Speech #990005496

Since the tragic June days of 1940 and 1941 when the Soviet Union invaded the Baltic States of Lithuania. Latvia and Estonia. we have refused to recognize the incorporation of these three countries by the Soviet Union. Many of the approximately 45.000 Lithuanians who were lost to their country during this first Soviet occupation during World War II fled Soviet domination. were deported to Siberia. or were executed when the Soviet forces retreated under German attack. Unfortunately. the loss of the war by Germany did not spell freedom for Lithuania. as it did not for many other freedomloving peoples in Eastern Europe. Since its annexation by the Soviet Union. we have heard little of the events within the country.