1 counterattacks
1.1 german offensive
1.2 lithuanian preparations
1.3 polish offensive
1.4 lithuanian offensive
1.5 polish–lithuanian conflict
1.6 final battles
counterattacks
german offensive
the advance of polish (blue arrows), lithuanian/german (dark purple arrows), latvian/german (white arrows west), , estonian/latvian (white arrows north) forces. blue line shows polish front in may 1920.
northern lithuania (samogitia) overtaken soviet international division (about 3,000 men). objective reach baltic sea , cut off german supplies latvians in war against soviets. local communists more active in northern lithuania shortest route russian prisoners return russia through samogitia. biggest achievement formation of 1,000-man samogitian regiment, commanded feliksas baltušis-Žemaitis, in city of Šiauliai. regiment included russian pows, german deserters, , criminals. there no units of regular lithuanian army in samogitia except partisans in skuodas, rallied povilas plechavičius , brother aleksandras, , in joniškėlis.
the movement of bolsheviks towards east prussia worried germany, , sent volunteers (brigade schaulen) commanded general rudiger von der goltz free section of libau–romny railway line linking liepāja, mažeikiai, radviliškis, , kėdainiai. part of larger counter-offensive in latvia. @ end of february lithuanian partisans, supported german artillery, took mažeikiai , seda, , pursued bolsheviks kuršėnai. on february 27, 1919, german volunteers supported plechavičius partisans , joniškėlis partisans, defeated samogitian regiment in battle near luokė. regiment disbanded. before mid-march germans took kuršėnai, Šiauliai, radviliškis, Šeduva, joniškis , stopped. on few occasions aided lithuanian partisans , regular units. joniškėlis partisans continued guard front along mūša river. later incorporated regular lithuanian military.
lithuanian preparations
as soviet forces stopped, lithuanian army began prepare offensive. after battle of kėdainiai, panevėžys volunteer regiment had secured positions , grew in strength. between mid-february , end of march carried out small expeditions nearby towns. main purpose demoralize enemy forces , boost confidence of local residents , lithuanian volunteers. reward successful operations, volunteer regiment given name on march 22: separate panevėžys battalion (lithuanian: panevėžio atskirasis batalionas). demoralization campaign successful: bolshevik forces stationed in panevėžys , kupiškis rebelled, , quelled red army division neighboring latvia. bolshevik morale underwent deeper declines, , between march 19 , march 24 forces left panevėžys. lithuanian forces entered city on march 26, red army retook on april 4.
the lull between soviet attacks used strengthen , organize army. on march 5, lithuanians announced mobilization of men born 1887–1889. lithuanian forces rapidly increased numbers. may 3 official headcount reached 440 officers , 10,729 privates. however, half of them trained, armed, , assigned military units. in february–april lithuanian soldiers actively undergoing training, chain of command streamlined, new military units formed. lithuania received new shipments of arms , munitions. soldiers received first uniforms.
the first organized lithuanian offensive carried out between april 3 , april 8, 1919. lithuanians decided take advantage of large polish attacks against soviets in hrodna area in order test enemy strength , capture vilnius. southern group, formed on basis of 1st riflemen regiment , led kazys ladiga, attack alytus along daugai–valkininkai line. northern group, formed on basis on 2nd riflemen regiment , led juozas butkus, attack kaišiadorys along Žasliai–vievis line. germans did not participate. both regiments successful, soviets gathered forces , stopped advance. lithuanian flanks not defended, decided abandon offensive. soviets accused germans of violating demarcation line set on january 18 , pressured them retreat.
polish offensive
poland started offensive against soviets in march 1919. pushed east , north, entering vilnius region, territory claimed lithuanians. between april 19 , 21, poles captured vilnius during vilna offensive , may secured positions. polish army forced soviets withdraw left wing territories south of neris river. polish advance shortened lithuanian–soviet front line , allowed lithuania concentrate forces operations in northeastern lithuania. however, meant new front line poland open. @ first, both poles , lithuanians cooperated against soviets, cooperation gave way increasing hostility. first clashes between polish , lithuanian soldiers occurred on april 26 , may 8 near vievis.
poland did not recognize lithuania, chief of state józef piłsudski wanted union lithuania in hopes revive old polish–lithuanian commonwealth (see międzymorze federation). poland justified actions not part of military campaign against soviets right of self-determination of local poles, formed significant minority in eastern lithuania. lithuanians claimed vilnius historical capital , opposed federation poland, desiring independent national lithuanian state. lithuanian government in kaunas saw polish presence in vilnius occupation. in addition vilnius region, nearby suwałki region disputed. polish–lithuanian relations not hostile, grew worse each side refused compromise.
lithuanian offensive
lithuanian offensive may–june 1919. dates indicate when town taken lithuanian forces. pink line marks border of lithuania since 1990.
polish advances against soviets necessitated changes in lithuanian strategy. on april 26, general silvestras Žukauskas, recovered typhus, designated chief of staff. decided mount offensive in northeastern lithuania. first objective take on ukmergė. on may 3, separate panevėžys volunteer regiment, supported 18th regiment of saxon volunteers, had secured town. operation risky while kėdainiai unprotected opening path kaunas, successful: 500 soviets taken prisoner , 50 poles, captured soviets in battles near vilnius, liberated , returned poland. on may 7 lithuanians entered Širvintos, found polish troops. lithuanians , poles mounted joint operation take giedraičiai on may 9.
the lithuanian army s chain of command reformed. on may 7, general Žukauskas assumed command of entire lithuanian army , initiated complete reorganization of lithuanian forces 2 groups. first brigade, stationed in ukmergė, called vilkmergė group , included battalion of saxon volunteers. first commander kazys ladiga ordered push along utena–zarasai line. second brigade, called panevėžys group, charged capturing panevėžys , pushing along kupiškis–rokiškis–obeliai line. group, commanded jonas variakojis, aided joniškėlis partisans north. ministry of defense , staff reorganized.
on may 18 reorganized army carried out first operation. vilkmergė group captured kurkliai , anykščiai. on may 22, group launched attack on utena. initiative met soviet counterattack, , lithuanian forces retreated. further attacks stopped several days wait results of advance on kupiškis. drive towards utena resumed on may 31, , city secured on june 2. panevėžys group launched drive towards panevėžys on may 18 , secured city following day, lost bolshevik counterattack, carried out on may 21. however, soviets left panevėžys without fight 2 days later. group charged towards kupiškis , secured subačius. on may 30 joniškėlis partisans broke through soviet lines , took rokiškis in soviet rear; bolshevik forces, afraid encircled, left kupiškis on night of may 30–31, , lithuania secured city on june 1.
after capture of utena, saxon volunteers left front , mid-july departed lithuania. however, lithuanian advance continued, , on june 10 lithuanian forces reached territory controlled latvian partisans (green guard) , supplied them munitions. on june 12, soviets counterattacked , lithuanians stopped. soviet push came on june 20 , front stabilized. soviets cornered in small region around zarasai. between july 6 , 12, lithuanians latvian assistance attempted drive out bolsheviks. soviets gathered forces calmer fronts , forced lithuanians retreat former positions.
polish–lithuanian conflict
map of demarcation lines of june 18 (light green) , july 26 (dark green) between poland , lithuania. poland ignored both lines , continued advance orange line. railroads marked black stitched lines.
while lithuanian forces battled soviets in northeastern lithuania, tension between poland , lithuania grew. direct negotiations between may 28 , june 11, 1919 collapsed neither side inclined compromise. trying prevent direct military conflict allied supreme council drew first demarcation line on june 18, 1919. line drawn several kilometers west of warsaw – saint petersburg railway. polish ministry of foreign affairs rejected required polish forces retread 30–35 km (19–22 mi); lithuanians not content well, left vilnius , hrodna under polish control. german volunteers departing lithuania (their last units left kaunas in mid-july), poland mounted offensive on 100 km (62 mi) wide front moving 20–30 km (12–19 mi) deeper lithuanian territory. preoccupied soviet threat, lithuania not organize effective defense , entente intervened again drawing second demarcation line, known foch line, on july 26, 1919. 2 major modifications made: suwałki region assigned poland , entire line moved 7 km (4.3 mi) west. neither lithuanians, poles, nor germans (still present in suwałki region) content new demarcation line. between july 29 , august 2, polish troops carried out several attacks against lithuanians. on august 3, polish diplomatic mission in kaunas declared poland has no plans annex lithuania , proposed plebiscite in contested territories, allowing local inhabitants determine future. when lithuanian government rejected polish proposal, józef piłsudski decided further military action not solution. instead, lithuanian government needed replaced party more willing negotiate compromise. front stabilized, bilateral relations worsened in aftermath of sejny uprising (august 23 – september 9) in turn ruined attempted coup d état polish military organisation against lithuanian government (august 28–29).
final battles
due threat poland, front soviets quiet more month. there minor incidents involving scouts or outpost guards. red army used time reorganize , strengthen forces, using natural barriers, plentiful lakes, rivers, , hills, enhanced trenches , barbed wires, secure position. had fortifications built during world war 10 km (6.2 mi) south of daugavpils. soviets had larger forces: lithuanians had 2 infantry regiments , 5 separate battalions; soviets had 6 regiments , 1 separate battalion. lithuanians poles planned push daugavpils starting august 9, plans delayed until august 23.
the ukmergė group attacked first , captured zarasai on august 25. group moved 30 km (19 mi) soviet-controlled territory, neither right or left flanks adequately protected polish units or panevėžys group. panevėžys group began advance on august 26 , polish troops moved along railroad towards turmantas. lithuanians maneuvered around old russian fortifications, forcing red army retreat. converging on daugavpils, lithuanian–soviet front shortened , lithuanians able concentrate forces. on august 28, soviets began retreating north across daugava river. august 31, on southern shore of daugava, soviet held grīva, suburb of daugavpils.
the enemy driven out lithuanian territory , narrow front stabilized lithuanians , soviets separated daugava river. lithuanian main forces redeployed elsewhere, including protection of demarcation line poland , planned attacks against bermontians in northern lithuania. in september 1919, joint polish , latvian forces took southern shore of daugava, including grīva. lithuanian–soviet front remained open until battle of daugavpils when latvian , polish forces captured daugavpils in january 1920. lithuanians did not participate in these operations. lithuanians claimed territory, taken soldiers, despite latvian protests. led several skirmishes between latvian , lithuanian troops, border issue mediated britain , resolved in march 1921.
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