Telkėsi naujoji karta : Lietuvos laisvinimo pastangos septintajame dešimtmetyje

Abstract

Despite the continuing Cold War period, the seventh decade of the 20th century witnessed the 'warming up' of relations between East and West. The sagging of tension was supposed to legalize the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviets. However, the Lithuanian emigres in the West were uniting their efforts in a movement for the liberation of Lithuania. During the period discussed in the article this movement included three main organizations: the Lithuanian American Council, the Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania, and the Lithuanian World Community. The Lithuanian American Council maintained ties with the White House, the State Department and the Congress, constantly reminding them of the aspirations of the Lithuanians and inviting them to raise the question of the country's occupation on the international level. The Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithuania was acting as a representative body of the Lithuanian nation. The main aims of the Committee were to demonstrate the policy of Russification in Lithuania and to win back the nation's right of self-determination. The Committee also carried out extensive work in involving the younger generation into the movement, regularly informed the media about the situation in Lithuania, and was sending out memoranda to the heads of Western states and governments. The Lithuanian World Community set itself two basic aims: to reestablish the independence of Lithuania and to maintain the spirit of the nation through the preservation of the national language, culture and historical heritage. The organization inspired the activities of the younger generation of the Lithuanians abroad, which culminated in the 1966 Congress of the Young Lithuanians of the World. The Congress affirmed its resolution to take an active part in regaining the independence of Lithuania and sent a petition to the effect to the United Nations Organization. An important work in the process of re-establishing the independent Baltic states was carried out by the Committee for Supporting Resolutions, which was founded in 1961 and included the progressive emigres from the three Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The Committee succeeded in involving into its activities American politicians, public figures and intellectuals, which influenced political and legal steps of the Congress. In 1966 the Congress adopted the Resolution (H.Con.Res. 416) which supported the movement of the Baltic states to regain their independence. In 1966 another public organization, the Baltic Appeal to the United Nations (BATUN), was established by the representatives of the younger generation. It operated in New York and informed the UNO and individual embas- sies of Western states about the aspirations of the Baltic states to re-establish their independence.