Lithuania restored her independence, after half a century of Soviet occupation, in the immediate aftermath of the failed Moscow coup in August 1991. As the multi-national Soviet state disintegrated, Lithuania evolved, without war or violence, from a communist state and a command economy to a liberal democracy, a free market, and a society guaranteeing human and minority rights. Lithuania therefore offers a notable example of peaceful transition, all the more impressive in the light of the bloody conflict elsewhere in the former Soviet Union of Yugoslavia, where the aspirations to independence of the constituent republics were either violently resisted or dissolved into inter-ethnic violence. Equally remarkable has been Lithuania's determination to 'return to Europe' after half a century of separation, even at the price of submerging its recently restored sovereign rights in the supranational European Union. The cost of membership in western economic and security organizations are judged to be worth paying to prevent Lithuania's being drawn once again into a putative Russian sphere of influence. On the threshold of a new millennium therefore, Lithuania has made a pragmatic accommodation to the demands of becoming a modern European state, whilst vigorously resisting the dilution of her rich cultural and historical traditions. These twin themes of accommodation and resistance are Lithuania's historical legacy to the current generations of Lithuanians as they integrate into European institutions and continue the modernization process.

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Since the end of the Cold War there has been an increased interest in The Baltics. The Baltic States brings together three countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, to provide a comprehensive and analytical guide integrating history, political science, economic development and contemporary events into one account. Since gaining their independence each country has developed at its own pace with its own agenda and facing its own obstacles.
The authors examine the tensions accompanying a post-communist return to Europe after the long years of separation, and how each country has responded to the demands of becoming a modern European state. Estonia was the first of the former Soviet republics to enter membership negotiations with the European Union in 1988 and is a potential candidate for the next round of EU expansion in 2004. Lithuania and Latvia have also expressed their desire for future membership of NATO and the EU.

Since the end of the Cold War there has been an increased interest in the Baltics. The Baltic States brings together three titles, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, to provide a comprehensive and analytical guide integrating history, political science, economic development and contemporary events into one account. Since gaining their independence, each country has developed at its own pace with its own agenda and facing its own obstacles. The authors examine the tensions accompanying a post-communist return to Europe after the long years of separation and how each country has responded to the demands of becoming a modern European state. Estonia was the first of the former Soviet republics to enter membership negotiations with the European Union in 1988 and is a potential candidate for the next round of EU expansion in 2004. Lithuania and Latvia have also expressed their desire for future membership of NATO and the EU.

This book is the first to highlight the importance of the Baltic region in the approach to war in 1939. Amid the welter of publications on the origins of the Second World War none has sought hitherto to focus on the Baltic region, where peace finally and irrevocably broke down. Central strategic and international issues of the interwar years are thus illuminated from a fresh perspective by a distinguished team of specialists that includes a number of native Baltic historians. The themes discussed by the contributors acquired renewed relevance, as the Baltic republics asserted their rejection of incorporation within the Soviet Union following the Nazi-Soviet pact of 1939. The Baltic and the outbreak of the Second World War makes an important contribution to the perennial debate on the immediate causes of the conflict, and should interest specialists in a variety of fields within international relations, modern European and diplomatic history.

Reading and Understanding the Old Testament: The Foundation of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is written for anyone who is interested in acquiring basic knowledge and understanding of the content of the Old Testament books. It is also written to enable readers to understand better the religious and theological foundation of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as well as the background of their differences. All three religions root themselves in the Old Testament and call it the word of God. The book is unique in that instead of just describing some of the content it moves chapter by chapter through each Old Testament book using the actual verses of Scripture explaining clearly their meaning both for people in ancient times and our times today. The author respects and applies in a practical manner modern scholarship as he writes from the perspective of serious, religious Jews, Christians, and Muslims that the Scriptures are inspired of God. The readers of this book will definitely both experience and get a complete sense of the Old Testament Scriptures. It is strongly recommended reading.

Reading and Understanding the Acts of the Apostles, the New Testament Letters, and the Book of Revelation is the third volume of a three part series written for anyone who is interested in acquiring basic knowledge and understanding of the Bible, the book that is the foundation of Western and Middles Eastern Civilizations. The first volume is titled Reading and Understanding the Old Testament: The Foundation of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The second volume is Reading and Understanding the Gospels: Who Jesus Is, What He Teaches, and the Beginning of Christianity. This third volume covers the acts of the apostles, the New Testament letters, and the book of Revelation, which Christians say are the writings of Peter, Paul, James, and John. This volume, like the others, uses scholarship in a practical manner, moving chapter by chapter through each letter using the actual verses as it explains clearly their basic meaning for people in ancient time and our time today. The reader will experience and get a complete sense of the content and meaning of these writings that Christians call their inspired writings. Like the first two volumes the author integrates the historical and the literary with the theological in order to highlight the meaning of each letter. Once again, the author has taken a difficult subject, made it easy reading, and filled it with challenging insights. This book is strongly recommended not just for Christians but for those who are interested in knowing what the first Christians taught and how they applied those teachings.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone