union since 2017) was reestablished in 1990 and claims to be the successor of the interwar LTS. History The party was established during a conference in Šiauliai on 17–19 August 1924 as a merger of the Party of Nation ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Military Exercise
A military exercise, training exercise, maneuver (manoeuvre), or war game is the employment of military resources in Military education and training, training for military operations. Military exercises are conducted to explore the effects of warfare or test tactics and strategies without actual combat. They also ensure the combat readiness of garrisoned or deployable forces prior to deployment from a home base. While both war games and military exercises aim to simulate real conditions and scenarios for the purpose of preparing and analyzing those scenarios, the distinction between a war game and a military exercise is determined, primarily, by the involvement of actual military forces within the simulation, or lack thereof. Military exercises focus on the simulation of real, full-scale military operations in controlled hostile conditions in attempts to reproduce war time decisions and activities for training purposes or to analyze the outcome of possible war time decisions. W ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Causes Of World War II
The causes of World War II have been given considerable attention by historians. The immediate precipitating event was the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany on September 1, 1939, and the subsequent declarations of war on Germany made by United Kingdom in World War II, Britain and France in World War II, France, but many other prior events have been suggested as ultimate causes. Primary themes in historical analysis of the war's origins include the political takeover of Weimar Republic, Germany in 1933 by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party; Japanese militarism against Republic of China (1912–1949), China, which led to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and the Second Sino-Japanese War; Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Italian aggression against Ethiopian Empire, Ethiopia, which led to the Second Italo-Ethiopian War; or Spanish coup of July 1936, military uprising in Second Spanish Republic, Spain, which led to the Spanish Civil War. During the interwar period, deep anger arose in t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Militarization
Militarization, or militarisation, is the process by which a society organizes itself for military conflict and violence. It is related to militarism, which is an ideology that reflects the level of militarization of a state. The process of militarization involves many interrelated aspects that encompass all levels of society. Geopolitical The perceived level of threat influences what potential for violence or warfare the state must achieve to assure itself an acceptable level of security. When the perceived level of threat is low, as with Canada, a country may have a relatively small military and level of armament. However, in Israel, the threat of attack from neighbouring countries means that the armed forces and defense have a high profile and are given significant funding and personnel. This threat may involve the: :* Balance of power of neighboring states :*Terrorism, rogue states, weapons of mass destruction and state terrorism :*Threats to state interests, such as pol ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Chief Of The Defence Staff (Lithuania)
Chief of the Defence Staff is the head of the Lithuanian Defence Staff responsible for the administrative, operational, and logistical needs of the Lithuanian Armed Forces The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Navy, the Lithuanian Air Force and the Lithuanian Special Operations Force. In wartime, the Li .... List of chiefs Chiefs of the General Staff (1918–1940) Chiefs of the Defence Staff (since 1990) Notes References {{reflist Military of Lithuania Lists of Lithuanian military personnel Military chiefs of staff ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1934 Lithuanian Coup D'état Attempt
The coup d'état attempt in 1934 () was an attempt by '' voldemarininkai'', supporters of the former Prime Minister Augustinas Voldemaras, to overthrow the government of President Antanas Smetona. While ''voldemarininkai'' planned several coups against the government, this coup was the largest and most threatening. Voldemaras was ousted as Prime Minister in September 1929 but still enjoyed considerable support among the members of the liquidated Iron Wolf and many younger military officers. On 6–7 June 1934, several hundred soldiers captured several strategic objects, including the General Staff, in Kaunas and sent a delegation to negotiate with Smetona about reinstating Voldemaras and making other changes in the government. The coup was not directed against Smetona, but against the government of Prime Minister Juozas Tūbelis. Other military units and the police remained loyal to Smetona who refused to negotiate. The rebels lacked resolve and stood down after receiving promis ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona (; 10 August 1874 – 9 January 1944) was a Lithuanian intellectual, journalist and politician. He served as the first president of Lithuania from 1919 to 1920 and later as the authoritarian head of state from 1926 until the Occupation of the Baltic states, Soviet occupation of Lithuania in 1940. Referred to as the "Leader of the Nation" during his presidency, Smetona is recognised as one of the most important Lithuanian political figures between World War I and World War II, and a prominent ideologist of Lithuanian National Revival, Lithuanian nationalism and the movement for national revival. Born into a farming family in the village of Užulėnis, Kovno Governorate, Smetona exhibited a strong interest in education and Lithuanian cultural identity from an early age. He attended Palanga Progymnasium and later graduated from Jelgava Gymnasium. He pursued higher education at the Saint Petersburg Imperial University, where he studied law and became involved in natio ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1926 Lithuanian Coup D'état
The 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état ( Lithuanian: ) was a military coup d'état in Lithuania that replaced the democratically elected government with a authoritarian regime led by Antanas Smetona. The coup took place on 17 December 1926 and was largely organized by the military; Smetona's role remains the subject of debate. The coup brought the Lithuanian Nationalist Union, the most conservative party at the time, to power. Previously it had been a fairly new and insignificant nationalistic party. By 1926, its membership reached about 2,000 and it had won only three seats in the parliamentary elections. The Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party, the largest party in the Seimas at the time, collaborated with the military and provided constitutional legitimacy to the coup, but accepted no major posts in the new government and withdrew in May 1927. After the military handed power over to the civilian government, it ceased playing a direct role in political life. Background Lithu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Defence Staff (Lithuania)
The Defence Staff () is the main staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Since 2008, the staff has reported to the Chief of Defence. Its main tasks are to plan, lead, and support military operations as well as to prepare strategic military plans. Names The Defence Staff was known by different names during its history: * General Staff () in 1918–1924 * Supreme Staff () in 1924–1935 * Army Staff () in 1935–1940 * Defence Staff () in 1991–1992, 1996–2008, since 2018 * Joint Staff () in 1992–1993, 2008–2018 * Staff of the Armed Forces () in 1993–1994 * General Staff () in 1994–1996 Interwar Lithuania (1918–1940) Lithuania declared independence in February 1918. The first order to organize the Lithuanian Army was issued by Prime Minister Augustinas Voldemaras on 11 November 1918. The same order established the General Staff. The staff was initially located in Vilnius but had to evacuate to Kaunas at the outbreak of the Lithuanian–Soviet War. The General Staff ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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5th Infantry Regiment (Lithuania)
The 5th Infantry Regiment (), later the 5th Infantry Regiment of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis () was an infantry regiment that served in the Lithuanian Army during the Interwar period. 1919 The regiment was founded on 2 March 1919. Initially, it was called the Separate Battalion (). The regiment began to be organized in Kaunas by the Commandant Officer of Kaunas, Kazys Škirpa, by the order of the Minister of National Defense. The Separate Battalion's core were the 5th and 6th Infantry Companies and the 2nd Hussar Squadron that were detached from Kaunas' . The infantry companies became the 1st and 2nd companies, which were soon joined by new volunteers. On March 23, 20 soldiers from the Kaunas city ''Kommandantur'' training team and 16 soldiers from the grenadier team arrived. On March 28, these were joined by the Kaunas' training team's soldiers of the 1st and 4th Company, in addition to several volunteer machine gunners from Vilnius. The newly arrived 1st company was ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |