Lithuania
is the last of the Baltic States that played such an integral role in the break
up of the Soviet Union. Again they surprisingly chose not to learn the lessons
against being part of a giant supranational union, like the one the Soviets created,
and squandered their newfound freedom by joining the European Union and NATO.
Again
the Baltics will probably be a region that realises the mistakes of this move
as the European Union unravels. To make progress into a more stable future the
world needs to realise it can no longer be trapped in a dualistic view of the
world; “Their union is bad, our union is good”. ALL unions are bad, as they
inherently destroy the sovereignty of peoples and steal resources back to
imperial centres.
The
Lithuanian story is similar to the neighbouring countries however it has a
longer history of being an independent nation, as it was for a long time the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania and was independent of the neighbouring medieval
states. Much of its existence saw it in tension and conflicts with the
neighbouring Teutonic and Livonian knighthoods. This was because it was one of
the last pagan regions to hold out to converting to the Pope, so numerous
crusades were launched against it.
Eventually
the Lithuanians gave Samogitia to the Knights in exchange for peace and
converted. During this time they were even able to expand territorially into
Ruthenian regions. A number of centuries of conflict, with Samogitia passing
back and forward between the foes, then ensued. During this period the nation
also alternated between being Eastern Orthodox and Western Papist. Over time
the Western influence lead to increasing ties with Catholic Poland.
Eventually,
as Ruthenians became more interested in forming a Russian nation centred in
Moscow, this pushed Lithuania into even deeper alliance with Poland for
defence. This ended with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which formed in the
1500’s. This was destroyed, and a large portion of it became part of the
Russian Empire, in the 1700’s.
Finally,
as with all the Baltics, true independence came in the chaos following the
First World War. After declaring
independence in 1918 they were invaded by the Soviets. Their war against the
Soviets ended when the Poles invaded them yet again and a Lithuanian Polish war
broke out. This finally ended in 1920 in full independence.
World
War Two ended this independence and once again they were under Soviet rule.
Finally in 1990, as the rest of the Baltics declared independence, Lithuania
followed suit. It was a more violent process in Lithuania with several attacks
by the Soviets over the next few years. By mid 1991 they were officially free
but Soviet troops did not fully withdraw until 1993.
As
with the other Baltic States this independence was short lived however, as they
once again fell under foreign rule, this time from the EU. Now it is likely
that the dream for a truly independent Lithuania will once again be realised,
as it frees itself from Brussels in the coming years. It will of course
probably lose Samogitia as it does so however. This will leave a rump Lithuania
made up of the Lithuania Minor, Aukstaitija, Suvalkija and Dzukija Regions, all
currently a part of Lithuania.
The
Lithuanian flag is another in the Tricolour style of flags, which became popular
in European Republican movements after the French Revolution. An older flag of
the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which is red with a knight on it, is still used
as the war flag and State flag of Lithuania. The civil flag however is the tricolour,
which was adopted in 1905 by Lithuanian nationalists.
