The Polish–Lithuanian Conflict

Abstract

This chapter discusses the Polish–Lithuanian War of 1919–20. The war flared in May 1919 when the first open clash took place between Lithuanian and Polish troops. It gradually escalated and lasted until late November 1920 when, in Kaunas, both sides agreed to stop fighting along the demarcation line established by the League of Nations. Yet there was no final peace agreement signed, only a truce. And low-scale paramilitary violence continued unabated in the “neutral zone” along the demarcation line until as late as May 1923. The chapter argues that the war against Poland provided an opportunity for total mobilization of the whole of Lithuanian society. The fact that, during the entire interwar period, the conflict remained open-ended, ensured that the paramilitary structures and military laws that emerged during it would remain in place for much longer.

The issue of civilian security in the Lithuanian-Polish borderland between 1919 and 1922

“…The assault and executions triggered a retaliatory attack by Poles on several Lithuanian villages. Acts of violence provoked equally violent reactions 75 . In October 1922, a detachment of Polish partisans, consisting in particular of the inhabitants of the village of Varviškės, which was repeatedly attacked from the side of the Lithuanian neutral zone, attacked the Shaulis post in Turany killing its crew.…”