The horrors of Hitler and the Holocaust are well-known events during World War II, but many people don't know that Stalin killed over 20 million people in the same time period, both with murders or starving them in Siberian labor camps. Between Shades of Gray reveals the lost story of millions of lost lives of Lithuanians, Estonians, Latvians and Finns. The annexation of the Baltic states, the harsh conditions of Siberia and the fearful life they had to lead after being liberated are wonderfully depicted in the novel. In Between Shades of Grey, Lina lives in Lithuania, one of the three Soviet-occupied Baltic states. Union. In the novel Lina describes her feelings about the annexation. He says: “'I think Josef Stalin is a bully. I think we should kick his troops out of Lithuania. They shouldn't be allowed to come and take what they want...'” He also made his own political cartoons depicting Stalin in a clown costume, much to his father's horror as it also depicted him and some colleagues mocking Stalin. In his flashbacks, Lina's father talks about the new government set up by Stalin and how it is ruining their country. Many Lithuanians, Etonians and Latvians felt the same way. In August 1939 Stalin accepted Hitler's non-aggression pact. As part of this pact, Germany got Poland and Russia got Latvia and Estonia. Subsequently the Soviets and Lithuanians signed the Soviet-Lithuanian Treaty of Mutual Assistance. According to this treaty, Lithuania would allow the Soviets to create five military bases with 20,000 soldiers across the country. This treaty was very similar to those signed by the Soviet Union with Estonia and Latvia. The Baltic States agreed to the treaty because the Soviets said they were...half of paper...they were in time capsules to be discovered in the future, so that people could know the truth. When Lina returned 12 years after being arrested, she included all her drawings, stories and experiences in her time capsule, which was not found for 40 years. Even today, some Lithuanian survivors refuse to talk about their experiences. Lithuanian survivor Bronislave Abukauskiene said: “I don't like to talk about this, because when I do it makes my heart hurt. It hurts too much." Lithuanians and surrounding nations had a very difficult life during World War II. They were taken from their homes, worked to death in Siberia, and returned with nothing to live an anguished life. But even after the terrible circumstance, they still find hope. They hope that one day people will know their stories and recognize the pain that filled their bones and the love that healed their souls.