Women and Soldiers in the War of Polish-Lithuanian Intelligence of 1920 to 1939
Volume 28 (2020), pp. 242–269
Pub. online: 4 August 2022
Type: Article
Open Access
Published
4 August 2022
4 August 2022
Abstract
The Polish-Lithuanian conflict did not die down in the autumn of 1920 after the termination of bloody fighting, but instead persisted. However, from then on, the conflict continued mainly at the diplomatic level, in propaganda, and in the operations of the secret services: subversive and sabotage-related activities, propaganda-based subversion, disinformation and intelligence-related activities. On the Polish side, these activities were conducted by agencies of the Second Department of the General Staff (Central Headquarters) of the Polish army, and on the Lithuanian side by the Intelligence (Information) Department of the General Staff (Supreme Staff). A distinctive feature of Lithuanian intelligence directed against Poland was the substantial involvement of women, and using Lithuanians who were citizens of the Second Polish Republic doing their mandatory military service in the Polish army. The most costly victories over Polish intelligence were attributed to women agents of Lithuanian intelligence.