Бои Литовской армии с Красной армией в Илукстском уезде в 1919 году

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Daugava; Daugpilis; Dauguva; Latvija (Latvia); Lietuvių ginkluotosios pajėgos; Lietuvos kariuomenė; Raudonoji armija; Daugava; Daugavpils; Latvia; Lithuanian Armed Forces; Red Army.

ENThe end of World War I and the collapse of the old empires brought favourable circumstances for Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and other countries to restore or declare their independence. However, it was not according to their neighboursí plans. One of them, the Soviet Russia that emerged from the ruins of the Russian Empire and considered itself its descendant, started marching westwards at the end of 1918 by occupying Lithuanian and Latvian territories, thus calling for revolution in Europe. It was a serious challenge for the young states to develop further, form their armed forces, and fight against much greater enemy with joint forces. As the enemy was common, on 1 March 1919 Lithuania and Latvia signed a mutual assistance agreement providing for coordinated military actions against the Red Army. In February 1919, the Lithuanian Armed Forces started fights by pushing the Red Army towards Latvia and on 8 June they entered the Latvian territory. Fierce fights with the Red Army in Latvia took place in the summer of 1919, i.e. 10-15 June, 7-12 July, and 23-30 August till it was forced to the right bank of the river Daugava. However, Lithuanians failed to accomplish the main task, i.e. to take control of Daugavpils fortress due to the natural obstacle, the river Daugava that separated them from the enemy and allowed them to safely settle on the opposite bank. Both sides got engaged in a long trench warfare involving machine-guns and artillery leading to great losses.When the Daugava froze, scouts held frequent meetings till 3 January 1920, when Latvian and Lithuanian troops led by Polish Colonel Edward Rydz-Smigly attacked the Bolsheviks by frontal assault and seized Daugavpils. Next day, on 4 January, Lithuanian forces were separated from the Red Army and the war between Lithuanians and Bolsheviks was over. The fights in the Latvian territory lasted from 8 June 1919 to 4 January 1920, i.e. 201 days, including 149 days for major and minor confrontations causing the loss of more than 100 Lithuanian soldiers during the fights. [From the publication]