Antano Smetonos veikla JAV: Amerikos lietuvių misija ir siekiai atkurti Lietuvos valstybę

LTA pibūdinant Lietuvos laisvinim o sąjūdį, susiformavusį Vakaruose, dažniausia iškeliamos pagrindinės politinės lietuvių išeivijos organizacijos - Am erikos lietuvių taryba (ALT), Vyriausiasis Lietuvos išlaisvinimo komitetas (VLIK), Lietuvos laisvės komitetas (LLK) ir Pasaulio lietuvių bendruomenė. Visų jų nuopelnai, dalyvaujant Lietuvos laisvės byloje - neabejotini ir pakankam ai nušviesti lietuvių istoriografijoje. Tačiau vienaip ar kitaip reikšmingą pėdsaką šioje darbuotėje yra palikusi Lietuvai vaduoti sąjunga (LVS), iškilusi JAV kaip viena pirmųjų - dar 1941 m., kai Lietuva jau buvo praradusi savo nepriklausomybę ir vyko beatodairiškas jos sovietinimas. Dar vėliau, 1944 m., kai pasikeitė aplinkybės ir tapo aišku, kad LVS pagrindu nepavyksta suformuoti visuotinio Amerikos lietuvių judėjimo, atsiranda Amerikos lietuvių , misija (ALM). Pastarųjų dviejų organizacijų veikla, išreiškianti lietuvių tautinę vienybę, glaudžiai susijusi su prezidentu Antanu Smetona, kuris, pasitraukęs į JAV, vylėsi tautiečius suburti bendrai Lietuvos nepriklausomybės atkūrimo veiklai. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Antanas Smetona; Amerikos lietuviai; Siekiai atkurti Lietuvos valstybę; Antanas Smetona; Lithuanian-Americans; Aspirations to restore the Lithuanian state.

ENIn describing the Lithuanian liberation movement that has formed in the West, the main political organizations of the Lithuanian diaspora (ALT), the Supreme Committee for the Liberation o f Lithuania (VLIK), the Lithuanian Freedom Committee (LLK) and the Lithuanian Community of the World Lithuanian community are the mest common. The merits of all of them, with their participation in the cause of Lithuanian freedom, are undeniable and sufficiently featured in Lithuanian history. However, in one way or another, the union (LVS) that emerged in the US as one of the first - back in 1941, when Lithuania had already lost its independence and its indiscriminate Sovietization was already taking place. Even later, in 1944, when circumstances changed and it became clear that the LVS was not able to form the global Lithuanian-American movement, the American Lithuanian Mission (ALM) appeared. The activities of the latter two organizations, expressing Lithuanian national unity, are closely related to President Ananas Smetona, who, after leaving for The USA, tried to bring together his compatriots in activities towards restoring Lithuania’s independence. It can be said that both the official State of the United States and A. Smetona himself, emphasizing that he was not the “property” of any single party, but still the constitutional president of Lithuania, had the hope of concentrating the Lithuanian diaspora on a united front for Lithuania’s liberation. He raised the desire of Lithuanians to restore the independence o f the Fatherland and called for the association of state reformers, following the example of the creation of independence in 1918. However, the ambiguous attitude of Lithuanian political currents towards the person of President A. Smetona dissipated their ability to form a united front for the liberation of Lithuania.In spite of President A. Smetona emphasizing the important principle of continuance of the State of Lithuania and the basic credo formulated under the current conditions and the steps of the implementation of independence recognized by him, the possibility o f achieving state sovereignty, the establishment of an existential government and the recognition that the people would continue to establish the order of the future o f the state of its own will, the political opposition formed in the diaspora of the socialists and Catholic-clerics, which did not demonstrate the efforts to sacrifice the party interests in the name of unity for the State of Lithuania. The nationals, creating a counterweight to the emerging opposition-based Council of American Lithuanians (ALT), united and established the aforementioned LVS, the purpose of which was described as follows: to help Lithuania regain its freedom and restoration again as an independent state. Its activities, developed in two directions - between compatriots and Americans in society, included the dissemination of information (in writing and orally) about Lithuania, the expansion of the ranks of Lithuanian liberation participants or supporters, activation o f support for the restoration of Lithuanian independence (Lithuanian national relief fund - Lithuanian National Relief Fund) was established under the auspices of the organization. Thus, LVS, recognizing the ideological leadership of the Republic of Lithuania in President A. Smetona, undertook to act until a free and independent state was restored. In the belief of western democracy, the President of Lithuania took the position that, under Soviet or Nazi occupation, the bodies of the powers formed by those regimes would not be recognized in Lithuania.This belief was further strengthened when the US and Great Britain proclaimed the Atlantic Charter, declaring the principles of the new world order at the end of the war. While the changing international circumstances (the alliance formed in the West, which unites the Alliance against Hitler’s Germany), began to stop Lithuania’s liberation, President Smetona, in accordance with the established right of the Atlantic Charter to choose the preferred form of governance, underlined this fundamental law of democracy that would guarantee the sovereignty of the nation. In addition, the President had clearly described and restored the political direction of the State of Lithuania: “Our attitude should be directed only at a democratic Europe, in no way to the East.” The unity sought by the President, based not on party principles, but on the common engagement of people from different political currents in the matter of Lithuanian freedom, was not achieved in 1943 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Independence. Following the example of the Universal Lithuanian Parliament held in New York on 13-14 March 1918, LVS, having assessed the international situation in early 1944 and comparing it to the events of the time, held the LithuanianAmerican Parliament in New York on 5-6 February 1944. In addition to the participation of Lithuanian President A. Smetona, it was expected to elect a Lithuanian-American delegation, which should clarify the US position on the prospect of Freedom and Independence of Lithuania. But with the unexpected change in circumstances (the death of President A. Smetona), the work of the Parliament was adjusted and adopted a resolution still calling for the connection of all Lithuanian-Americans into the joint liberation of Lithuania. [...]. [From the publication]