The order was first established on 30 July 1919 as the Cross for the Homeland ("Kryžius "Už Tėvynę"") when the newly established Lithuanian Army was engaged in the Lithuanian–Soviet War. The initial design was based on the Polish Virtuti Militari with an addition of crossed swords, but no such crosses were actually produced. At the time of the Polish–Lithuanian War, the design was criticized for following Polish traditions.