Lithuania in European Politics: The Years of the First Republic, 1918-1940 [Paperback]

Alfonsas Eidintas (Author), Vytautas Zalys (Author), Alfred Erich Senn (Author), Edvardas Tuskenis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0312224583 | ISBN-13: 978-0312224585

At the close of this century, the identity of Lithuania as its own nation stands well-established, after many years of war and foreign domination. This book illustrates the way in which Lithuanian national consciousness grew from a shared feeling of unstructured instincts to a firm sense of nationhood in the course of this century. The authors reveal how this tiny country was caught at the intersection of Europe’s great powers, and how it was compelled to follow a foreign policy of survival. An enlightening work from Lithuania’s own ambassadors to the States, Lithuania in European Politics explains why the restoration of a Lithuanian state in 1990 cannot be understood without comprehending those critical years between the two World Wars.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Filling an important gap in scholarship, this brief treatment of Lithuania’s interwar history is welcome indeed. --Choice

This is an excellent book that should be in any library collection of European history. -- History

From the Publisher

"The dearth of scholarship on the Baltic countries would make this history of the twenty years of the first Lithuanian republic welcome in any case, but clear writing, a coherent thematic approach, and careful objectivity make it a model for future Baltic studies." --History

"Their account is by far the most authoritative that has yet appeared in English, drawing extensively on recently opened archive material, as well as on a wide range of memoirs and secondary literature in the Lithuanian language, and reflects both the vigor and the maturity of post-Communist scholarship in Lithuania." --The International History Review

"Modern Lithuanian history is deeply enmeshed in the complex tangle of competing Central European national aspirations. This volume ably conveys both the determined character of the Lithuanian quest for national independence and the tragic consequences of Lithuania's vulnerability." --Zbigniew Brzezinski, Center for Strategic & International Studies

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312224583
• ISBN-13: 978-0312224585
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,957,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important piece of Lithuanian historiography, January 1, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (Marquette, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lithuania in European Politics: The Years of the First Republic, 1918-1940 (Paperback)

This book is important to Lithuanian historiography because this is the only English title I know that deals with Lithuania in the interwar years. Other titles, like von Rauch's book, group the three Baltic states' history together under one title. This book is solely dedicated to Lithuanian interwar history.

The book is well written by prestigious authors who have done their research. The notes at the end are extensive. The book is clearly written. Even a novice in Lithuanian history would have an easy time following this volume.

The book does an excellent job of showing the pivotal role Lithuania had in the eastern European balance of power between Germany and the USSR versus the Polish, French, British alliance. The book reminds of the title 'Lithuania: The Rebel Nation' by Stanley Vardys. The authors do a great job of clearly explaining the plight of Lithuania in this balance of power.

Another interesting note is that some of the authors in this edited book are from Lithuania. It is interesting to see the view of homegrown Lithuanians on this time period in Lithuanian history. They rate high in their objectivity.

Anyone interested in Lithuanian history should own this book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding and Appreciating Your Lithuanian Roots, July 7, 2001

By 

Antoinett Punzavitz (Annapolis, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lithuania in European Politics: The Years of the First Republic, 1918-1940 (Paperback)

As a grandchild of paternal Lithuanian immigrants and maternal French immigrants, I was always interested in my heritage. Information on French history abounds but my knowledge of my Lithuanian roots was totally dependent on vague stories repeated by my father that were difficult to put in a historic context. This book clarified and totally collaborated the stories that I grew up with and deepened my respect for this amazing freedom-loving country.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent account of interwar foreign policy, November 1, 2008

By 

R. Stasaityte (NYC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lithuania in European Politics: The Years of the First Republic, 1918-1940 (Paperback)

It is an excellent account of Lithuanian foreign policy between the world wars: its struggle with Poland regarding Vilnius/Wilno Region, with Germany regarding Klaipeda/Memel Region, its balancing act between Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, and Western Europe. It all ended badly, but the book analyzes how a small nation attempted to prevent the unpreventable disasters by leveraging conflicts between the nations. As it is said, where two fight, the third wins. Lithuania hoped to be that "third." After reading the book you not only know what happened, but also start appreciating the struggles, complexities, and general mess in interwar Europe. You start to understand the subtle differences and why they were so important.

The topic is extremely complex, but the authors make it an easy and captivating read. Events are not isolated in Lithuanian world: there is always a glimpse of what world or European events caused this or that event. The book captures just the right balance between details and general overview: just enough details to convey the complexity of issues, and not enough to overwhelm. Issues are discussed from several positions and views without endorsing any of them. The authors clearly done their research and know their stuff.

Highly recommended.