Kaunas War School

War School of Kaunas (Lithuanian: Kauno karo mokykla) was a military school for junior officers in Kaunas, the temporary capital of Lithuania. It was established in January 1919 during the Lithuanian Wars of Independence copying the example of Russian 4-month praporshchik schools established during World War I. Despite difficult circumstances and lack of some of the basic supplies, between March 1919 and October 1920, the school prepared three classes of 434 men who were sent to the front. 15 of these graduates were killed in action. After the wars, the length of study was extended to one year in 1920, two years in 1922, and three years in 1935. Starting in 1926, the school began aspirant courses for the reservists. Courses for more senior officers were offered by the Higher Officers' Courses. From 1932, the school published Kariūnas (Cadet) journal every two months. Before the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union in June 1940, the school prepared 20 classes of 1,631 junior officers and 14 classes of 2,585 reserve officers. The last 21st class graduated already after the occupation. The school was moved to Vilnius and reorganized into an infantrymen school for the Red Army.

Lithuania declared independence in February 1918, but began forming the Lithuanian Army only in December 1918 at the outbreak of the Lithuanian–Soviet War. Officers of the new military units were mostly Lithuanians who had served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I. After the Uprising of 1863, Russian government considered Lithuanians to be unreliable and would not admit them to Russian military academies or promote them to commanding officers. During World War I, due to lack of officers, these restrictions were relaxed and a number of Lithuanians graduated from temporary 4 to 5-month military courses and were promoted to junior officers (usually to praporshchik) though only a few managed to get to more senior positions. Mobilization of these former Imperial Russian officers was announced on 15 January 1919, but only about 400 responded instead of the expected 800 to 1,000.

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