ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the struggle of an essentially Soviet institution along the road of democratization and establishment of Western-style institutions. As a constituent republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Lithuania had no standing army of its own, although Lithuanians served in the Soviet Armed Forces. Following the Soviet occupation of Lithuania during World War II, several countries, including the United States, applied the Stimson Doctrine of nonrecognition to the occupation. During the glasnost and perestroika years under Mikhail Gorbachev, Lithuanians began psychologically preparing for independence. Since Moscow took the Lithuanian action as a circumvention of Soviet secession law, it was necessary for Lithuania to prepare for its defense. The way for the appearance of the Lithuanian citizen-soldier was paved in 1989 when Lithuanian males began avoiding conscription into the Soviet military. If Lithuania looks to the West, it may benefit from interacting with other militaries which subscribe to the liberal democratic model of civil-military relations.
