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Antanas Smetona

In the picture,the first president of Lithuania,Antanas Smetona.He was in office from April 1919 to June 1920 and again from December 1926 to June 1940.

A true Lithuanian patriot.He spent quite a good deal of his time on trials to buit a fully independent and aware Lithuania.He was the most important Lithuanian politician in Lithuania in the twenties and in the thirties.He knew how dangerous were Poland and the USSR for his young state,so he tried to cooperate with Germany but without any results.

His only problem was that,Lithuania was located between three strong and agressive states-Poland,Germany and the USSR.None of them,was a friend of Lithuania.Latvia and Estonia were not decisive enough to create a strong alliance with Lithuania.

When the Soviets sent an ultimatum to Lithuania in June 1940,to give up and let the Soviets take the country,he didn't agree with this fact and wanted the government to take military steps,yet it failed.A beautiful land of green trees and grass,a beautiful Lithuania was taken by the Soviet hands in a barbaric way.It was a shock for him but he couldn't do anything.He had to emigrate first to Germany,then to the USA.There he wrote a history of Lithuania.

Antanas Smetona-a true Lithuanian patriot.If you want to know more,please,follow this link:

Antanas Smetona-wikipedia

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