With Soviet troops already stationed in the country according to the Mutual Assistance Treaty, it was impossible to mount effective military resistance.[1] On June 15, Lithuania unconditionally accepted the ultimatum and lost its independence. The Soviets sought to show the world that this was not a military occupation and annexation, but a legitimate socialist revolution, initiated by the local population demanding to join the Soviet Union.[2] Therefore, the Soviets followed semi-legal procedures: they took control of the government institutions, installed a new puppet government, and carried out show elections to the People's Seimas.