[mainepatsfan]

They were caught in the middle. The Soviets annexed them in 1940. The Germans overran them the next year. Then finally the Soviets returned a few years later and so the Balitc states remained part of the Soviet empire for half a century.

[Condor51]

With all due respect, I know all about Lithuania, Communism and the Nazis.

For one, I grew up with Lithuanians who were lucky enough to escape the communists when they invaded Lithuania in WWII, and who were lucky enough to emigrate here in the 1950's as "DPs". And secondly my wife is half Lithuanian (her father) - he was a "DP" too. His family also escaped the communists and as such, we now have relatives all over the globe. Some here, some in the UK, some in Canada, some in Australia.

Oh and her other half is German, so I know quite a bit about Germany under the Nazis as well. And we have relatives there too (our phone bill 'stinks' some months).

The bottom line is that those in Lithuania who could escape the Communists did. They fled west, finally into Germany with all they could carry on their backs. And yes, the Nazis were seen as less of a threat, or less 'evil', than the Communists.