British Military Missions as Intermediaries between Western Europe and Lithuania in 1919 and the 1920s

The Versailles system, was thought to be the most suitable for the postwar Europe. However, the political decisions favoured by Great Britain or France, they were not necessarily the best ones for the Baltic Sea region. This chapter will examine the approach and activities of Western military missions which were sent to the Baltic region. Interestingly, the military missions were not restricted to purely military affairs and had actively carried out other important diplomatic and political tasks related to the security and stability of the Baltic region. They also were acting as intermediaries between Western Europe and Baltic States, which I would like to cover in my chapter. This chapter focuses upon the British military missions in Lithuania to reveal the viewpoints of both sides and to evaluate the benefits and risks for both Lithuania and Great Britain. The British Foreign Office, the War Office and the representatives of the Great Britain in the Paris Peace conference dispatched to the Baltic States four missions with different tasks and goals. These missions had to deal with the complicated military and political situation and the problems caused by the presence of the German troops. Military support and advice to the Baltic States were closely connected to the British economic interests and were also used as an ideological tool.