Forest Brothers ETO (id:#66345)

(ASL Journal #13 ID: PK4)   [next]   [previous]

Simnas, Lithuania 1945-05-17 (5 others)

Overview:

Longstanding enmity between the Baltic States and the Soviet Union worsened after those states were annexed by the USSR prior to World War 2. After the Soviets "liberated" the Baltic States from the Germans in 1944, they began a concerted effort to repress the population and hunt down partisans. Known locally as the "Forest Brothers", the Lithuanian Partisans (LLA) gave the Soviets a difficult time, so in August the 4th NKVD Division was brought in to quell the problem. By the spring of 1945, the problem was out of control, and additional NKVD units were called upon to help, including the 220th Border Regiment. In the Alyrus District, the NKVD had received reports of a group of LLA "bandits" operating near Simnas in the Kalniske Forest. The 220th NKVD Border Regiment was ordered to liquidate them, and the surrounded the partisans on a hill in the forest. The well-armed LLA partisans occupied a strong position on the hill.

Defender: Partisan (LLA Partisan Company "Lakunas")  

Errata (source)