| Abstract [eng] |
A state of stalemate settled in on the frontlines of World War I, particularly on the Western Front, which was a result of defensive systems that had greatly improved at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was a trigger to develop new offensive techniques that would stir up the entrenched fronts of World War I. Mechanised corps, including tank units, was one of such newly introduced techniques. With the advent of a new type of weapon, the need had arisen to improve defence by reinforcing it with anti-tank systems. In the wake of the 1914–1918 war and with the mechanised forces rapidly developing in the interwar years, it became necessary to create motorised infantry mobility of which, in combination with mechanised units, had increased exponentially leading to an enhanced importance of anti-tank weapons in combat. The issue of anti-tank defence was also of major concern in the armed forces of interwar Lithuania. In view of the then geopolitical situation of Lithuania and taking into account the national defence plans, it was Poland, Germany and the Soviet Union that were deemed the key aggressors constituting a threat to Lithuania’s sovereignty. An analysis of sources shows that the two latter states had highly developed concepts of mechanised armies, thereby making the issue of anti-tank defence even more important for the Lithuanian army. Hence, the aim of this research is to examine and estimate capabilities of the Lithuanian armed forces to maintain defence against the enemy’s heavy (mechanised) forces by making an analysis of the provisions enshrined in the statutes of Lithuania’s army, the reflections on the experiences of military conflicts between 1935 and 1940 in the ranks of the leadership of the Lithuanian army, and actual capabilities to conduct defence against mechanised forces of the hostile armies. |
