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Lithuanian–Bermontian War
Part of the Lithuanian Wars of Independence
Date July–December 1919 Location Lithuania Result Lithuanian victory
Belligerents
Lithuania	West Russian Volunteer Army
Commanders and leaders
Kazys Ladiga	Pavel Bermondt-Avalov
Strength
Around 20,000 men	52,000 men with artillery and planes (unused)

Lithuanian–Bermontian War were fights between Lithuania and the West Russian Volunteer Army that started in July 1919 and ended in December of the same year.

Background

Bermontians, named for their Leader Pavel Bermondt-Avalov were operating in Latvia before attacking Lithuania. At first, the German part of the army (Freikorps and the Baltische Landeswehr) was on the side of Latvia, even retaking Riga from the Bolsheviks in 1919. This has changed when Entente demanded that the Germans retreat to Germany. They have rejected that, and merged into Bermondt's unit, they have later started fighting against the Latvians. In July 1919 Freikorps, which would later merge into Bermondt's unit crossed the Latvian-Lithuanian Border and took the town of Kuršėnai. This began the War between the Russian-German army and Lithuania.

During the War

In September already Bermontians occupied almost whole Samogitia. They have occupied towns like Šiauliai, Radviliškis, Raseiniai and earlier mentioned Kuršėnai. First skirmish between the Bermontians and Lithuania had occurred in September near Kuršėnai. One source reports that in a gymnasium in Šiauliai Avalov's army beat up children and the headmaster. According to another source, on 31 October around 200 Bermontian soldiers raided Jurbarkas, plundered customs house, stolen 3000 golden coins, disarmed the police, robbed shops, stole horses from farmers and terrorized the citizens. Bermontians were known for pillaging the lands they occupied, the population have then started forming Partisan forces against them, which were sometimes successful. After occupying a town they have inforced a right that would make the Russian language the only allowed language to use. In Šiauliai city, under the leadership of A. Bironto. and district of military activities, Bermontians on October 9 early in the morning unexpectedly attacked the units of the Lithuanian army in the city, disarmed and robbed the soldiers and barracks, liquidated the Lithuanian commandant's office, looted the post office, the treasury, desecrated the Lithuanian national flag, abolished government and municipal institutions, ordered them to use only Russian or German language and declared, that Lithuania is a Russian land

Lithuanian Counteroffensive

On 21 November, at 3 PM, the 2nd Infantry Regiment began their attack in the direction of Šiauliai, with the first battalion forwarding the attack. Stasys Butkus [lt], a soldier volunteer, recalled that the day was marked by heavy snowing, during which his contingent was led by a local Lithuanian farmer who showed them the trail. Lieutenant Serafinas Oželas managed to break through into Radviliškis, briefly capturing the cemetery before retreating due to a lack of support. Oželis sustained heavy injuries and died soon after. He would be later awarded the Cross of Vytis. Around 9 PM another attack commenced but failed due to stiff resistance from the enemy. Later, commander Ladiga decided to call up the reserve consisting of the 1st Infantry Regiment's third battalion and a part of the first battalion. The new offensive commenced on 22 November, 7 AM. Artillery support suppressed enemy fire as small parts of the army broke into the city and fell back. The Bermontians subsequently retreated from the city.

Aftermath of the counteroffensive

This battle meant that the Bermontians would retreat from all Baltic states. So they did, French delegate, Henri Niessel who was sent to Lithuania to stop the war between Lithuanians and Bermontians demanded to halt the fights against Bermontians, and how they should be safely evacuated back to Germany. Bermontians retreated from Lithuania to Tilsit (then Weimar Republic), Bermondt-Avalov himself fled to Klaipėda. By 15 December, West Russian Volunteer Army was completely removed from Lithuania.

References

1. Lieutenant Colonel Jaan Maide (1933). "II". Ülevaade Eesti Vabadussõjast (Overview of Estonian War of Independence 1918–1920) (in Estonian). Estonian Defence League. Archived from the original on August 22, 2010.
2. Kamuntavičius, Rūstis; Vaida Kamuntavičienė; Remigijus Civinskas; Kastytis Antanaitis (2001). Lietuvos istorija 11–12 klasėms (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Vaga. pp. 354–355. ISBN 5-415-01502-7.
3. Adolf Juzwenko (1969). "IV". Komunikaty Warminsko-Mazurskie (PDF) (in Polish). Muzeum Historii Polski.
4. Vytautas Lescius (2004). "V". Lietuvos Kariuomene Nepriklausomybes Kovose 1918 - 1920 (in Lithuanian). Vilnius University.
5. Simas Sužiedėlis, ed. (1970–1978). "Bermondtists". Encyclopedia Lituanica. Vol. I. Boston, MA: Juozas Kapočius. pp. 335–336. LCCN 74-114275.
6. Vytautas Lescius (2004). "V". Lietuvos Kariuomene Nepriklausomybes Kovose 1918 - 1920 (in Lithuanian). Vilnius University.
7. Surgailis, Gintautas (2014). Battle of Radviliškis painting, c. 1920, Emilis Jeneris.png. Vilnius. p. 99.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
8. Butkus, Stasys; Jazavita, Simonas. "1919 m. lapkričio 21 d. Kautynės su bermontininkais prie Radviliškio". pries100metu.kaunomuziejus.lt.
9. Dirkis, Povilas. "PRISIMINKIM KARIUS KOVOTOJUS". partizanai.org.
10. Genys, Petras. "RADVILIŠKIO KAUTYNĖS ir paimto turto evakuavimas". partizanai.org.
11. Eidintas, Alfonsas; Žalys, Vytautas; Alfred Erich, Senn; Tuskenis, Edvardas (1999). Lithuania in European Politics: The Years of the First Republic, 1918-1940 (Paperback ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 38–39. ISBN 0-312-22458-3.

• Conflicts in 1919
• 1919 in Lithuania
• Wars involving Lithuania