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| territory = [[Suwałki region|Suwałki]] and [[Vilnius region|Vilnius]] regions
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*Lithuania defends its independence against Poland and its puppet state [[Republic of Central Lithuania|Central Lithuania]]
*No peace treaty signed; [[Lithuania–Poland relations]] broken off until the [[1938 Polish ultimatum to Lithuania]]
*The [[demarcation line]] between Lithuania–Poland mostly follows [[Foch Line]] during 1920–1939, with [[Vilnius]] and [[Suwałki region]] under Polish rule
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The '''Polish–Lithuanian War''' was an [[undeclared war]] fought in the [[aftermath of World War I]] between newly independent [[Lithuania]] and [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]], with fighting mainly in the [[Vilnius Region|Vilnius]] and [[Suwałki Region|Suwałki]] regions
After World War I, the military and political situation in the region was chaotic, as multiple countries, notably Lithuania, Poland, and Soviet Russia, vied with each other over control of
In July 1920, Polish forces retreated due to reverses in the Polish–Soviet War and the Lithuanians followed the retreating troops to secure their lands as delineated in the [[Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty]]. However, the Red Army was the first to enter Vilnius. In August 1920, Poland won the [[Battle of Warsaw (1920)|Battle of Warsaw]] and forced the Soviets to retreat. The Polish Army encountered Lithuanian opposition, defending their new borders, which the Polish government considered illegitimate. Thus, the Polish invaded Lithuanian-controlled territory during the [[Battle of
On October 8, 1920, Polish general [[Lucjan Żeligowski]] staged a [[Żeligowski's Mutiny|mutiny]], secretly planned and authorized by the Polish chief of state [[Józef Piłsudski]]. Żeligowski's forces marched on Vilnius and captured it one day before the [[Suwałki Agreement]] was to formally come into effect.{{Sfn|Senn|1966|p=49}} Żeligowski proclaimed the creation of the [[Republic of Central Lithuania]] with its capital in Vilnius. Their [[Central Lithuanian Offensive on Kaunas|further offensive]] towards [[Kaunas]], the [[temporary capital of Lithuania]], was halted by the Lithuanians, who thus defended their independence. On November 29, 1920, a ceasefire was signed. Overall, from early 1919 to late 1920, Vilnius would switch rule{{efn|The Lithuanian government was established in [[Vilnius]] in November 1918{{Sfn|Sužiedėlis|2011|p=xxvii}} and attempts were made to organize a Lithuanian Army.{{Sfn|Balkelis|2018|pp=59, 63}}{{Sfn|Budreckis|1963|p=263-264}} On 2 January 1919, the Lithuanian government and Taryba evacuated the city,{{Sfn|Łossowski|1996|p=31}} while the [[Ober Ost|Germans]] gave control over Vilnius to the local Poles that same day.{{Sfn|Lesčius|2004|p=247}}{{Sfn|Łossowski|1996|p=31}} The Polish forces lost Vilnius to the [[Red Army]] several days later, on January 5.{{Sfn|Łossowski|1996|pp=32–33}} The Polish Army [[Vilna offensive|recaptured the city]] from the Bolsheviks in April 1919 and it remained under Polish control until July 1920.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lerski |first1=George J. |title=Historical Dictionary of Poland |date=1996 |publisher=[[Greenwood Press]] |isbn=0313260079 |page=630}}</ref>{{Sfn|Łossowski|1996|pp=41-46, 121}}}} as many as seven times between Lithuanians, Poles and the Bolsheviks.{{Sfn|Balkelis|2018|p=136}} The Republic of Central Lithuania was incorporated into Poland as the [[Wilno Voivodeship (1926–1939)|Wilno Voivodeship]] in 1922. The prolonged mediation by the League of Nations did not change the situation and the ''[[status quo]]'' was accepted in 1923. In March 1923, the [[Conference of Ambassadors]] recognized the armistice line as a [[de jure]] Polish–Lithuanian border, awarding Vilnius to Poland.{{Sfn|Sužiedėlis|2011|p=319}}{{Sfn|Lojkó|2005|pp=271-273}} However, the [[International Court of Justice]] in [[The Hague]] arbitrated in 1931 that Poland broke international law by occupying Vilnius.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Miniotaitė |first=Gražina |title=Bordering Russia: Theory and Prospects for Europe's Baltic Rim |date=1998 |publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]] |isbn=9780429862885 |editor-last=Mouritzen |editor-first=Hans |chapter=7: Lithuania}}</ref> Lithuania remained adamant regarding its claim to Vilnius as its constitutional capital throughout the whole interwar,{{Sfn|Lojkó|2005|pp=271-273}} and breaking all [[Lithuania–Poland relations|diplomatic relations with Poland]] due to its control of the city. Diplomatic relations were only restored as a result of the March [[1938 Polish ultimatum to Lithuania]]. Vilnius was regained by Lithuania on {{awrap|28 October}} 1939, following the [[Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty]], twenty years after losing its capital. However, Lithuania as a whole lost its independence less than a year later following the [[Soviet ultimatum to Lithuania|Soviet ultimatum]] and [[occupation of the Baltic states]].▼
▲On November 29, 1920, a ceasefire was signed. Overall, from early 1919 to late 1920, Vilnius would switch rule{{efn|The Lithuanian government was established in [[Vilnius]] in November 1918{{Sfn|Sužiedėlis|2011|p=xxvii}} and attempts were made to organize a Lithuanian Army.{{Sfn|Balkelis|2018|pp=59, 63}}{{Sfn|Budreckis|1963|p=263-264}} On 2 January 1919, the Lithuanian government and Taryba evacuated the city,{{Sfn|Łossowski|1996|p=31}} while the [[Ober Ost|Germans]] gave control over Vilnius to the local Poles that same day.{{Sfn|Lesčius|2004|p=247}}{{Sfn|Łossowski|1996|p=31}} The Polish forces lost Vilnius to the [[Red Army]] several days later, on January 5.{{Sfn|Łossowski|1996|pp=32–33}} The Polish Army [[Vilna offensive|recaptured the city]] from the Bolsheviks in April 1919 and it remained under Polish control until July 1920.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lerski |first1=George J. |title=Historical Dictionary of Poland |date=1996 |publisher=[[Greenwood Press]] |isbn=0313260079 |page=630}}</ref>{{Sfn|Łossowski|1996|pp=41-46, 121}}}} as many as seven times between Lithuanians, Poles and the Bolsheviks.{{Sfn|Balkelis|2018|p=136}} The Republic of Central Lithuania was incorporated into Poland as the [[Wilno Voivodeship (1926–1939)|Wilno Voivodeship]] in 1922. The prolonged mediation by the League of Nations did not change the situation and the ''[[status quo]]'' was accepted in 1923.
== Background ==
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