Activities
The mission of LTDF was to defend the country against the approaching Soviet Red Army. In practice, since the Red Army had not entered the Lithuanian lands to which LTDF was confined, the force was used was to aid the Nazis in their operations against the Soviet and Polish partisans, operating in the territory, claimed by Lithuanians. In April, Polish Armia Krajowa (AK) in the Vilnius Region attempted to open negotiations with Plechavičius, proposing a non-aggression pact and cooperation against the Nazi Germany. The Lithuanian side refused and demanded that the Poles either abandon the Vilnius Region (disputed between Poles and Lithuanians) or subordinate themselves to the Lithuanians in their struggle against the Soviets.
In early May, the LTDF initiated a wide anti-partisan operation against the Polish and Soviet partisans in the area. Seven battalions were dispatched to man the garrisons in and around the towns of Oszmiany (modern Ašmiany, Belarus) and Holszany (modern Halšany, Belarus), notably the villages of Murowana Oszmianka, Graużyszki, Kuncewicze, Tołminowo and Nowosiółki. LTDF units committed atrocities against Polish civilians, notably in Pawłów, Graużyszki and Sienkowszczyzna.
However, Polish resistance fought back. On May 4, the 3rd Brigade of AK intercepted and destroyed a company of the Lithuanian 310st Battalion which attempted to pacify the Polish village of Pawłowo. At Graużyszki the Lithuanian 301st Battalion suffered 47 casualties and was dispersed by the 8th and 12th Brigades of the Armia Krajowa on May 5. On May 6, the 8th, 9th and 13th Brigades of AK defeated two companies of the Lithuanian 308th Battalion, which were burning the villages of Sienkowszczyzna and Adamkowszyczyzna and murdering their inhabitants. Most notably, the Polish resistance organized a concentrated assault against the fortified Lithuanian positions around the village of Murowana Oszmianka. The defences, reinforced with concrete bunkers and trenches, were manned by the 301st Battalion of the LTDF. During the night of May 13–14, the 3rd Brigade of the AK assaulted the village from the west and north-west, while the 8th and 12th Brigades attacked from the south and east. The remainder of the Polish forces (13th and 9th Brigades) secured the Murowana Oszmianka – Tołminowo road. In the effect of the battle the Lithuanian force lost 60 men, while 170 were taken prisoner of war. Another 117 Lithuanian soldiers were taken prisoner later that night in the nearby village of Tołminowo. After the battle all Lithuanian prisoners were disarmed and set free with only their long johns and helmets on. The Poles used element of surprise because the Lithuanians had around 150 more soldiers. The disparity in size and the fact that Lithuanians could not feel save inside of their own barracks any more only added to the mimportance of the defeat.
Read more about this topic: Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force
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