Soviet rule lasted just over 1 year. but its consequences were appalling. Arrests. tortures. imprisonments. and executions became an everyday occurrence. Finally came the mass deportations of Lithuanians and their dispersal in the remote regions of Siberia. where death was a slow. but the only sure. means of delivery from inhuman conditions imposed by the Communists. On June 22. 1941. Germany attacked Russia. Disregarding everything else. the Lithuanian people saw but one thing. a chance to overthrow the hated Soviet yoke and to regain their freedom and independence. The insurgents succeeded in taking control of Vilnius and Kaunas. as well as post provincial towns and proclaimed a Provisional National Government even before a single German soldier arrived. After a few weeks. however. this provisional government was suppressed by the Germans. some of its members were arrested and deported to Germany as hostages. One occupation replaced another. During the second half of 1944. the Germans were driven out by the Russians. and once more Lithuania came under the Soviet yoke.
Keywords matched
deported deportations