Acta Historica Universitatis Klaipedensis

Between the First World War and the Second World War, approximately 280 thousand men served in the Lithuanian armed forces. This is a significant figure for a country that only had a population of two to 2.5 million. Even though the Lithuanian armed forces were only involved in active military operations and low-intensity fighting from 1919 to 1923, servicemen died during the entire period up to 1940. The numbers of deaths during the Wars of Independence are well known; however, the causes of death in the Lithuanian armed forces, both from 1919 to 1920 and in later years, have not been investigated in great depth. We understand that one cause of death in an active army is active combat. In the study of war, deaths in action are further classified into deaths caused by artillery fire, machine gun and rifle fire, bayonets, etc. This allows scholars to determine the effectiveness of weapons systems and tactical elements used on the battlefield. However, the focus of this article is the causes of soldiers’ deaths that are not directly combat related. In the first section, I discuss causes of death in the Lithuanian armed forces during periods of war and peace, and provide a host of examples, which include deaths caused by disease, accidents, homicide and suicide. In the last section, I present the results of quantitative analysis. The quantitative analysis is a case study of a single regiment that demonstrates the predominant causes of death from 1919 to 1940, with a separate analysis of causes of death for the period 1919 to 1920.

The missions of the Republic of Lithuania to the United States of America (the Embassy in Washington, the Consulate-General in New York, and the Consulate in Chicago, as well as two honorary consuls in Los Angeles and Boston) did not cease their activities after the Soviet Union’s aggression against Lithuania in the summer of 1940. In 1937–1971, Petras Povilas Daužvardis worked as consul (later consul-general) in Chicago, in one of the largest Lithuanian communities in the United States. After his death, his widow Juzefa Rauktytė-Daužvardienė took over his diplomatic functions. Her appointment was hardly unexpected: even before she took over the responsibilities of honorary consul-general, local Lithuanians called her an unofficial consular attaché. The article delves into the origins of Rauktytė-Daužvardienė’s accumulation of social capital during the Second World War. This is done by researching her social activities: first of all with the American Red Cross, and in other associations that promoted blood donor activities, relief and civilian charity. Based on the American-Lithuanian press, this biographical sketch aims to show the burden of war assumed by a Lithuanian woman in the USA.

Unlike the war veterans or disabled soldiers’ associations that were active in Lithuania in the period between the two world wars, which have already been extensively studied, less is known about associations that provided public relief to the army. One of them supported the notion of women’s involvement in national defence, which was widespread in European society in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Named in 1935 after the mother of Lithuania’s greatest Medieval ruler, it was called the Duchess Birutė Association of Women from Officers’ Families. Based on research into existing sources and literature, the article sets out to analyse the establishment of this association, which was active for 15 years (1925–1940), and to reveal its aims and structure. The author examines the statutes which defined the directions of its activities and financial possibilities, identifies sponsors, and assesses their impact on the operation of the association, before focusing on the activities of the association relating to cooperation with the army, the dissemination of national ideas, and the concepts of family and the role of women.

Historians believe that between 2,000 and 4,000 Jewish soldiers took part in the struggle for Lithuanian independence in 1919–1923, of whom at least 500 joined the Lithuanian army as volunteers. Although recent research casts doubt on these figures, it is clear that only a small number of Lithuanian Jews joined the fledgling Lithuanian army. One explanation for this could be the deliberate intentions of the leadership of the Lithuanian armed forces to avoid active Jewish involvement, since Jews were not trusted. Despite the atmosphere of mistrust, some Lithuanian Jews chose to join the Lithuanian army. The article tries to establish what motives led to their decision. The discussion may help find answers to the often-raised and still relevant questions about Jewish-Lithuanian political relations during the period of the creation of the modern Lithuanian state.

On 17 March 1938, Warsaw delivered an ultimatum to Kaunas. After the 18 years of non-existent official diplomatic relations with Poland due to the occupation of Vilnius in 1920, Lithuania was forced to renew them. The acceptance of the ultimatum in Lithuania heavily influenced the prestige of the authoritarian regime, but opened a new stage in relations between Lithuania and Poland on the eve of the Second World War. In addition to the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Lithuania Franciszek Charwat, Poland appointed Leon Mitkiewicz (1896–1972) as its military attaché to the diplomatic mission in Kaunas. Having scrupulously documented his life and service, Mitkiewicz observed Lithuania both before and after his appointment. He also conducted numerous political-military analyses, trying to assess the direction of international and geopolitical events. The article gives an overview of Mitkiewicz’s notes on Polish-Lithuanian relations, and Lithuania and its war potential both before and after the 1938 ultimatum.