Lithuania became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. This initial period of Soviet rule lasted for only a yearuntil Hitler attacked the Soviet Union. It was an expensive year. Lithuania lost some 45.000 people. Many fled. others were arrested and deported. At least 5.000 political prisoners were executed by the Soviets. The most costly deportation occurred on the night of June 14. 1941. 8 days before Hitlers attack on the Soviet Union. The Soviet secret police arrested 30.000 Lithuanian intellectuals and loaded them in cattle cars for Siberia. The ruthlessness of the Soviets was followed by death and destruction as war swept across Lithuania.
Keywords matched
deported deportation