Английская Википедия:Battle of Jieznas

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox military conflict The Battle of Jieznas (Шаблон:Lang-lt; 10–13 February 1919) was one of the first battles of the recreated Lithuanian Army against the Red Army near Jieznas during the Lithuanian Wars of Independence.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn This Lithuanian victory contributed significantly to an increase in Lithuanian morale.Шаблон:Sfn The further Bolshevik offensive into Lithuania was stopped at the battles of Шаблон:Ill, Jieznas and Шаблон:Ill.Шаблон:Sfn

Background

After having occupied Vilnius, as part of the Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919, the Soviet Pskov division, composed of seven infantry regiments, artillery and small cavalry units, began the attack on Kaunas in February 1919 in order to end the existence of an independent Lithuania.Шаблон:Sfn The Red Army's command planned to occupy Kaunas with a pincer movement, by attacking it simultaneously through the north (via Kėdainiai) and the south (via Alytus and Jieznas).Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

The 600-man strong 7th Rifle Regiment, part of the southern group of Red Army units, had to march to Kaunas through Aukštadvaris, Jieznas, Birštonas, Prienai and Garliava, because this direction was weakly defended by Lithuanians.Шаблон:Sfn The Red Army's 7th Rifle Regiment contained some Lithuanians within its ranks.Шаблон:Sfn The other part of the southern group was supposed to attack Kaunas from the south through Alytus.Шаблон:Sfn However, due to the snow, poor infrastructure and lack of organization, parts of the Pskov division began attacking at different times.Шаблон:Sfn Also, the Bolsheviks expected weak resistance from the Lithuanians and they thought that the Germans would not resist at all as before and would simply retreat to Germany.Шаблон:Sfn

After receiving intelligence about the Red Army's plans, the Lithuanian military command sent a company of the 2nd Infantry Regiment led by Шаблон:Ill and a squad of cavalry, about 30 soldiers, from Kaunas towards Prienai.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The company reached Prienai on February 9 and immediately left for Birštonas.Шаблон:Sfn By February 9, the Red Army was already present in Jieznas' surroundings and had concentrated its forces in the neighboring village of Шаблон:Ill.Шаблон:Sfn

Battle

First Lithuanian attack

On February 10, the 7th Rifle Regiment occupied Jieznas.Шаблон:Sfn That same day, early in the morning, the Lithuanian company, with the strength of roughly 200 men, left Birštonas in the direction of Jieznas.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn It approached with the cover of the banks and bushes of the Verknė stream.Шаблон:Sfn After learning that the enemy was in the Шаблон:Ill village, very close to Jieznas, the company received an order to attack the Bolsheviks and liberate the town.Шаблон:Sfn

Having received the order to liberate Jieznas, the Lithuanian infantry, divided into two parts, began attacking from the west and south on February 11 around 12:30, and the cavalry from the east.Шаблон:Sfn The 1st platoon attacked Jieznas from the west, the 2nd platoon from the south and the cavalry platoon from the east.Шаблон:Sfn

The defending Soviet forces were stronger.Шаблон:Sfn The attack failed because the 1st platoon's commander, the Russian Cietuchin, told the soldiers not to shoot, ordered them to surrender, led some of the soldiers into Russian captivity and surrendered himself.Шаблон:Sfn The 2nd platoon had approached the town of Jieznas, fought, but was forced to retreat.Шаблон:Sfn About 18 wounded soldiers were captured, mostly due to Cietuchin's treacherous actions, and later they were killed by the Red Army.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The company, now reduced to 120 men, retreated to Birštonas and stopped in order to guard the road to Prienai.Шаблон:Sfn

On the way, the Lithuanian company met Lithuanian and German reinforcements.Шаблон:Sfn So, by February 11, more forces, both Lithuanian and German, had arrived in Prienai.Шаблон:Sfn On February 11, reinforcements arrived from Alytus to Prienai: a company of the 1st Infantry Regiment, led by officer Žemaitis, which had come from Alytus, and two companies of Saxon volunteer infantry with heavy machine guns and two artillery guns.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The Germans, led by Hauptmann Heeger, were from the Шаблон:Ill.Шаблон:Sfn

Second Lithuanian attack

On February 13, Lithuanian soldiers together with the Germans attacked Jieznas according to a jointly prepared plan.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The plan of the attack remained the same, except there were more forces and no traitors on the Lithuanian side.Шаблон:Sfn A unit of Saxon volunteer mounted scouts was to attack from the north.Шаблон:Sfn The town of Jieznas was encircled, the Bolsheviks were beaten and forced to flee.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The Soviet 7th Rifle Regiment's remnants retreated to Aukštadvariai and Jieznas was liberated from the Communists.Шаблон:Sfn

Файл:Bolseviku 7 pulko kariai.jpg
The 7th Rifle Regiment's soldiers, which participated in the battle for Jieznas. Photograph from 1919.

Aftermath

The Red Army's attempt to capture Kaunas by attacking from the south across the Jieznas began to falter, and was finally defeated during the Battle of Alytus on 12–15 February 1919.Шаблон:Sfn

The Lithuanians captured 4 machine guns, about 50 rifles, a large booty of ammunition and the flag of the Red Army's 7th Rifle Proletarian Red Regiment.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The dead Lithuanian soldiers, mainly those who were wounded after being captured by the Bolsheviks and brutally tortured, were buried in the cemetery of Jieznas.Шаблон:Sfn Later, a monument was built for them.Шаблон:Sfn

By February 14–15, Bolshevik invaders were expelled from Punia, Butrimonys and Stakliškės and they no longer attacked in this direction.Шаблон:Sfn

References

Шаблон:Reflist

Sources

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