Lithuanian Statemen in the USA – Their Writings and Fates. Rethinking the Legacy of President Antanas Smetona

Abstract

Lithuanian historical research shapes cultural and literary narratives, yet these accounts are often incomplete, inaccurate, or biased – especially regarding statesmen who fled to the United States and con­tinued working to defend Lithuania’s survival. This is evident in the legacy of Lithuania’s first President, Antanas Smetona (1874-1944), who left for America at the start of Soviet occupation. His writings express principled political resolve amid national collapse. Revisiting his and other exiled leaders’ experiences of lost independence, aggression, and betrayal restores moral clarity, sustains existential questions of state­hood, and helps literature remain grounded in historical change rather than drifting into detached moder­nist self-expression.