Lithuania declared its independence from the Russian Empire on February 16, 1918. This declaration marked the beginning of a new era for the Lithuanian people, allowing them to establish their own government and cultural identity after years of foreign rule. The move was part of a broader wave of independence movements across Europe following World War I. However, Lithuania's independence was short-lived, as it was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940 and later by Nazi Germany during World War II. After the war, Lithuania was re-annexed by the Soviet Union until it regained independence on March 11, 1990, becoming the first Soviet republic to do so.