DOCSLIB.ORG

Lithuanian Independence Movement That Struggle Did Not Succeed, It Energized the Only Gradually Evolved in the Homeland

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Lithuanian Independence Movement That Struggle Did Not Succeed, It Energized the Only Gradually Evolved in the Homeland Special Footprints of Lithuanian Americans in the struggle for Independence Lithuanian American National Council A FREQUENTLY OVERLOOKED HISTORIC Convention, Madison Square FACT IS THAT LITHUANIA’S DECLARATION Garden, New TH York, March 13- OF INDEPENDENCE OF FEBRUARY 16 , 14, 1918. 1918, DID NOT OCCUR OVERNIGHT. IT WAS, Photo above INSTEAD, THE CONSEQUENCE OF A SERIES in the right: OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND POLITICAL Lithuanian American DEVELOPMENTS. THIS, OF COURSE, DOES National NOT DETRACT FROM THE ACHIEVEMENT Council, delegate pin Whitehead WHICH THE DECLARATION’S SIGNATORIES Hoag, New BROUGHT ABOUT. HOWEVER, IT MUST BE Jersey. REMEMBERED THAT THERE WERE MANY OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE INCLUDING MANY LITHUANIAN AMERICANS WHO ENERGETICALLY JOINED IN AND EFFECTIVELY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS CAMPAIGN. 16 Lithuanian Military Digest Special THE NATIONAL AWAKENING Independence — complete Lithuanian politi- t is generally agreed that the Lithuanian cal sovereignty a year before it was declared in National Awakening of the late 19th centu- Lithuania! ry and the resultant Lithuanian Indepen- Idence movement stemmed from the Polish- A LITHUANIAN MONARCHY? Lithuanian Insurrection of 1863–1864. While The Lithuanian independence movement that struggle did not succeed, it energized the only gradually evolved in the homeland. Initial- nation to continue its efforts to free itself from ly, the leaders of the movement merely sought Czarist rule. The consequent brutal suppres- some modicum of political autonomy, some sion of this insurrection led to an even greater accommodation within the framework of Czar- resolve to resist tyranny. The Russian regime ist Russian Empire. In 1905 the Russians were outlawed the publishing of books in the Lithu- routed in the ill-fated Russo-Japanese War. This anian script; they had to be printed in Russian resulted in an easing of the Lithuanian publica- cyrillic type. At the same time, industrializa- tion restriction. With the advent of World War tion of the urban areas and the transformation I and the ensuing occupation of Lithuania by of the agricultural sector were taking place German forces in 1914, the Lithuanian inde- across the Western world. In Lithuania, like pendence movement considered the option of most other countries, the resulting economic a Lithuanian kingdom within the framework of turmoil led to the departure of one-fourth of Lithuanian American Liberty Bell Medal, 1919 the Imperial German Empire. As part of this the Lithuanian nation. Emigrants sought a bet- awarded for significant donations. effort, some Lithuanian leaders even offered ter life overseas, mostly in America. One would a crown to a proposed new Lithuanian mon- think that the loss of a quarter of the country’s new world, they did not forget their homeland arch, a member of the Wittenberg dynasty who population, in one generation, would have a and the families they left behind. It is suggest- claimed a remote lineage to the Lithuanian devastating demographic effect. Actually, this ed that the Lithuanian National Awakening King Mindaugas. He would have been known flight not only enabled the nation to survive would not have been successful had it not been as King Mindaugas II. Were the Lithuanian po- but eventually contributed significantly to for the participation and financial contribution litical leaders being opportunistic or were they achieving its long-sought independence. made by thousands of Lithuanian Americans just being practical given the conditions they and their organizations. Lithuanians on both faced at the time? In any event, this proposal THE BOOK SMUGGLERS sides of the ocean were directly involved in did not pan out and was soon abandoned. While Lithuanian American immigrants preserving and drawing inspiration from the embraced the liberty and riches offered by the nation’s glorious past. There were many out- LITHUANIAN AMERICANS TAKE standing leaders and writers in Lithuania. At ACTION the time, however, they did not have at their disposal the economic resources necessary to pursue this struggle. Publishing was con- trolled by the Russian government and the printing in the Lithuanian language essentially prohibited. As a result, printing of Lithuanian publications took place in neighboring East Prussia (also known as Lithuania Minor). A clandestine network of book smuggling was established to deliver these books into the hands of the Lithuanian people. This was a perilous undertaking requiring courage and Lithuanian State Bond 100 Auksiniai, an ability to outmaneuver the Russian border 1919 purchased by American Lithuanians to guards. Surreptitious funding of this effort support Lithuania. was received from American Lithuanians and their organizations. In many ways, it was the Let us now recount the Lithuanian Inde- Lithuanian American funding of the nation’s pendence Movement from a Lithuanian Amer- book smuggling effort that kept the flame of ican perspective. The Lithuanian Americans the Lithuanian independence alive. Without were also experiencing their very own version the support of Lithuanian Americans through of a Lithuanian Awakening and their patriotic their writings, political action, and financial organizations gradually developed over the aid, the Book Smuggling Movement would years into nationwide networks. Following have failed and with it the hope of indepen- the first attempt at Lithuanian autonomy at dence. It was these enthusiastic and perhaps the Great Vilnius Seimas in November 1905 sometimes impatient Lithuanian Americans, Lithuanian Americans held their own, First who reveled in all things Lithuanian, who Lithuanian American Political Convention, in Book smuggler Vincas Juška. were the first (in 1917) to declare Lithuania’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 22, May 2020. No 5. 17 Special government has to exist in Lithuania for the na- tion to be genuinely free and independent. As a result, when a subsequent Lithuanian Declara- tion of Independence was passed on February 16th, 1918, in Vilnius, they immediately rec- ognized and supported the newly established government. ATTENDED PEACE CONFERENCE The Third National Congress of Lithuanian Americans was held on March 13, 1918, at Madison Square Garden, New York, wherein Fifty dollar Lithuanian Liberty Loan Certificate, 1920. both Catholic and national political leaders 1906. There they demanded Lithuanian politi- Taryba, a precursor to the Lithuanian Ameri- representing over 700,000 of their countrymen cal autonomy. By 1908, the many smaller local can Council (LAC) which continues to oper- jointly called for the U.S. to recognize the Vil- Lithuanian community patriot organizations ate to this date. nius declaration and the government formed joined together to form the National Society At the conference, members, representing under it. This resolution was forwarded to of Lithuanian Patriots, which began funding approximately twenty-five percent of the total President Wilson and other foreign representa- Lithuanian publications and supported various Lithuanian world population, in the name of tives. Although President Wilson delayed rec- activities promoting Lithuanian independence. their nation passed their own Declaration of ognition of Lithuanian independence and the The Lithuanian language publications and ar- Independence, a full year before it was done in new government, he authorized the Lithuanian ticles penned by Lithuanian Americans were Lithuania. American representatives to attend the antici- sent to Prussia along with funds to support the pated Paris Peace Conference. As a result, Lith- Lithuanian book smuggling movement. INFORMING As World War I raged in Europe, Lithuanian PRESIDENT American, especially, Catholic organizations WILSON AND THE across the country raised money for Lithuanian VATICAN War Victims Relief, which under a U.S. govern- In accordance with the ment system was disseminated to all war vic- Lithuanian National Coun- tims of the Czarist Russian Empire. As a result, cil of America, the Reverend these funds only helped those Lithuanians who Jonas Zilius and Dr. Julius had fled their homeland during the war and re- Bielskis were to present cop- settled in Russia. ies of this Lithuanian Inde- Finally, the Lithuanian Roman Catholic pendence Declaration to Federation of America, called a special con- President Woodrow Wilson ference on January 10-11, 1917, in Pittsburg, and the representative of the Pennsylvania, to discuss Lithuanian Indepen- Vatican and other foreign dence. The coordination of efforts promoting ambassadors in Washington, Lithuania’s freedom was undertaken by the D.C. This was done a full Lithuanian attendees at the Conference of Lausanne in Switzerland, 1918. From left: Rev. Juozas Dabužis, Kazys Pakštas, Antanas Lithuanian National Council of America which year before independence Smetona, Martynas Yčas, and Balys Mastauskas (Frank Mast). in Lithuanian was known as Amerikos Lietuvių was called for in Lithuania. Also, through Dr. Bielskis’ efforts, a uanian American delegates were in attendance Lithuanian Information Bureau was at the 1919 Versailles Peace Treaty Conference. established in Washington, D.C., Also, Lithuanian Americans substantially fi- which was commissioned to inform nanced the Lithuanian government operations American political leadership, the for several years through their purchase of Lith- media and the public at large that uanian loans and bonds. Several Lithuanian the conference has passed a Lithu- government officials at the time attested
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Lithuanian Voices
    CHAPTER FIVE Lithuanian Voices 1. Lithuanian Letters in the U.S. The list of American works featuring Lithuanians is short; it apparently consists of three novels. However, for such a small nation, not a “global player” in Franzen’s words, three novels authored by Americans can be seen as sufficient and even impressive. After all, three American authors found Lithuanians interesting enough to make them the main characters of their works. Two of those works, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections, became bestsellers and popularized the name of Lithuania in the U.S. and the world. The third work, Margaret Seebach’s That Man Donaleitis, although overlooked by critics and readers, nevertheless exists as a rare token of admiration for an obscure and oppressed people of the Russian empire. Many other small nations never made it to the pages of American texts. The best they could do was to present themselves to Americans in their own ethnic writing in English. However, the mere existence of such ethnic texts did not guarantee their success with the American audience. Ethnic groups from Eastern Europe for a long time presented little interest to Americans. As noted by Thomas Ferraro, autobiographical and biographical narratives of “immigrants from certain little-known places of Eastern Europe . did not attract much attention” (383). He mentions texts by a Czech, a Croatian, a Slovakian and a Pole written between 1904 and 1941, and explains the lack of attention to them from American public: “the groups they depict remained amorphous in the national imagination and did not seem to pose too much of a cultural threat” (383).
    [Show full text]
  • Lithuanians and Poles Against Communism After 1956. Parallel Ways to Freedom?
    Lithuanians and Poles against Communism after 1956. Parallel Ways to Freedom? The project has been co-financed by the Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the competition ‘Cooperation in the field of public diplomacy 2013.’ The publication expresses only the views of the author and must not be identified with the official stance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The book is available under the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0, Poland. Some rights have been reserved to the authors and the Faculty of International and Po- litical Studies of the Jagiellonian University. This piece has been created as a part of the competition ‘Cooperation in the Field of Public Diplomacy in 2013,’ implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2013. It is permitted to use this work, provided that the above information, including the information on the applicable license, holders of rights and competition ‘Cooperation in the field of public diplomacy 2013’ is included. Translated from Polish by Anna Sekułowicz and Łukasz Moskała Translated from Lithuanian by Aldona Matulytė Copy-edited by Keith Horeschka Cover designe by Bartłomiej Klepiński ISBN 978-609-8086-05-8 © PI Bernardinai.lt, 2015 © Jagiellonian University, 2015 Lithuanians and Poles against Communism after 1956. Parallel Ways to Freedom? Editet by Katarzyna Korzeniewska, Adam Mielczarek, Monika Kareniauskaitė, and Małgorzata Stefanowicz Vilnius 2015 Table of Contents 7 Katarzyna Korzeniewska, Adam Mielczarek, Monika Kareniauskaitė, Małgorzata
    [Show full text]
  • The Intriguer: Stasys Raštikis, the Army, and the President
    chapter 22 The Intriguer: Stasys Raštikis, the Army, and the President The army was a new phenomenon for the Lithuanian public. It was the winner of independence in battle, the most important part of the military action in Klaipėda, the protector and guarantor of the state frontiers. The army was respected, but it was also part of the same politicized public. At first there was a catastrophic shortage of officers – a military school opened in 1919, graduat- ing class after class of young officers. The first officers were mostly veterans of the Russian army and spoke Lithuanian badly; the nationally minded younger band of officers squinted at them warily. The army was politically active – the great proof of this being the military coup of 1926. Smetona was at first thank- ful to the sks, the organizers of the coup, and to their dictator Povilas Plechavičius. The organizers received Smetona at the headquarters of the army, the office of the army chief General Silvestras Žukauskas. The Christian Democratic leader Father Mykolas Krupavičius came to the headquarters and kissed Major Plechavičius, saying, “Povilas, you have saved the country…”812 For this the army had to be rewarded – the two Tautininkai leaders tripled the officers’ salaries.813 Let us just briefly return again to Smetona’s travel through Lithuania in the summer of 1927, from Samogitia to Kaunas. Who accompanied the president? What signals did the cortège send to the public? There were a number of mili- tary: the president’s adjutant Captain Aloyzas Valušis, also the army chief General Žukauskas, General V.
    [Show full text]
  • The Forum, Vol. 5, Issue 1
    Volume 5 Spring 2013 Phi Alpha Theta Alpha-Nu-Gamma Chapter California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN LUIS OBISPO Published in the United States of America by the Cal Poly History Department 1 Grand Avenue, Building 47, Office 27c San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 http://cla.calpoly.edu/hist/ Copyright © 2013 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Cover art copyright © 2009 Danielle Steussy. Photographs copyright © 2013 Sean Martinez, Kevin McLaren, Hannah Milstein, Elizabeth Metelak, Jackson Baumgartner, Megan Manning, Jenna Rovenstine Neither the editors nor Cal Poly assume responsibility for statements of fact or opinion made by the contributors. All Rights Reserved. Except in those cases which comply with the fair use guidelines of U.S. copyright law (U.S.C Title 17), no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the prior permission from the publisher. All articles appearing in this journal are simultaneously published electronically via the DigitalCommons@CalPoly and are therefore subject to the terms specified in the Non-Exclusive License Agreement for Use of Materials in the DigitalCommons@CalPoly. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/forum/ ISSN 2153-7178 ISSN 2153-7119 JOURNAL STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matthew Brown Andrew Pagan Undergraduate History Student Undergraduate History Student ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE EDITOR Elena Reynolds Laura Neylan Graduate History Student Undergraduate History Student Nicola Williams ASSISTANT EDITORS Undergraduate History Student Mindy McKenzie FACULTY ADVISORS Undergraduate History Student Dr. Molly Loberg Professor of History Marissa Millhorn Undergraduate History Student Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings
    Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings Jeffre INTRODUCTION tricks for success in doing African studies research3. One of the challenges of studying ethnic Several sections of the article touch on subject head- groups is the abundant and changing terminology as- ings related to African studies. sociated with these groups and their study. This arti- Sanford Berman authored at least two works cle explains the Library of Congress subject headings about Library of Congress subject headings for ethnic (LCSH) that relate to ethnic groups, ethnology, and groups. His contentious 1991 article Things are ethnic diversity and how they are used in libraries. A seldom what they seem: Finding multicultural materi- database that uses a controlled vocabulary, such as als in library catalogs4 describes what he viewed as LCSH, can be invaluable when doing research on LCSH shortcomings at that time that related to ethnic ethnic groups, because it can help searchers conduct groups and to other aspects of multiculturalism. searches that are precise and comprehensive. Interestingly, this article notes an inequity in the use Keyword searching is an ineffective way of of the term God in subject headings. When referring conducting ethnic studies research because so many to the Christian God, there was no qualification by individual ethnic groups are known by so many differ- religion after the term. but for other religions there ent names. Take the Mohawk lndians for example. was. For example the heading God-History of They are also known as the Canienga Indians, the doctrines is a heading for Christian works, and God Caughnawaga Indians, the Kaniakehaka Indians, (Judaism)-History of doctrines for works on Juda- the Mohaqu Indians, the Saint Regis Indians, and ism.
    [Show full text]
  • 1988 Festival of American Folklife
    Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1988 Festival of American Folklife CFCH Staff 2017 Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage 600 Maryland Ave SW Washington, D.C. [email protected] https://www.folklife.si.edu/archive/ Table of Contents Collection Overview ........................................................................................................ 1 Administrative Information .............................................................................................. 1 Historical note.................................................................................................................. 2 Scope and Contents note................................................................................................ 2 Arrangement note............................................................................................................ 2 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 3 Names and Subjects ...................................................................................................... 4 Container Listing ............................................................................................................. 5 Series 1: Program Books, Festival Publications, and Ephemera, 1988................... 5 Series 2: American Folklore Society Centennial...................................................... 6 Series 3: Festival Music Stage.............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnic Studies Review
    ETHNIC STUDIES REVIEW The Journal of the National Association for Ethnic Studies Volume 19, Number 1 February 1996 Special Issue: Ethnicity, Family, and Community Table of Contents Editor's Note Miguel A. Carranza ..........................................................................................i Articles The Importance of Families and Communities in Understanding Ethnicity Mary E. Kelly, Guest Editor................................ ....................................... 1-5 Hmong on the Move: Understanding Secondary Migration Jac D. Bulk ................................................................................................7-28 "Shared Ethnicity" in Transracial Adoption Cia Verschelden ......................................................................................29-42 Racial Safety and Cultural Maintenance: The Childcare Concerns of Employed Mothers of Color Lynet Uttal ..............................................................................................43-59 I'd Rather Play the Saxophone: Conflictsin Identity Between Vietnamese Students and Their Parents Joseph Stimpfl and Ngoc H. Bui ........... ............... ......... ..... ...... ..............61-80 Ethnic Conversions: Family, Community, Women, and Kinwork Mary E. Kelly.. .. ......... .... .............. ............ ................................. .........81-100 Selected Readings on Ethnicity, Family and Community Mary E. Kelly and Thomas W. Sanchez ...... .. ... ...... .............. ... ...... ... l0 1-113 Article Contributors ......................................................................,
    [Show full text]
  • Social Interactions and Ethnic Self-Presentation Diálogos Latinoamericanos, Núm
    Diálogos Latinoamericanos ISSN: 1600-0110 [email protected] Aarhus Universitet Dinamarca Negrón Goldbarg, Rosalyn; Negrón, Wilneida Negotiating Latina/o Ethnicity in NYC: Social Interactions and Ethnic Self-Presentation Diálogos Latinoamericanos, núm. 16, 2009, pp. 35-57 Aarhus Universitet Aarhus, Dinamarca Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=16212429003 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Diálogos Latinoamericanos 16, 2009 Negotiating Latina/o Ethnicity in NYC: Social Interactions and Ethnic Self- Presentation Rosalyn Negrón Goldbarg & Wilneida Negrón.1 Today, an increasing number of people regularly switch from ethnicity to ethnicity in normal discourse, in an attempt to maximize their economic and political interests. This paper focuses specifically on ethnic flexibility among Latina/os in New York City. Drawing on ethnographic, linguistic, and social network data we explore how Latina/os in NYC negotiate between multiple ethnic identities in everyday contexts. Through language and dialect switches, accents, and even calculated silence the Latinos in our research negotiated NYC’s multi-level system of categorization. We hope to show that no one-to-one relationship exists between subjective feelings of ethnic belongingness and the use of ethnic markers. Ethnic markers, particularly
    [Show full text]
  • The Anti-Imperialist Empire: Soviet Nationality Policies Under Brezhnev
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by The Research Repository @ WVU (West Virginia University) Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2015 The Anti-Imperialist Empire: Soviet Nationality Policies under Brezhnev Jason A. Roberts Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Recommended Citation Roberts, Jason A., "The Anti-Imperialist Empire: Soviet Nationality Policies under Brezhnev" (2015). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 6514. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/6514 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Anti-Imperialist Empire: Soviet Nationality Policies under Brezhnev Jason A. Roberts Dissertation submitted to the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Mark B. Tauger, Ph.D., Chair Robert E Blobaum, Ph.D. Joseph M. Hodge, Ph.D. Joshua W. Arthurs, Ph.D. Christian Peterson, Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Chancellor Angela Merkel Paid a Visit to Troops in Rukla
    OCTOBER, 2018. NO 5 (5). NEWS LITHUANIAN, U.S. AND NATO BATTALION TROOPS TRAINED IN AN EXERCISE TO TEST THE NEW FIRING RANGE CROATIA WILL CONTINUE (MoD) Alfredas Pliadis credits: Photo DEPLOYING TROOPS TO THE NATO eFP BATTALION BATTLE GROUP IN LITHUANIA Chancellor Angela Merkel NATO'S PRESENCE paid a visit to troops in Rukla NATO AIR POLICING MISSION: 14 YEARS ABOVE THE BALTIC ON SEPTEMBER 14 GERMANY’S CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, ACCOMPANIED GROUND BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA DALIA GRYBAUSKAITĖ, VISITED SOLDIERS OF GERMANY SERVING IN RUKLA AND IN CHARGE OF THE NATO ENHANCED FORWARD PRESENCE (EFP) BATTALION BATTLE GROUP (BG) IN LITHUANIA. HEAD OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE RAIMUNDAS KAROBLIS AND CHIEF OF DEFENCE OF LITHUANIA LIEUTENANT GENERAL JONAS VYTAUTAS ŽUKAS. ermany has been the first ally to sending rotations of the NATO Air Policing take the responsibility in imple- Mission in the Baltic States and officers to the menting the deterrence measure NATO Force Integration Unit in Lithuania. SPECIAL Gagreed to at the Warsaw Summit and de- Germany had been leading the NATO cided to become the lead nation in forming eFP BG in Rukla deployed for deterrence 2018. VILNIUS, ANTAKALNIS, the NATO eFP Battalion BG in Lithuania in and defence purposes since the beginning of ORPHAN CEMETERY... the context of continuing Russian provoca- 2017. Its personnel contribution is over half tions, aggressive conduct and threat against a thousand troops with weapons and equip- Lithuania and the Baltic states. ment, the largest part of the eFP strength Germany’s contribution to the develop- among the contributing nations.
    [Show full text]
  • Senate TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2000
    E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 146 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2000 No. 24 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 8, 2000, at 10 am. Senate TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2000 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME called to order by the President pro The Honorable MIKE CRAPO, a Sen- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. ator from the State of Idaho, led the the previous order, leadership time is Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: reserved. PRAYER I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the f United States of America, and to the Repub- The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John lic for which it stands, one nation under God, MORNING BUSINESS Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The PRESIDING OFFICER. There f Almighty God who is for us and not will now be a period for the transaction against us, who recruits us for the bat- RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING of morning business not to extend be- tle of what is right and just, and who MAJORITY LEADER yond the hour of 12:30 p.m. with Sen- ators permitted to speak therein for up empowers us to seek the truth and The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. to 5 minutes each. speak it with love, our central purpose CRAPO). The Senator from Maine.
    [Show full text]
  • Generolas Silvestras Žukauskas
    ISSN 1648-7230. ÞIemgala. 2005/1 JoNaS aNIčaS Generolas Silvestras Žukauskas Dvidešimtojo amžiaus Lietuvos istorijos analuose generolo Silvestro Žukausko asmenybė paliko neišdildomą pėdsaką, kuris visada spindės kaip ryški žvaigždė. Jam teko būti sūkuryje istorinių įvykių, lėmusių jaunos Respublikos likimą. Jis vadovavo Lietuvos kariuomenei, kuri sunkiose kovose apgynė nelengvai iškovotą šalies nepriklausomybę. Kovos dėl Lietuvos laisvės prasidėjo 1918 m. pabaigoje ir truko ligi 1920 m. pabaigos. Kariauti teko su rusų bolševikais, bermontininkais ir lenkais. Šaltiniai nenu- ginčijamai liudija, kad generolas S. Žukauskas parengė rusų bolševikų kariuomenės išvijimo iš Lietuvos strategiją ir vadovavo jos įgyvendinimui 1919 m. gegužės–rugpjūčio mėn. Generolas Silvestras Žukauskas. nuotrauka iš Žiemgalos leidyklos archyvo. LietuvoS paDėtiS nepRiKLauSomybėS Kovų pRaDŽioJe Karą pralaimėjusi vokietija, vykdydama Santarvės (antantės) reikalavimą, 1918 m. gruodžio mėnesį ėmė trauktis iš okupuotų teritorijų. paskui besitraukiančią vokiečių kariuomenę slinko rusų bolševikų kariuomenė, realizuodama bolševikinę „pasaulinės revoliucijos“ doktriną. pagal šią doktriną, okupuotos pabaltijo žemės turėjo tapti tiltu į vakarų europos šalis, kuriose, kaip tikėjosi bolševikų lyderiai, vyks proletarinės revoliucijos ir bus įvesta proletariato diktatūra. 1918 m. gruodžio 12 d. rusų bolševikų kariuomenė priartėjo prie Lietuvos ir slinko toliau: gruodžio 22 d. užėmė Švenčionis, gruodžio 23 d. – uteną, gruodžio 27 d. – Rokiškį, 1919 m. sausio 5 d. – Šiau- lius, sausio 25 d. – telšius. Į priešo rankas pateko du trečdaliai Lietuvos teritorijos. buvo užimta Lyda, varėna, Daugai, aukštadvaris, Žasliai, ukmergė, Siesikai, Šėta, truskava, Radviliškis, Šiauliai, Luokė, telšiai, nevarėnai, tirkšliai, mažeikiai. Lietuvą puolusias rusų bolševikų pajėgas sudarė trys divizijos su artilerija ir kitomis pagalbinėmis ginklų rūšimis, iš viso apie 20 000 kovotojų. vėliau šios pajėgos buvo pastiprintos gausiais papildymais iš Rusijos.
    [Show full text]