Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of the states in the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1990, except for a short time during World War II. Before 1940, Lithuania was its own country.

In June 1940, the Red Army entered Lithuania. After this, Lithuania became part of the Soviet Union and was ruled by the Soviet government.

From 1941 to 1944, Germany controlled Lithuania during the war. When Germany left in 1944, the Soviet Union took control again and kept it for the next 45 years. Even though Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union, many countries still thought of it as an independent nation.

In 1989, Lithuania began to claim its independence. On March 11, 1990, Lithuania declared it was free from the Soviet Union, the first Soviet republic to do so. This helped other states also seek freedom. After some hard times in early 1991, the Soviet Union recognized Lithuania’s independence on September 6, 1991. Today, Lithuania is its own country again. It remembers its time under Soviet control as a period it did not accept.

History

Background

Main article: Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact

In 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union made an agreement. This put Lithuania under Soviet control. The Soviet Union wanted military bases there.

Occupation and annexation

Main article: Occupation of the Baltic states

In 1940, the Soviet Union asked Lithuania to let its troops in. Lithuania agreed, but the country was taken over. A new government was set up under Soviet control. Elections were not fair. Leaders said Lithuania wanted to join the Soviet Union, and soon it did.

German invasion and the second Soviet occupation

In 1941, Germany invaded and took over Lithuania. After Germany lost, the Soviet Union returned in 1944. They held elections again, but they were not free. The Communist Party took control.

Sovietisation

The Soviet Union changed Lithuania to match its government and economy. Farms were grouped together, and many people moved to new towns. The Soviet Union tried to change how people thought about their history and culture.

Armed resistance

Main articles: Lithuanian partisans and Guerrilla war in the Baltic states

After the Soviet Union took control, some people in Lithuania fought back. They hid and attacked Soviet forces. Many were caught and faced serious consequences. Their actions showed many still wanted independence.

Deportations

Main article: Soviet deportations from Lithuania

The Soviet authorities forced many Lithuanians to leave their homes. Thousands were sent to different parts of the Soviet Union to work in hard conditions.

Dissident movement

Even after the fighting stopped, people in Lithuania worked for independence in secret. They shared books and ideas and kept hope for a free Lithuania. In the 1970s and 1980s, more people spoke out against Soviet rule.

Collapse of Soviet rule

In the late 1980s, problems in the Soviet Union gave hope for independence. Public meetings grew, and in 1990, Lithuania declared independence. The Soviet Union recognized this in 1991.

Independence restored

Main article: Lithuania

Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union on 11 March 1990. The country said it did not need to follow Soviet rules to leave because joining was not legal. After some tension, the Soviet Union recognized Lithuania's independence in 1991. The Soviet Army left by 1993.

Politics

The leaders of the main political party in Lithuania during the Soviet time were:

• Antanas Sniečkus, 1940–1941; 1944–1974
• Petras Griškevičius, 1974–1987
• Ringaudas Songaila, 1987–1988
• Algirdas Brazauskas, 1988–1989

Economy

Further information: Eastern Bloc economies

Collectivization happened in the Lithuanian SSR between 1947 and 1952. In 1990, the GDP per capita of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was $8,591. This was higher than the Soviet Union’s average of $6,871 but lower than nearby countries like Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

Lithuania was an important part of the Soviet economy. It made many things the Soviet Union needed, such as electric welding tools, metal-cutting machines, and furniture. Even though Lithuania was small, it helped a lot with the Soviet Union’s industries and farming.

The economy of the Eastern Bloc relied on strict government planning. Over time, this caused problems, and the economy eventually collapsed. Attempts to fix it did not work well. Lithuania also sent money to support the Soviet Union’s budget while it was part of the USSR.

In astronomy

A small object in space, called minor planet 2577 Litva, was found in 1975. It was named to honor the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. The object was found by a Soviet astronomer named Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh.