Lithuania’s History of War: From Medieval Conflicts to World Wars

Lithuania’s strategic location between East and West has made it a frequent battlefield.

Major Conflicts

• January Uprising (1863–64): Lithuanian partisans joined the Polish-Lithuanian revolt against Russian rule.
• World War I (1914–18): Occupied by Germany (1915–18); independence declared February 16, 1918.
• Lithuanian Wars of Independence (1918–20): Fought Soviet Russia, Poland, and German paramilitaries; secured recognition in 1920.
• Polish-Lithuanian War (1919–20): Over Vilnius region; Poland annexed it in 1922 (Lithuania regained it briefly in 1939).
• World War II (1939–45): Soviet occupation (1940), Nazi invasion (1941), Soviet re-occupation (1944–1991). Holocaust devastated Lithuania’s Jewish community (~95% murdered).
• Post-WWII Guerrilla War (1944–53): “Forest Brothers” resisted Soviet rule.

Since 1991, Lithuania has enjoyed peace as a NATO and EU member.