Editing History of Lithuania (section)

===First Soviet occupation===
{{Main|Occupation and annexation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union (1940)|June Uprising in Lithuania}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H27343, Dtsch.-Sowjet. Grenz- u. Freundschaftsvertrag.jpg|thumb|225px|[[Joseph Stalin]], [[Joachim von Ribbentrop]] and others at the signing of the [[German–Soviet Boundary and Friendship Treaty]]]]
Secret protocols of the [[Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]], adjusted by the [[German-Soviet Frontier Treaty]], divided Eastern Europe into Soviet and Nazi [[spheres of influence]]. The three Baltic states fell to the Soviet sphere.<ref name="in JSTOR"/> During the subsequent [[invasion of Poland]], the Red Army captured Vilnius, regarded by Lithuanians as their capital. According to the [[Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Pact]] of 10 October 1939, Soviet Union transferred Vilnius and surrounding territory to Lithuania in exchange for the stationing of 20,000 Soviet troops within the country.<ref name="Snyder 82-83">Snyder (2003), pp. 80–83</ref> It was a virtual sacrifice of independence, as reflected in a known slogan "Vilnius – mūsų, Lietuva – rusų" (Vilnius is ours, but Lithuania is Russia's). Similar Mutual Assistance Pacts were signed with [[Soviet–Latvian Mutual Assistance Treaty|Latvia]] and [[Soviet–Estonian Mutual Assistance Treaty|Estonia]]. When Finland refused to sign its pact, the [[Winter War]] broke out.

[[File:Lithuanian rebels (Lithuanian Activist Front) lead the disarmed soldiers of the Red Army during the June Uprising, 1941.jpg|thumb|right|[[Lithuanian Activist Front|Lithuanian resistance fighters]], commanded by the [[Provisional Government of Lithuania|Provisional Government]], lead the disarmed soldiers of the [[Red Army]] in Kaunas during the [[June Uprising in Lithuania|June Uprising in 1941]]]]
In spring 1940, once the Winter War in Finland was over, the Soviets heightened their diplomatic pressure on Lithuania and issued the [[1940 Soviet ultimatum to Lithuania]] on June 14.<ref name="Snyder 82-83"/> The ultimatum demanded the formation of a new pro-Soviet government and admission of an unspecified number of [[Red Army]] troops. With Soviet troops already stationed within the country, Lithuania could not resist and accepted the ultimatum. President [[Antanas Smetona]] fled Lithuania as 150,000 Soviet troops crossed the Lithuanian border.<ref name="Snyder 82-83"/><ref name="Snyder 72">Snyder (2003), pp. 72, 82–83</ref> Soviet representative [[Vladimir Dekanozov]] formed the new pro-Soviet puppet government, known as the [[People's Government of Lithuania|People's Government]], headed by [[Justas Paleckis]], and organized [[show election]]s for the so-called [[People's Seimas]]. During its first session on July 21, the People's Seimas unanimously voted to convert Lithuania into the [[Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic]] and petitioned to join the Soviet Union. The application was approved by the [[Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union]] on 3 August 1940, which completed the formalization of the annexation.<ref name="Snyder 82-83"/>

Immediately following the occupation, Soviet authorities began rapid [[Sovietization of the Baltic states|Sovietization of Lithuania]]. All land was [[Nationalization|nationalized]]. To gain support for the new regime among the poorer peasants, large farms were distributed to small landowners. However, in preparation for eventual [[Collectivization in the Soviet Union|collectivization]], agricultural taxes were dramatically increased in an attempt to bankrupt all farmers. Nationalization of banks, larger enterprises, and real estate resulted in disruptions in production that caused massive shortages of goods. The [[Lithuanian litas]] was artificially undervalued and withdrawn by spring 1941. Standards of living plummeted. All religious, cultural, and political organizations were banned, leaving only the [[Communist Party of Lithuania]] and its youth branch. An estimated 12,000 "[[enemy of the people|enemies of the people]]" were arrested. During the [[June deportation]] campaign of 1941, some 12,600 people (mostly former military officers, policemen, political figures, intelligentsia and their families) were deported<ref name="Snyder 83-84">Snyder (2003), pp. 83–84</ref> to [[Gulags]] in Siberia under the policy of elimination of national elites. Many deportees perished due to inhumane conditions; 3,600 were imprisoned and over 1,000 were killed.<ref name="Department of State Lithuania"/>