Polish Army in WW2

Ralf what is the proper German name for your hometown ? My good frind now deceased came from the Königsberg area and thought that the Soviets were pigs during the war and after when his home was flattened and wasted. all that is left is shards of a homestead and old leaning barn and weeds 5 feet high.........

 

Hello Eric,
It was Allenstein. East Prussia was the first German territory Russians entered. They had moral right for revenge on Germans for all those atrocities in the east.
But what they did here - SS wouldn't do it.
They revenge extended to buildings and animals (yes,yes). Of course vodka was a perfect catalizator
You hear stories from many different people-witnesses and one thing is striking - all those stories are almost the same. Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad) was a miracoulosly beautyful town. I know a Pole who worked there as a slave during the war. Erich, Poles who went to ex Soviet Russia to see their old houses couldn't restrain from tears, what they usually saw was "shards of a homestead and old leaning barn and weeds 5 feet high........." I have a lot of personal aversion to soviets for this nonsensical festival of demolition. If you want to hear more specific data just write to me.

 

Hi,
What's funny about this myth. The myth existed strongly in PRL (socialistic Poland). The most known polish film director Andrzej Wajda made film "Lotna". This film shows....Polish cavalry charging against German tanks with sabres. This film was shot in the sixties. Wajda explained that later, embarassed, that he knew it was rubbish but he wanted to show to what extremes can go polish soldier in fight for his homeland

 

Hi,

A good source of information on the Polish Army of September 1939 is The Polish Campaign 1939 - Steven Zaloga & Victor Madej

Polish cavalry was expected to fight dismounted and if for example a brigade consisted of 3 regiments then 2 would hold the front with the 3rd held in mounted reserve giving the option of rapid re-enforcement. Lances had in 1934 been officially dropped as a cavalry weapon though some regiments kept them in their baggage trains more for show than anything. The Polish Army was geared up to fight the Soviets and cavalry still had a role in the east.

Hitler in a broadcast on 30 September gave German lossed as 10,572 killed 3,400 missing and 30,322 wounded the final figure was probably higher as mopping up continued for another week.

The French had warned the Poles about the dangerous disposition of their forces and the Polish strategy can be summed up as trying to hold everything with inadequate forces. Polish strategy makes even less sence when it is known that their intelligence had made a very accurate estimate of German forces. No plan for war against Germany had been completed though a plan was in its final planning stage, this made a mobilisation that faced west awkward.

The purpose of the British/French guarantee seems to have been to keep them out of the German camp and even when the Poles were having talks in April 1939 on the guarantee the British Chiefs of Staff were telling Chamberlain they could do nothing in the event of a German attack and Poland would certainly fall. The French promised much but never had any intention of delivering. The British and the French hoped the Poles could hold out for up to six months to enable the building up of the western front.

 

Yes, that was cynical political move at the cost of Poland. Beasides he time was completely wasted.

 

It took all morning, but I read all of this thread. It has been an amazing and informative experience. I am one of those who used to labor under the delusion of misinformation on the polish contribution in the European Theater. I am happy to say that I now stand corrected.

There are always many sides to a story and the truth can get lost in the barrage of available facts. The overall perspective can also be lost when you are too closely involved. The rants and declarations of superior knowledge or experience aside it is a good bit of information.