VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY KLAIPĖDA UNIVERSITY Lina KASPARAITĖ-BALAIŠĖ COMBAT TRAINING OF THE LITHUANIAN ARMY: THE SYSTEM AND CONTINGENT IN 1924–1940 Summary of Doctoral Dissertation Humanities, History and archeology (H 005) Kaunas, 2020 The dissertation was prepared at Vytautas Magnus University in 2015-2020. The right for the joint doctoral studies was accorded to Vytautas Magnus University and Klaipėda University on June 8, 2011 according to the decree of Lithuania Minister of Education and science No. V-1019 and on February 22, 2019 according to the decree of Lithuania Minister of Education, science and sport No. V-160. Scientific supervisor: Prof. dr. Jonas Vaičenonis (Vytautas Magnus University, Humanities, History and archeology H005) Chairman: Prof. dr. Vygantas Vareikis (Klaipėda University, Humanities, History and archeology H 005). Members: Dr. Tomasz Błaszczak (Vytautas Magnus University, Humanities, History and archeology H 005). Prof. habil. dr. Alfonsas Eidintas (General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, Humanities, History and archeology H 005). Dr. Vytautas Jokubauskas (Klaipėda University, Humanities, History and archeology H 005). Assoc. prof. dr. Saulius Kaubrys (Vilnius University, Humanities, History and archeology H 005). The official defence of the doctoral dissertation will be held at a public sitting of the Council of Scientific Field of History and archeology, held at 13 pm on September 18, 2020 at Vytautas Magnus University (V. Putvinskio str. 23-313, Kaunas). The summary of the doctoral dissertation sent out on August 18, 2020. Copies of the dissertation are available at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania in Vilnius, Vytautas Magnus University's Library in Kaunas and Klaipėda University Library in Klaipėda. VYTAUTO DIDŽIOJO UNIVERSITETAS KLAIPĖDOS UNIVERSITETAS Lina KASPARAITĖ-BALAIŠĖ LIETUVOS KARIUOMENĖS KOVINIS RENGIMAS: SISTEMA IR KONTINGENTAS 1924–1940 M. Daktaro disertacijos santrauka Humanitariniai mokslai, Istorija ir archeologija (H 005) Kaunas, 2020 Mokslo daktaro disertacija rengta 2015–2020 m. Vytauto Didžiojo universitete pagal Vytauto Didžiojo universitetui kartu su Klaipėdos universitetu Lietuvos Respublikos švietimo ir mokslo ministro 2011 m. birželio 8 d. įsakymu Nr. V-1019 ir pagal Lietuvos Respublikos švietimo, mokslo ir sporto ministro 2019 m. vasario 22 d. įsakymu Nr. V-160 suteiktą doktorantūros teisę. Mokslinis vadovas Prof. dr. Jonas Vaičenonis (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, Humanitariniai mokslai, Istorija ir archeologija, H005) Disertacijos gynimo taryba: Pirmininkas Prof. dr. Vygantas Vareikis (Klaipėdos universitetas, Humanitariniai mokslai, Istorija ir archeologija H 005). Nariai: Dr. Tomasz Błaszczak (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, Humanitariniai mokslai, Istorija ir archeologija H 005). Prof. habil. dr. Alfonsas Eidintas (Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija, Humanitariniai mokslai, Istorija ir archeologija, H 005). Dr. Vytautas Jokubauskas (Klaipėdos universitetas, Humanitariniai mokslai, Istorija ir archeologija H 005). Doc. dr. Saulius Kaubrys (Vilniaus universitetas, Humanitariniai mokslai, Istorija ir archeologija, H 005). Disertacija bus ginama viešame Humanitarinių mokslų srities istorijos ir archeologijos krypties tarybos posėdyje, kuris vyks 2020 m. rugsėjo 18 d. 13.00 val. Vytauto Didžiojo universitete. Adresas: V. Putvinskio g. 23-313, LT-44243 Kaunas. Disertacijos santrauka išsiųsta 2020 m. rugpjūčio 18 d. Disertaciją galima peržiūrėti Lietuvos nacionalinėje Martyno Mažvydo, Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto ir Klaipėdos universiteto bibliotekose. COMBAT TRAINING OF THE LITHUANIAN ARMY: THE SYSTEM AND CONTINGENT IN 1924-1940 In the 1920s-1930s, the Lithuanian Army functioned as one of the main guarantees of the state sovereignty preservation. The anticipation of the next armed conflict forced European states to improve the preparedness of their armies, applying the experience gained in WWI fronts and the military innovations that emerged at that time. Lithuania could not stay away from this process and not react to potential threats to national security; therefore, the most important tasks during the peacetime were to concentrate on the higher preparedness of the army as much as possible. The components of enhancing military power (i.e. the capability of the army to conduct military activities1) and the improvement of combat readiness were among the most important factors that had to ensure the possibility for Lithuania to preserve its territorial integrity and to resist external aggression. Combat readiness of the army is an important factor to ensure peace, and its basis is combat training, which refers to the establishment of functionality of the forces during peacetime so that they could carry out the goals, functions, and tasks assigned to them during war in a coherent manner.2 Combat readiness is ensured by targeted combat training of the army units, the feature of which is that in peacetime soldiers and units have to be trained to act and perform specific combat actions under war conditions. The more the combat training conditions are brought closer to the actual battle conditions, the higher the army's readiness is to perform combat tasks.3 Combat training objectives have to focus on the ability of troops to function effectively in joint action, and commanders' decisions have to meet the requirements of standardized norms.4 Combat training should aim at teaching the soldiers the things necessary for victory.5 In the present research, the concept of combat training is understood as the training of soldiers to fight in order to win a victory in battle and the training to perform other combat tasks. It is a standardized system of training and development with training objectives and content for each category of soldiers, planning and organization 1 Lietuvos karinė doktrina, Vilnius, 2016, p. 3-2. 2 E. Kisinas, Kario ugdymas. Vadovėlis kariniams instruktoriams ir vadams, Vilnius, 2000, p. 3 Ibid. P. 110. 4 R. Steiger, U. Zwygart, Karinė pedagogika. Vadovėlis kariniams instruktoriams ir vadams, Vilnius, 1999, p. 10. 5 Lietuvos kariuomenės Kovinio rengimo nuostatai, Vilnius, 2006, p. 6. of training, specific forms and methods of training organization, improvement of interaction between subunits, units, and formations in peacetime, qualitative and quantitative assessment indicators and standards, which characterize the level of combat training of the forces.6 In the 1920s-1930s, the conception of combat training as a process was similar: during combat training, soldiers had to be taught to fight.7 Thus, combat training of the Lithuanian Armed Forces was carried out throughout the whole independence period, during which the challenges of the time were faced: creation of a unified approach to national warfare, preparation of normative documents, lack of qualified specialists, lack of military motivation, negative personal qualities of commanders, and the influence of the political regime. Topicality of the research. According to historian Valdas Rakutis,8 every scientific research has to fulfill some need so that it is not only science for the sake of science. Contemporary trends in the conditions of international security remain controversial, and the probabilities of national security threats highlight the relevance of retrospective past experiences: the assessment, analysis, and adaptation of the achievements and mistakes made in the past. The problem of the national security guarantors of small states has been a topical issue for centuries, especially with the large countries based on imperialist politics being in power in the international arena. This was the international background when the sovereign state of Lithuania was established and existed in 1918- 1940, and it chose the Armed Forces as one of the most important guarantors of its existence and security policy. Taking into consideration the position of Lithuania on June 15, 1940 not to use its military potential when trying to stand up to the aggressor raises topicality to investigate the problems of military power and combat readiness of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and to evaluate their capabilities to carry out combat tasks, i.e. to evaluate whether they were really incapable of fighting. Currently, the organization of combat training also has similar goals and objectives; normative documents are followed based on foreign military standards, and the competencies, qualifications, and personal development of soldiers remain important factors. It is 6 Enciklopedinis karybos žodynas, red. Z. Kulys, E. S. Kisinas, V. Tininis, Vilnius, 2008, p. 494. 7 V. Jokubauskas, Dėl karo doktrinos priėmimo Lietuvos kariuomenėje (dokumento publikacija), Karo archyvas, 2015, t. XXX, p. 207. 8 V. Rakutis, Lietuvos karybos istorija: tarp tradicijos ir naujovių, Darbai ir dienos, 2000, t. 21, p. 10. useful for current Lithuanian soldiers to understand the situation of that time and apply insights in organizing military training and commanders' training these days. Problematics of the research. The research questions posed in the present investigation are the following: what were the standardized documents that the combat training of the Lithuanian Army was based on? How was it performed? What was the contingent of combat training, how did it change, and what was its competence? How were military motivation and the image of training formed? The formulation of these questions has been preconditioned by the main principles of combat training, which are obligatory for appropriate