Lietuvos jaunimo pasipriešinimas sovietiniam režimui ir jo slopinimas

LTAutorius siekė ištirti jaunimo pasyviojo pasipriešinimo organizacinės ir dvasinės veiklos formas, atskleisti komunistų partijos ir komjaunimo pastangas patraukti jaunimą į savo pusę ir panaudoti režimo politiniams interesams, slopinti jaunimo pasipriešinimą. Tyrinėdamas temą autorius kėlė šiuos uždavinius: atskleisti Lietuvos laisvės ir valstybingumo, partizaninio sąjūdžio įtaką jaunimo pasipriešinimo formavimuisi, parodyti, kad laisvės idėjos ir tikėjimas Lietuvos ateitimi skatino jaunimą burtis į pogrindines organizacijas kovai su sovietiniu režimu; ištirti jaunimo pasipriešinimo organizacinės veiklos pagrindus; išanalizuoti pagrindines jaunimo pasipriešinimo organizacijų veiklos formas bei metodus; atskleisti sovietinio režimo represijas prieš jaunimo pasipriešinimo dalyvius ir jų pobūdį; parodyti komunistinių struktūrų veiklos kryptis sovietizuojant Lietuvos jaunimo visuomeninį ir politinį gyvenimą, mėginimus dvasiškai pavergti jaunimą; parodyti totalitarinės sistemos pastangas ideologinėmis ir represinėmis priemonėmis kontroliuoti dvasinį, socialinį ir politinį jaunimo gyvenimą. [Iš teksto, p. 21]

ENThe international situation in the thirties has dramatically affected the sovereignty of Lithuania. On 15 June 1940, pleading the treaty of mutual assistance the USSR compelled the Government of Lithuania to station Soviet troops in Lithuania. In fact, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union. The Soviet occupation brought about destructive policies to Lithuania’s social life. The activities of political parties and organisations and was interrupted, and an independent press was suppressed. In disguise of political, social and economic reforms the Soviets were not slow to destroy Lithuania’s State system, economic and political life. Sovietisation aggressively penetrated into youth’ life too. School programmes were revised to advocate teachings of communist doctrine. Young people against their will were involved in the destruction of statehood and subjugation of the country. Lithuania very painfully suffered the deprivation of independence. Twenty years of independence has raised deep love for the homeland. The patriotic feelings spilled out in a great hatred to Soviet invaders. High-school and college students as well as working youth organised underground groups. The scope of resistance matched political and economic restraints and the decrease of living standard. The Front of Lithuanian Activists organised secret resistance groups for future fights for freedom. Underground press and the activities of secret groups fostered freedom aspirations in Lithuania and influenced the attitudes of young people towards the Soviet regime. Students, who at the beginning of academic year tolerated the Soviets, became active resistance participants after they had encountered with the regime’s oppression.When the German-Soviet war broke out Lithuania rose against the Soviet invaders. The uprising of June disclosed the communist propaganda as if Lithuania joined the Soviet Union on voluntary basis. It witnessed to world that Lithuania was occupied by the Soviets and revealed how alien Bolshevism was to Lithuania. Many young people very consciously and responsibly joined the uprising and therefore it can be called “the uprising of the young”. However, the Soviet occupation was replaced by the Nazi occupation. New invaders interrupted the restoration of independence and consequently, the resistance was directed against the Nazis. Later, the experience of resistance during the Nazi occupation was successfully used in post-war fights for freedom and independence. Resistance movement during the second Soviet occupation witnessed that Lithuania shall never stop fighting for independence and statehood. Sovereignty and continuity of independent Republic of Lithuania made legal grounds for resistance. An obligatory condition to achieve the ultimate purpose of the movement was the abolition of the Soviet occupation. Consequently, the leaders of the movement considered that all ways and means were acceptable and admissible in the fight against the Soviet regime. At the onset of the second Soviet occupation young people believed in speedy victory over the invaders. Many call-up men, avoiding the service in the Red Army, joined partisans. Others joined underground organisations. Political leaders of Lithuania’s underground movement formed the principles of youth resistance. The vision of independent Lithuania made ideological and practical fundamentals for youth activities.One of the major tasks of practical activities in the fight for statehood was the preservation of nation’s memory. Young people were encouraged to celebrate national holidays and to honour notable people of Lithuania. Another task of young people was to carry out partisan commissions. They distributed underground publications, gathered intelligence, money and food for freedom fighters. They also made a reserve for partisan war. In Žemaitija region the Lithuanian Partisan Staffs organised young people into groups of partisan supporters. Groups of partisan supporters were modelled on the LLA’s (the Lithuanian Army of Freedom) Organising Sectors (OS). Many young people, especially high school students, belonged to those OS groups. Besides the above mentioned OS groups, there existed underground groups, that where founded under the initiative of young people themselves. Generally, college and high school students belonged to those groups. In fact, every patriotically minded young man/ girl in different ways demonstrated his/her anti-Soviet attitudes. As a rule, youth underground organisations (YO), took the names of organisations that existed in pre-war Lithuania. The names alone spoke of anti-Communist character and goals of organisations. Political constraints, reluctance and incompetence of the Soviet regime to cope with every day problems matured aspirations of independence and resistance. In discussions young people critically judged political and economic changes in Lithuania. They were prejudiced against the Soviet policy and the Soviet backward technologies, etc. Young Lithuanians were sure that the Soviet power shall never ensure economic prosperity. They protested against aggressive russification of Lithuania and were ill disposed towards the Russians. The hostility was not based on racial grounds. They looked upon Russians as the perpetrators of the regime. [...]. [From the publication]