Klaipėdos universitetas

Combat readiness is the state of the armed forces and their ability to carry out combat duties. Combat training was performed in the Lithuanian army during all the period of the existence of the independent state. However, at the beginning of the 1930s, a qualitative change in combat training could be noticed, and it was implemented even faster after the military modernisation of the army started in 1934–1935. Since the main indicator showing combat readiness is army exercises, this article aims to evaluate the Lithuanian army’s combat readiness after the 1934–1935 reorganisation. In order to achieve this aim, the joint field exercise that was executed at the Gaižiūnai training ground in the summer, and the strategic-scale training exercises carried out in the autumn, a large army field exercise, are analysed. The article discusses how the army evaluated the training, the skills, and the abilities of the armed forces necessary for the execution of combat tasks that were revealed during the exercise.