Belarusian themes in the Lithuanian military press (1919-1940): the case of the military magazines Karys and Kardas
ENThe article examines how issues related to Belarus and Belarusians were reflected in the Lithuanian military press from 1919 to 1940. This article provides an overview and a brief analysis of materials related to the Belarusians and Belarus published in two military magazines, namely Karys and Kardas. Four main categories of articles and informational reports could be distinguished: 1) historical articles (mostly about the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania) discussing the shared history of the Lithuanian and Belarusian nations; 2) information on the Belarusian national struggle for self-determination and independence, as well as life of the Belarusians in Polish-occupied territories and the Belarusian SSR; 3) information on the Belarusian national units within the Lithuanian Armed Forces; 4) other information, such as life of the Belarusians in the Republic of Lithuania, etc. The Belarusian topic was widely covered in the Lithuanian military press. Magazines such as Karys, Kardas featured dozens of articles, at least a hundred informational reports, and hundreds of references related to the Belarusians and Belarus. The image of the Belarusians in the Lithuanian military press was almost always positive. They were portrayed as a nation historically and culturally close to Lithuanians. Lithuanians and Belarusians fought for their freedom together for centuries against many stroner enemies or defended their rights to ethnic, cultural, and historical identity using non-military means.A particularly strong impetus for the promotion of the positive image of Belarusians in the Lithuanian military press (and public opinion) came from their active involvement in the Lithuanian War of Independence from 1918 to 1920. The image of the Belarusian soldier as a comrade-in-arms, a defender of Lithuania, and a loyal citizen of the Lithuanian Republic was maintained until the Soviet occupation in 1940. This was supported not only by publications in the press but also by active involvement of the professional military personnel, as well as many Belarusian officers, non-commissioned officers, and reserve soldiers in the social life of Lithuania. The Lithuanian military press represents an important source for further research into the Lithuanian-Belarusian relations, particularly the history of the Belarusian units in the Lithuanian army. Key words: Belarusians, Belarus, Lithuania, military press, magazine, interwar period.
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