I have a question... In 1939 Poland was invaded by both the Nazi's and the Soviet simultaneously. How come the Poles only devoted military resources to fighting the Nazis? Why was there no resistance to the Soviet invasion? Did they not know that the Soviets were coming, or did they simply not have the resources to repel two enemies... And even after this betrayal from their soviet "allies" many Poles fought against the Nazi's in the Red Army, was the Soviet invasion forgiven when the Germans overran the Soviet portion of Poland?
Actually the Soviet invasion took place on Sept 17th, over two weeks after the German Invasion. By this time the Polish forces were severely overstretched and could not put up much of a fight against two powers. According to Wikipedia (usual caveats apply): Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Szack Tom
and, a lot of polish people thought that the soviets came to help them fighting of the Nazi's so they just simply let them pass.
The Polish were unaware of the nonagression pact signed between the Germans and Soviets. I dont think there was any major armed forces defending the eastern border but I there was the Narew Group. it was on the east flank of East Prussia and to the South east of it. on a mordernday map that would be almost close enought to be at the border but since Poland was larger it was not. There was also the Wyszkow group that was held in reserver near Warsaw. It was between the Modlin Army and Narew group to the back. Guderian arrived at Brest Litovsk on Sptember 14. Kleist's armour arrive from the South. The Poles held out for 3 days before the Russians made their move. I assume large numbers surrendered to the Soviets as they had enought to kill around 20,000 polish officers after the Germans invaded.
idsay the russians invaded poland to say that they were intentionally going to aid the pols but we all know the russians are witty
I doubt that Kind Randall as Stalin wanted to whipe Poland off the face of the world. Luckily the one of the only things that the Allied conferences did right is help secure the exhistance of Poland. Plus we kicked their arse after WWI when we fought for independence.
Came upon something interesting it seems the Soviets demanded to enter Poland in August 14, 1939. Poland killed around 3000 Soviets but nearly a quarter million Poles surrendered in cluding 15000 officers. A deal made by the Russians and Germans. I donno what the Germans gave a documentary said they were supposed to give tanks and planes. http://www.polandsholocaust.org/1939.html Its a pretty interesting website includes a few of the many war crimes commited.
Those officers that were exterminated few months later in Kozielsk, Ostaszkow and Miednoye had not been captured by Soviet Red Army during Soviet offensive. Most of them were traced by NKWD (soviet gestapo) after the polish - german - soviet war ended. I should also mind you that during russian occupation 1939 - 1941 apr. 2 mln Poles were sent to Syberia. If they were lucky they had a chance to escape the nightmare with Anders Army and help British in Iran, Irak, Palestine up to the M. Cassino and Bologne, or enrolled to 1 Polish Army with soviet-polish commanders. Everything was better than slowly dying in Syberia forests.
