The
Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact divided Eastern Europe into
spheres of influence. The
Baltic states became part of the Russian sphere. Instead of outright military invasion, the Soviet Union followed semi-legal procedures to legitimize its occupation of Lithuania. The plan of action was developed by the
Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in September–October 1939 when the
Soviet Union annexed territories of Poland. The first step was the
Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty of October 1939: Lithuania agreed to station up to 20,000 Soviet troops in exchange for a portion of the
Vilnius Region. Next was the
Soviet ultimatum of June 14, 1940 that demanded the formation of a new government more capable of adhering to the Mutual Assistance Pact and to allow a "sufficiently large" number of Soviet troops to enter Lithuanian territory. The Lithuanian government debated the response to the ultimatum on the night of June 13–14 and decided to accept it unconditionally because effective military resistance against a much larger
Red Army was virtually impossible. During the debate, Prime Minister
Antanas Merkys resigned, making way for General
Stasys Raštikis, who was previously given tacit approval by
Vyacheslav Molotov. However, Raštikis was not approved by Molotov and Merkys continued as acting prime minister.
Vladimir Dekanozov was dispatched from Moscow to oversee formation of an acceptable government. President
Antanas Smetona, fearing Soviet persecutions, fled to
Nazi Germany and later Switzerland. Before leaving, he transferred presidential duties to Merkys, as per the Constitution. A day later, however, Merkys announced on national radio that he had deposed Smetona and was now president in his own right. On the morning of June 16, the Lithuanian government decided that Smetona's departure was in effect a resignation and granted full presidential powers to Merkys, while
Kazys Bizauskas became acting prime minister. At the same time, Minister of Defence
Kazys Musteikis, who fled to Germany with Smetona, was replaced by
Vincas Vitkauskas. It appears that the Lithuanians were acting on their own accord and that Dekanozov was not involved in making this transition. On June 17, Merkys appointed
Justas Paleckis as the new prime minister and confirmed a new cabinet, which became known as the People's Government. Merkys then resigned. Paleckis ascended to the presidency, and appointed writer
Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius as prime minister. Scholars continue to debate whether the successive changes in the government were constitutional. While care was given to observe constitutional formalities as much as possible, the changes were made under
duress and under the influence of a foreign occupying power. After Lithuania regained independence in 1990, it took the line that since Smetona never resigned, Merkys and Paleckis had no claim to the presidency, and therefore all acts leading up to the Soviet takeover were void. ==Membership==