Antanas Smetona was a prominent Lithuanian politician and the first President of Lithuania, serving from 1919 to 1920 and again from 1926 to 1940. He played a crucial role in the country's independence movement and helped establish the foundations of the modern Lithuanian state after World War I. Smetona was a strong advocate for Lithuanian nationalism and culture. In 1926, Smetona led a coup d'état that resulted in an authoritarian regime, which he justified as necessary for national stability. His presidency ended with the Soviet occupation of Lithuania in 1940, after which he fled to the United States. Smetona remains a significant figure in Lithuanian history.