Kościuszko’s legacy epitomizes the complexity of the times he lived and the courage, vision, and impact that an individual could have exuded at the intersection of the 18th and 19th centuries. Born in 1746 in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Kościuszko has led a grand life of achievement, adventure, and internationalism, that awes even a modern citizen.
“The times, they [were] a-changing" fittingly describes the tumultuous period of the late 18th century. The founding of the United States and subsequent wars for independence have established a new global force. The dissolution of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the hands of Prussia, Austro-Hungary, and Russia, eventually, laid path for a renewed national competition and resulted in the prolonged stagnation in the way of life for millions of Eastern Europeans. The French Revolution and the rise and fall of Napoleon’s era continue to exert massive impact on national identities in Europe and beyond. Kościuszko has had the courage and boldness to play significant parts in the above mentioned historical episodes. After gaining military knowledge in Paris from 1769 to 1774, Kościuszko joined the American Revolutionary War in 1776. A talented engineer, Kościuszko until today is revered for his state of art fortifications at West Point, Saratoga, and other locations in the US.
After returning home, Kościuszko led Polish-Lithuanian Army units in fighting the Russians. Yet, politically, the fight to preserve the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1790s was all but over. In 1794, Kościuszko, a revolutionary at heart, launched the final uprising, commanding a force of about 6,000 loyalists and scoring significant tactical victories. Eventually, numerically greater Russian forces defeated the uprising and the third (and final) partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in October 1795, effectively ending the sovereignty of Polish and Lithuanian states until 1918.
Kościuszko‘s, role in the history has been thoroughly examined by academics, military scholars and history buffs. American Association of the Friends of Kościuszko at West Point has been holding a conference for a number of years, celebrating his achievements and impact in the early days of the American Republic and the wind-down years of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Fundamentally, Kościuszko is a symbol of freedom, a strife for which is the foundation of the three countries he devoted his life to - Poland, Lithuania, and the United States. What is even more significant is that the world we live in now, in its complexity and unpredictability, is reminiscent of the world Kościuszko had inhabited.
Liberal democracies once again face threats from the forces representing authoritarianism, imperialism, and kleptocracy. We are witnessing a revanchist Russia and a rising China, assisted by a number of smaller regimes vying for support from domineering authoritarian powers.
In the liquid world, unity in values is the backbone of our efforts to deter against the threats. United States, Poland, and Lithuania, with their shared values of freedom, independence, entrepreneurship, and a unifying character trait of never giving up, also have a shared hero in Tadeusz Kościuszko.
Representing young democracies, Polish and Lithuanian populations embody the spirit, energy and, idealism of the young Kościuszko, who risked it all by boarding the trans-Atlantic ship at the youthful age of 30.
Thus, we have an opportunity, through the symbolism of Kościuszko, to solidify the relationship among the three countries. Through the bolstered trilateral partnership, Poland, Lithuania, and the US can strengthen the transatlantic bond and, with that, enhance the West’s deterrent posture, to the benefit of all. The PLUS Kościuszko project could eventually evolve into a values-based and interests-assured regional strategy, which would encompass military and defense, economic and investments, energy and environment, education, and cultural initiatives.
The defense relationship among the US, Poland, and Lithuania is the low-hanging fruit well positioned to spear-head the PLUS. Importantly, American, Polish, and Lithuanian soldiers already serve together defending freedom, just as Kościuszko has, in faraway places and at home. As the build-up of US forces in Poland nears a green light, this presents an opportunity for Lithuania to perma-host the training elements of Poland-based US troops. A regional approach will always trump national focus, especially in a world where a premium is put on logistical and combat readiness.
Emboldened American posture in Eastern Europe since 2014 has demonstrated that a relatively modest but strategic presence of the US in the region creates a magnifying deterrent effect that no other investment in no other geography can match. The return on investment of building the trilateral unity will keep Russia, America’s strategic rival, at bay through selective positioning of military assets on the ground and significant contributions from the allies, all achieved with minimal cost to the US.
Tadeusz Kościuszko’s legacy can inspire action and change the world for the benefit of freedom, partnerships, and the alliance. And we should start with the PLUS now.
Giedrimas Jeglinskas serves as Vice-minister of National Defense of Lithuania.
LTG (Ret) Ben Hodges is the Pershing Chair at the Center for European Policy Analysis and a former Commanding General for US Army Europe (2014-2017).
