Latvia. and Estonia. In the bloody weeks of June and early July of 1940. the Soviet Union. given a free hand by its nonaggression pact with Nazi Germany. seized control of these three independent nations. Spurred by mass arrests and deportations. the Lithuanians rose up in revolt against the Soviets during the German advance Into Russia and established a free provisional government. But this freedom movement was crushed by the new horror of Nazi oppression and occupation. In 1944. the tides of war changed. and the Soviet armies returned to the Baltic States. Thus for the last 28 years these nations have been under the heel of tyrannies which have killed tens of thousands of their patriots and deported over 10 percent of Lithuanias population. I join with the many Americans whose homeland lies in these Baltic States in marking these two anniversaries: one bright and one dark. These Americans who are descendents of Lithuania.
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deported deportations