1920 Battle of Warsaw Warsaw in 1920, the Bolsheviks retreated.
part1
How we saved Europe
After decades of concealment and misstatements concerning the Polish-Soviet war in the years 1919-1920 gradually reveals more and more complete truth about this so important for our history and the history of the war in Europe. We are still among the many readers will remain insufficient knowledge of fragments of the history of this war. Relatively much has been written about the conduct of military operations.
dispels the lies primarily PRL propaganda implying that the Polish-Soviet war only started in the spring of 1920 years since the alleged "Polish aggression" - "Pilsudski trip to Kiev." In fact, the fight against the Bolsheviks, began in the beginning of 1919 from the clashes with the invading Poles and marching to the west of the Red Army units. Bolshevik troops defeated the Polish self-defense in the region and Lida Swieciany and January 5, 1919, Polish troops have to withdraw from Vilnius on a three-day battle with the Bolsheviks. After fighting took place with varying degrees of success, and the same impact on Kiev Pilsudski was only an attempt to notice carefully prepared the Soviet invasion of Poland, which was - according to Soviet plans - launched in July 1920. And then spring and summer of 1920 took place the decisive battle of the fate of Polish in this war, solved the famous Battle of Warsaw, called Miracle on the Vistula River.
In this essay I would like to mention matters much less accented in the media, and how important, from a huge national role in the groundbreaking fusion of forces for the Polish August, 1920. Demonstrated the dedication of the entire Polish nation has shown how much he has matured to the regained independence, how much he was ready to sacrifice all for her strength. Most importantly, during this period we could count on both the simple power of the spirit of millions of Poles and truly worthy of preservation on the part of elites, as military and civilian. Here I would like to strongly highlight the still too little resemblance to the role of the Polish clergy in the struggle to save the Republic in July and August 1920. Another important theme of my essay is to draw attention to the still too little appreciated the international repercussions of the Polish victory at the Battle of Warsaw and its role in saving Europe from Bolshevism.
Church against the Bolshevik onslaught
could be very long to enumerate the manifestations of dedicated instances of the various strata of Polish society in defense of the homeland at risk. For reasons of volume shall confine myself here to a more detailed outline is still too little-known attitude of the clergy in the most difficult days of year 1920. How eloquent certificate of unlimited engagement in the nation list were the many bishops of July and August 1920, the Nation of appealing to an increased defense effort, and to the Holy Father and the bishops of the world of understanding for the Polish held in mortal danger, for help and rescue. In a letter to Pope Benedict XV, of 7 July 1920 the bishops asked include: "Holy Father, in this difficult time we ask you to pray for our homeland. Pray that we will not give in and with God's help, hid your chest wall the world from imminent danger to him. " In the same sent July 7, 1920 his letter to Polish bishops, the bishops emphasized, inter alia: "Poland in the procession to the world of Bolshevism is the last barrier for him, and if it is broke, it spread to the world the waves of destruction." Hierarchs warned Europe and the world blind to the size of the Bolshevik threat. The bitterly wrote, "I have not faded echoes and cries that Bolshevism threatens the peace of the world gained brutally that he is a plague, from which all life dies (...).
not yet faded these passwords, solemnly called on the government and the mouth diplomacy, to behold Europe słaniać starts at the feet of his implacable enemy (...). When his spirit been branded as pernicious leaven of the world, is today calling that for corn and trade must absolve the conscience of his allegedly excessive sensitivity (...). When nations so recently forwarded their troops and ammunition to defeat Bolshevism, it is still cold eyes seem to look like a bloody wrestling wallows in Poland, and sometimes one gets the impression, as if some of the country, urban blight isolate ourselves the east by Poland and the strongest, would do the trick it, however, see the small and weak. "
In
sent a also 7 July 1920 letter to the bishops urged the nation to unite all anti-Soviet Poles for Nawal, writing, among others: "(...) This enemy has gathered all its strength, in order to fence in our borders, our brave army wiped off and pick Poland re przecenny treasure their freedom. The enemy is all the more dangerous, because combines cruelty and thirst for destruction of all the hate culture, especially Christianity and the Church (...), peculiar hatred burned it to a Polish. Because when some power last out of their original roads, to contain the enemy of the contract, his oblivious of danger, Poland relied on a pokuśnym wołaniom this enemy, and stood like a wall to his admission to each of the fence in Western Europe. So that is the enemy sworn to its destruction and revenge. "
How eloquent speeches were in the sense of the Polish mission to defend the largest Christian values \u200b\u200band the Motherland against Bolshevism, even if the mighty powers of the West had gone to the bargaining with the Bolsheviks. On 27 July 1920 the Polish bishops by the Jasna Gora act of sacrifice Sacred Heart of Jesus and to pursue a re- Our Lady Queen of Polish. The same day wystosowanej Address to the Nation after the conference at Jasna Gora, the Polish bishops came forward with a fiery appeal, zagrzewającym to fight in defense of the Fatherland. Recalling the heroic defense of Czestochowa, the triumph of a few centuries, and they comforted in the belief that it will win again, "an army of national salvation."
It is worth recalling a particularly large role played by Fr. Cardinal. Alexander Kakowski in their efforts to mobilize the religious and patriotic people of the capital to oppose the Bolshevik Nawal. In a letter July 31, 1920 year to the clergy of the Archdiocese of Warsaw, Fr. Cardinal. Kakowski out an appeal for your continued prayers for the Homeland recommend: "saved by the faithful to deny themselves pleasure and conduct post money and all the victims gathered in the tray on 8 August in the churches should be used throughout the Archdiocese for the Polish soldier. The money deposited by the priests, Kuria send to the board of volunteer army. " On 7 August 1920, Cardinal applied to the parish priests and rectors of churches in the capital city Warsaw from the letter of the obligation period in post against the threat of aggression. Cardinal Kakowski emphasized, among others: "Do not fear, not revenge We must push, but a fiery call Motherland for help and rescue. Because of the importance of the moment and the danger threatening the city of our work around the trenches in the day Sunday and holidays is permitted.
hearts do not let doubt and cowardice brews, as long as the soul vibrates in the Polish faith in God's care and true patriotism, do not have such a force that would be able to break us. "Fiery summons
The Cardinal were performed every day by a great crowd clergy, as a symbol of how great has become a heroic death Fr. Ignatius Ossowo shells near Radzymin 14 August 1920 year.
How important it is to recall that such a huge bond of the Church and the people in the age specific mortal threat to Polish wake of prolonged captivity. You have to be reminded all the more at a time when so much offensive intensifies enemies of the Church and religion when so desperately trying to blur the merits for the Polish Church. Enemies of the Church continues today still the same vile and anti-religious kalumniatorstwo antykościelne which began on a large scale in the era of Stalinism. Suffice to
even spent time in PRL lampoons like "Thousand-year conflicts with the Popes" by Andrzej Nowicki, now Grand Master of Freemasonry in Poland. I will not go further to elaborate on how defamatory was preached by Nowicki and his pamphleteers similar argument about alleged Polish continuous strife with the Popes. I recall now only one, but very important figure among the numerous popes contradict the thesis of the said defamatory - Pope Benedict XIV and its role in mobilizing support for the Polish threatened by Bolshevism. On August 5, 1920 had sent his letter to Fr. Cardinal. Basil Pompili thanked Benedict XIV him for having ordered the elevation to the Supreme solemn and warm prayers "for the propitiation of the Lord's mercy on the unfortunate Polish." I emphasized the "very serious reasons lead us to wish that the example set by you, Cardinal, went to all the Bishops of the Catholic world" (emphasis - JRN, quoted in "Victory 1920. Warsaw against the Soviet aggression", Paris 1990, s . 111).
In a separate letter to Polish bishops on Sept. 8, 1920, the Holy Father Benedict XIV, very strongly emphasized the importance of the Battle of Warsaw not only for Poles, but for all peoples Christian Europe, he writes that the victory gained by the prayers - "God's blessing for a good helper strangely came not only to your nation, but also other peoples. To whom is not known because the enemy is mad thrust was aimed to destroy Poland, this bulwark of Europe and then undermine and demolish the whole of Christianity and culture based on it, using the propagation of this crazy and morbid doctrine? ".
also worth noting the important suggestion of prof. Norman Davies in Warsaw on the repercussions of their stay in Poland then dean of the diplomatic corps - the papal nuncio Achille Ratti. According to prof. Davies: "Knowing how big left an imprint of your stay in Warsaw for seventeen years Monsignor Achille Ratti pontificate (1922-1939), who sat on the throne of Peter as Pope Pius XI, it would be very instructive. There will be no exaggeration to say that the encyclical" Divini Redemptoris 'atheistic communism wyklinająca, was a generalization of his personal challenge to the Bolshevik armies Radzymin. "
Certificate Charles de Gaulle
still little known fact is that apart from A. Ratti, the future Pope Pius XI, during the Battle of Warsaw was in Poland as an officer of the French military mission most probably a Frenchman of the twentieth century, a famous politician and later chief of the French Charles de Gaulle.
the more it is worth to remind here de Gaulle's writings on the conduct of the victorious Polish offensive in August 1920, first introduced in the country banned the "Historical journal of" Parisian "Kultura", 1971:
"14 August: The overall offensive was decided upon (...). At the same time, it seems that everything to the smallest detail is clear. Faithful to the Polish army, whose personnel were higher among the best in the world, feel at once that strong and logical desire is going to coordinate efforts (...). Even before the battle started, I feel like these soldiers is a breath of victory, which I know so well (...).
August 17: The offensive started well. Group shunting, which shows the head of State, Pilsudski, grouped between Iwanogrodem a Chełm, quickly moving to the north. The enemy, completely surprised by the views of its left wing of the Poles, which are thought to be in a state of decay, never put serious resistance, he flees in disarray on all sides, or subjected to whole branches (...).
Aug. 20: Yes, it is a complete victory, triumphant victory. On the other Russian army, which threatened to Warsaw, just as he will return. Despite the speed with which they fled, they chased and Poles zachodzili from the forest "(cf. Ch. De Gaulle, the Battle of the Vistula River. Journal of hostilities French officer, in" Historical Papers ", Paris 1971, Appl. 19, p. 13 -16).
We saved Europe
still too little is said of great importance the famous Battle of Warsaw 1920 years for the fate of Europe. The British ambassador in Warsaw, Lord D'Abernon Edgar called it already in the title of his book "eighteenth decisive battle in world history." As published in August 1930, Lord D'Abernon article he wrote: "The modern history of civilization knows the importance of little events that have increased since the battle of Warsaw in 1920. Do not know but not one that would have been less appreciated ... If the Battle of Warsaw was ended in victory for the Bolsheviks, there would be a turning point in European history, it is beyond doubt that the fall of Warsaw Central Europe would stand open for communist propaganda and the Soviet invasion (...). The political writers ... to explain to European public opinion that in 1920 Poland has saved Europe. "
French Gen. Louis A. Faury wrote in an article published in 1928:" Two hundred years ago Poland at the walls of Vienna, rescued Christendom from the Turkish danger, the Vistula and Niemen this noble nation once again gave the civilized world a service which not only was assessed. "British historian JFC Fuller wrote in his book" The Battle of Warsaw 1920 "(published underground, Warsaw 1980, p. 34):" covering central Europe from the Marxist plague , Battle of Warsaw withdrew guidance Bolshevik clock (...), zatamowała potential outbreak of social discontent in the West, nearly annihilating the Bolshevik experiment. "
It is worth recalling also that the well-known popularizer of the history of wars and military Goodough Simon in 1979, published in the book" Tactical Genius in Battle " Jozef Pilsudski rated genius demonstrated in the Battle of Warsaw as worthy winners of the awards in a circle of 27 major battles in world history. In addition to Themistocles, Alexander the Great, Caesar, Gustavus Adolphus, the great Condé and many other great leaders!
Preventing the Polish victory over Soviet Russia further spread of Bolshevism in Europe "has gained" a lasting hatred of the Poles of different environments in Europe and the communist world, serving as a medium for the various bitter "red" anti-Polish sowers. More than once I noticed it very strongly in our country's Hungarian "nephews", learning to hate what they wrote or spoke about the impact of us old veterans of the communist red Hungarian Soviet Republic. Remember the fact that the Poles their triumph in 1920, pitched them all hopes of re-victory of communism in Hungary after the fall of 1919 pathetic Bolshevik experiment - 133-day Hungarian Soviet Republic. In 1920, the staff of the army Budyonny horse when Stalin was a great group of Hungarian Communists waiting for the triumphant return to Budapest with the Soviet forces that overwhelm Poland (cf. W. Pobóg-Malinowski, Polish Modern History, Volume II, 1914-1939, London 1967, p. 504).
Polish victory in 1920 saved from communist Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany and the Baltic states, and perhaps the rest of Europe. Soviet army commander Mikhail Tukhachevsky sighed bitterly at the thought of lost opportunities by the Soviets in 1920: "There is no doubt that if we were defeated by the Vistula, the flame of revolution ogarnęłaby entire European mainland. "Communist Leading German Clara Zetkin immortalized her dismal interview with Lenin (after the truce of Riga) on the effects of the disaster the Red Army in Poland:" The early frost in the Red Army's retreat from Polish zwarzył developing flower revolution (...). Lenin was describing how it has repercussions on the revolutionary vanguard of the German working class (...), when the comrades of the Soviet stars on their caps, in an incredibly old shreds of uniforms and civilian clothes, torn shoes, rush spurs its lively horses straight towards the German border. (...) Lenin for a few minutes sat in silence, lost in thought.
- Yes - said at the end - and so it happened, what may have become (...). Poles saw in czerwonoarmiejcach no brothers and liberators, but enemies. Poles do not think and act as befits a socjałów and revolutionaries, but as nationalists and imperialists. This revolution, which had hoped for in Poland, has failed. The workers and peasants, deceived by Pilsudski and Daszyńskiego, rose up in defense of his class enemy, allowing so that our brave soldiers of the Red Army died of starvation, being herded into the ambush, beaten to death (...). When Lenin spoke on his face (...), depicted untold suffering "(quoted in N. Davies, White Eagle Red Star. Polish-Bolshevik War of 1919-1920, Kraków 1997, p. 270-271).
The greatest importance was that the Polish victory for the small Baltic countries. The famous Lithuanian independence Anastar Terleckas columnist wrote in the mid-90s, were it not for the Polish victory in 1920 Lithuania would have to live 20 extra years of Russian occupation and the Russification. What would the is a small, kilkumilionowego the Lithuanian people, you can easily imagine. Writing about the importance of victory for the Polish Baltic countries, it is the occasion to mention the little known, and a beautiful example of the immediate and unconditional Polish military assistance to Latvia. On 3 January 1920 two Polish divisions under the command of General Edward Rydz-Smigly, supporting national army Latvian, liberated from the hands of the Bolsheviks, one of the largest cities of Latvia - Daugavpils port. Jozef Pilsudski, who arrived in late January 1920 to Daugavpils to personally decorate Gen. Rydz-Smigly for winning the Order of Military Virtue share, said during a gala dinner with the commander in chief of the Latvian army, and Gen. Gen. Burt Ballodisem the British mission "is to be nice to me in the ward, who met to fight the real happiness in accordance with the Polish tradition for our freedom and yours - not only for the freedom of our nation, but also for the freedom of our neighbor and friend "(W. Pobóg-Malinowski, op., t. III, p. 403).
famous Polish-American scientist from the United States, Professor Iwo Cyprian Pogonowski told me stories about how this day the memory of the Polish triumph Warsaw in 1920 is deformed by some virulent anti-Polish Jewish spokesmen. Well, they are such fanatical Jewish environment in the U.S., blames Poles blame ... as Hitler came to power in Germany. They preach that, if the Poles do not beat the Bolshevik army near Warsaw in 1920, they would reach Germany and merged with those communist forces. In Germany zatriumfowałaby skomunizowana left and then Hitler never would have reached there to power. Probably not worth even a comment on this silly anti-Polish "logic" arguments!
The effects of the disaster
1920 years for the Soviets
Soviet Russia suffered a defeat in the war with the Polish was very important for the internal development of the Soviet Union, a decisive influence on the Soviets forced the resignation of so devastating to the population of war communism and forcing him to introduce much more flexible NEP -u (new economic policy). It is worth reminding those facts, because they are still too little emphasized in the historiography of Polish and foreign, but are yet one more proof of the importance of international spillovers from the Battle of Warsaw.
convincing Nader in this respect seem to Norman Davies notes in his book "White Eagle Red Star" (p. 278-279): "War Polish unquestionably contributed to the crisis of war communism, and consequently to the introduction by Lenin's 'New Economic Policy' (NEP).
summer of 1920 on the Polish front, eight of the sixteen fought the Bolshevik army.
Polish war was serious and the only foreign enterprise of the Red Army, which clearly strained Program 'war communism' as a result of militarization of the railways, the severity of requisitions, increased demand for supplies and weapons (...). It is also true, that a sudden failure of the Polish campaign in autumn 1920 years has caused a shock no less than a killa chaos that existed before. As long as it seemed that the Red Army weapons of Russia before the 'Polish jaśniepanami', as long as you can justify and tolerate the suffering, which earns war communism. Yet since the signing of a truce Riga (...) this whole system has lost its meaning (...). War Communism was no longer usable and had to be replaced by something else. During the period of the Polish campaign, when he hopes to export the revolution were still alive, the NEP was not needed at the moment defeat of the campaign became a logical necessity. "
should be added - has become a logical necessity, because the defeat of the Soviet Union deprived the conquered Polish złupienia opportunities, followed by its neighboring countries, which would allow further continue their policy of" war communism. "quoted above, wrote the British historian JFC Fuller, the defeat of the Soviets in the Battle of Warsaw deprived Russia, "the possibility of looting, it needed to halt a hopeless economic crisis."
was, however, seems to have a particularly dismal result the Soviet defeat in the war with the Polish in 1920. This was still smoldering, insatiable hatred of the Soviet Bolshevik leaders at the forefront of Stalin to the Polish, which is so much shattered their predatory and predatory plans. The famous Russian historian Dmitri Wołkogonow taken as explained in the 1940 decision of the Soviet Politburo about the shooting of thousands of Polish officers: "It was probably revenge for the ignominious defeat of Soviet Russia in 1920 and the humiliating Treaty of Riga, which, they say, Stalin could not forgive the Poles' (D. Wołkogonow, Lenin, Warsaw 1997, p. 474).
Stalin and Soviet NKVD had revenge for what happened. Polish victory in 1920 had saved Europe for over 20 years before the hideous consequences of Soviet expansion and plunder.
prof. Jerzy Robert Nowak
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