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June 15, 1940

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Thurston) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, June 15, 1940—4 p.m. 
[Received June 15—3:07 p.m.]

681. I have just been informed by the Associated Press correspondent that an official communiqué was issued a few minutes ago by the Soviet Government stating that an ultimatum addressed by it to the Lithuanian Government had been accepted by the latter this morning at 9 o’clock, one hour before its time limit expired.

The communiqué which is not yet available to the Embassy is somewhat lengthy. I understand that its principal points are that the former Lithuanian Minister of Interior[1] and head of the Political Police Department[2] must be brought to trial in connection with the Soviet protest, (Embassy’s telegram 601, May 29, 12 midnight) that the number of Soviet troops in Lithuania must be increased and that the Lithuanian Government must be reorganized.

Repeated [to] Kaunas and Riga.

Thurston

 

 

[1] K. Skucas, removed from his office on June 13, 1940.

[2] A. Povilaitis, Director of the Department of State Security since 1932, removed from his office on June 13, 1940.

The Lithuanian government has accepted an ultimatum from the Soviet Union demanding that officials be brought to trial, the number of Soviet troops increased, and the Lithuanian government reorganized.

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Document Information

Source

Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1940, General, Volume I, Document 362.

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2017-05-26

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145088