Voldemaras was ousted as Prime Minister in September 1929 but still enjoyed considerable support among the members of the liquidated Iron Wolf and many younger military officers.
On 6–7 June 1934, several hundred soldiers captured several strategic objects, including the General Staff, in Kaunas and sent a delegation to negotiate with Smetona about reinstating Voldemaras and making other changes in the government.
A total of 111 officers faced disciplinary actions; 32 were acquitted while others were dismissed from the military or demoted.
After two unsuccessful counter-coups in 1927, the new government felt insecure and established the militarized Iron Wolf organization to help the new regime fight its opponents.
[3] The Iron Wolf was officially liquidated but its members remained loyal to Voldemaras and continued as an underground group known as voldemarininkai.
[7] After a few relatively calm and stable years, voldemarininkai began returning from internal exile and reestablishing their contacts with the military.
[8] In fall 1933, a group of young officers drafted six points of demands that called for the restoration of the spirit and goals of the December 1926 coup, removal of Prime Minister Juozas Tūbelis, reinstatement of Voldemaras, and reestablishment of the Iron Wolf.
[10] In February 1934, Voldemaras published an article in Tautos balsas criticizing the government policies in the Klaipėda Region and worsening relations with Nazi Germany.
[13] In May 1934, leaflets with the names of people who were allegedly spying for the State Security Department were distributed among the soldiers causing much disturbance and discontent.
[15] Rumors about the planned coup reached the president and the government, but they took little action and only ordered the police in Kaunas to be alert and strengthen its posts.
[21] Petras Kubiliūnas, Chief of the General Staff of Lithuania, acted as a negotiator between the military and the president.
[22] His decision to join the rebels is usually explained as a result of his conflict with Minister of Defence Balys Giedraitis [lt] who blocked Kubiliūnas' efforts to reform the Lithuanian Army.
He could agree to some government changes but flatly refused to consider Voldemaras' return calling him a "political bandit".
[29] To that end, the government passed a special law granting amnesty to the coup participants, but they were still subject to disciplinary actions.
[28] The ceremony demoting the 22 officers to privates took place on 10 July in witness of the 2nd Infantry Regiment[31] and was conducted by the new commandant of Kaunas Kazys Skučas.
[34] A military tribunal presided by Edvardas Adamkavičius[35] handed out death sentences to Stepas Gerdžiūnas (reserve officer and member of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union) and Vytautas Kostas Druskis (former employee of the State Security Department) on 20 June[36] and to Petras Kubiliūnas (Chief of the General Staff of Lithuania), Juozas Narakas [lt] (deputy commander of military aviation unit), and Juozas Bačkus (commander of the Hussar Regiment) on 15 July 1934.
Jonas Jackus [lt], the director of the Kaunas War School who hurried to support Smetona, became the new Chief of the General Staff of Lithuania.