Now is the time to remember what Poland was like at that time, for the sake of saving which from Hitler we had to join forces with England and France.
As soon as it was born, the revived Polish state unleashed armed conflicts with all neighbors, trying to push their boundaries as much as possible.
Czechoslovakia was no exception, a territorial dispute with which flared up over the former Principality of Cieszyn.
That time nothing worked out for the Poles. On July 28, 1920, during the Red Army's attack on Warsaw, an agreement was signed in Paris according to which Poland ceded the Cieszyn region to Czechoslovakia in exchange for the latter's neutrality in the Polish-Soviet war.
Nevertheless, the Poles, in the words of the famous satirical writer Mikhail Zoshchenko, “harboured rudeness” and, when the Germans demanded the Sudetenland from Prague, they decided that the right opportunity had come to get their way. On January 14, 1938, Hitler received Polish Foreign Minister Jozef Beck.
“The Czech state in its current form cannot be preserved, because it represents, as a result of the disastrous policy of the Czechs, Central Europe unsafe place - communist hotbed", - said the leader of the Third Reich. Of course, as stated in the official Polish report on the meeting, "Mr. Beck warmly supported the Fuhrer". This audience marked the beginning of Polish-German consultations regarding Czechoslovakia.
At the height of the Sudeten crisis, on September 21, 1938, Poland presented Czechoslovakia with an ultimatum to “return” the Cieszyn region to it. On September 27, a repeated demand followed. Anti-Czech hysteria was whipped up in the country. On behalf of the so-called “Union of Silesian Insurgents” in Warsaw, recruitment into the “Cieszynski” was launched completely openly. volunteer corps" The formed detachments of “volunteers” were sent to the Czechoslovak border, where they staged armed provocations and sabotage.
So, on the night of September 25, in the town of Konské near Třinec, the Poles threw hand grenades and fired at houses in which Czechoslovak border guards were located, as a result of which two buildings burned down. After a two-hour battle, the attackers retreated into Polish territory. Similar clashes took place that night in a number of other places in the Cieszyn region. The next night, the Poles raided the Frištát railway station, fired at it and threw grenades at it.
On September 27, throughout the night, rifle and machine gun fire, grenade explosions, etc. were heard in almost all areas of the Cieszyn region. The bloodiest clashes, as reported by the Polish Telegraph Agency, were observed in the vicinity of Bohumin, Cieszyn and Jablunkov, in the towns of Bystrice, Konska and Skrzechen. Armed groups of “rebels” repeatedly attacked Czechoslovakian weapons depots, and Polish planes violated the Czechoslovakian border every day.
The Poles closely coordinated their actions with the Germans. Polish diplomats in London and Paris insisted on an equal approach to solving the Sudeten and Cieszyn problems, while the Polish and German military agreed on the line of demarcation of troops in the event of an invasion of Czechoslovakia.
At the same time, one could observe touching scenes “ military brotherhood"between German fascists and Polish nationalists. Thus, according to a report from Prague on September 29, a gang of 20 people armed with automatic weapons attacked the Czechoslovak border post near Grgava. The attack was repulsed, the attackers fled to Poland, and one of them, being wounded, was captured. During interrogation, the captured bandit said that in their detachment there were many Germans living in Poland.
As you know, the Soviet Union expressed its readiness to come to the aid of Czechoslovakia, both against Germany and against Poland. In response, on September 8-11, the largest in the history of the revived Polish state military maneuvers, in which 5 infantry and 1 cavalry divisions, 1 motorized brigade, as well as aviation took part. As one would expect, the “reds” advancing from the east were completely defeated by the “blues”. The maneuvers ended with a grandiose 7-hour parade in Lutsk, which was personally received by the “supreme leader” Marshal Rydz-Smigly.
In turn, the Soviet side announced on September 23 that if Polish troops entered Czechoslovakia, the USSR would denounce the non-aggression pact it had concluded with Poland in 1932.
As mentioned above, on the night of September 29-30, 1938, the infamous Munich Agreement was concluded. In an effort to “pacify” Hitler at any cost, England and France cynically surrendered their ally Czechoslovakia to him. On the same day, September 30, Warsaw presented Prague with a new ultimatum, demanding immediate satisfaction of its claims. As a result, on October 1, Czechoslovakia ceded to Poland an area where 80 thousand Poles and 120 thousand Czechs lived. However, the main acquisition was the industrial potential of the captured territory. At the end of 1938, the enterprises located there produced almost 41% of the pig iron produced in Poland and almost 47% of the steel.
As Churchill wrote about this in his memoirs, Poland “with the greed of a hyena she took part in the robbery and destruction of the Czechoslovak state”. An equally flattering zoological comparison is given in his book by the previously quoted American researcher Baldwin: “Poland and Hungary, like vultures, tore off pieces of a dying divided state.”.
Today in Poland they are trying to forget this page of their history. Thus, the authors of the book “History of Poland from Ancient Times to the Present Day,” published in Warsaw in 1995, Alicja Dybkowska, Malgorzata Zaryn and Jan Zharyn managed not to mention their country’s participation in the partition of Czechoslovakia at all:
“The interests of Poland were indirectly jeopardized by the policy of concessions Western states Hitler. So, in 1935 he introduced universal military service in Germany, thereby violating the Versailles agreements; in 1936, Hitler's troops occupied the Rhineland demilitarized zone, and in 1938 his army entered Austria. The next target of German expansion was Czechoslovakia.
Despite the protests of its government, in September 1938 in Munich, France, Great Britain and Italy signed a treaty with Germany giving the Third Reich the right to occupy the Czech Sudetenland, inhabited by a German minority. In the face of what was happening, it became clear to Polish diplomats that now it was the turn to violate the Versailles regulations on the Polish issue.”.
Of course, is it possible to be indignant at the participation of the USSR in the “fourth partition of Poland” if it becomes known that they themselves are in the dust? And Molotov’s phrase about Poland as an ugly brainchild, so shocking to the progressive public Treaty of Versailles, it turns out, is just a copy of Pilsudski’s earlier statement about "the artificially and monstrously created Czechoslovak Republic".
Well, then, in 1938, no one was going to be ashamed. On the contrary, the capture of the Cieszyn region was considered a national triumph. Józef Beck was awarded the Order of the White Eagle, although for such a “feat”, say, the Order of the Spotted Hyena would have been more suitable. In addition, the grateful Polish intelligentsia presented him with the titles of honorary doctor of the Warsaw and Lviv universities. Polish propaganda was choking with delight. Thus, on October 9, 1938, Gazeta Polska wrote: “...the road open to us to a sovereign, leading role in our part of Europe requires in the near future enormous efforts and the resolution of incredibly difficult tasks”.
The triumph was somewhat overshadowed only by the fact that Poland was not invited to join the four great powers that signed the Munich Agreement, although it very much counted on it.
This was the Poland of that time, which we, in the opinion of home-grown liberals, were obliged to save at any cost.
Give us room to fight!
As you know, the main stumbling block, because of which the negotiations in Moscow finally reached a dead end, was the issue of allowing Soviet troops through the territory of Poland and Romania. The fact is that at that time the USSR did not have common border with Germany. Therefore, it was not clear how, in the event of the outbreak of war, we would be able to enter into combat contact with the German army.
At a meeting of military delegations on August 14, 1939, Voroshilov asked a specific question about this: “In general, the outline is clear, but the position Armed Forces The Soviet Union is not entirely clear. It is not clear where they are located geographically and how they physically take part in the common struggle.".
To which General Dumenk, unfolding a map of the USSR and showing the area western border, said: “This is a front that the Germans must not cross under any circumstances. And this is the front on which the Soviet Armed Forces should be based.".
This answer didn't suit me at all. Soviet side. As Voroshilov rightly noted, we were going to defend our borders in any case, regardless of any agreements.
In order for the Red Army to take part in hostilities from the very first days of the war, and not passively wait for Germany to crush Poland and reach the borders of the Soviet Union, our troops had to pass through Polish territory. At the same time, the zones of their passage were strictly limited: the Vilna region (the so-called Vilna corridor) and Galicia.
As the head of the French delegation, General Doumenc, emphasized in a telegram to the French War Ministry dated August 15, 1939: “I note the great importance, from the point of view of eliminating the fears of the Poles, of the fact that the Russians very strictly limit the entry zones[Soviet troops], standing exclusively on strategic point view".
However, the arrogant Poles did not want to hear about it. As the German Chargé d'Affaires in Great Britain, Theodor Cordt, reported in a telegram to the German Foreign Ministry dated April 18, 1939:
“The Polish embassy counselor I met today at a public event said that both Poland and Romania have consistently refused to accept any proposal Soviet Russia about providing assistance. Germany, the adviser said, can be sure that Poland will never allow a single soldier of Soviet Russia, be it military personnel, to enter its territory ground forces or air force.
This puts an end to all speculation in which it was claimed that airfields would be provided as a base for Soviet Russia's air operations against Germany. The same applies to Romania. According to Mr. Yazhdrzewski, it is well known that the aviation of Soviet Russia does not have a sufficient range to attack Germany from bases located on the territory of Soviet Russia. Poland thereby again proves that it is a European barrier against Bolshevism.”
Attempts by England and France to achieve a change in Poland's position led nowhere. As Marshal Edward Rydz-Smigly stated on the evening of August 19: “Regardless of the consequences, not a single inch of Polish territory will ever be allowed to be occupied by Russian troops.”.
That same evening, Polish Foreign Minister Jozef Beck informed the French Ambassador in Warsaw, Léon Noel:
“For us this is a fundamental issue: we do not have a military treaty with the USSR; we don't want to have it; I, however, told this to Potemkin. We will not allow the use of part of our territory by foreign troops to be discussed in any form.”.
But maybe by presenting it as mandatory condition the passage of our troops through Polish territory, did we simply want to disrupt the agreement? And in fact this requirement was unimportant?
Let’s imagine that the Moscow negotiations ended in success and an agreement on mutual assistance between England, France and the USSR was nevertheless concluded. In this case, after the outbreak of World War 2, three scenarios were possible:
1. Germany delivers the main blow on the Western Front to England and France.
2. Main blow directed against Poland and possibly Romania.
3. The main blow is delivered directly to the territory of the USSR through Finland, Estonia and Latvia.
These three options were outlined in the speech of the Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, B. M. Shaposhnikov, at a meeting of three delegations on August 15.
Let's assume that Germany's first blow is delivered on the Western Front. With Poland's permission to use its territory, the Soviet Union would be ready to immediately enter the war. IN otherwise we won't be able to help. All that remains is to watch as Hitler crushes France. Let us remember the events of 1914. If immediately after the outbreak of the 1st World War the Russian army had not launched an offensive in East Prussia, forcing German command throw from Western Front two corps and a cavalry division,
the Germans would have had a very good chance of defeating the French army and thereby winning the war.
Let us now consider the second option - a German attack on Poland. Subject to permission, our troops enter Polish territory and, together with Polish army repulse the German attack. Otherwise, we will have to wait until Germany defeats Poland and comes directly to our borders. At the same time, as Voroshilov rightly noted:
“The very opinion that Poland and Romania, if they do not ask for help from the USSR, could very quickly become provinces aggressive Germany, I don't dispute it.
I must, however, note here [that] our meeting is a meeting of military missions three great states and the people representing the Armed Forces of these states must know the following: it is not in our interests, not in the interests of the Armed Forces of Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union, that the additional Armed Forces of Poland and Romania would be destroyed.
But if they, Poland and Romania, do not promptly ask for help from the Soviet Union, then, according to the admiral’s concept, the Armed Forces of Poland and Romania will be destroyed.”
But besides the use of the Polish Armed Forces, there is another important argument that is not spoken out loud. It is better to fight on foreign territory. If we are not given such an opportunity, we will have to take the battle on our own borders, and on the borders of 1939.
Finally, the third option, the least likely, but at the same time the most unpleasant for the USSR, is if the Germans approach us through the Baltic states and Finland. However, such a development of events cannot be called completely impossible. Both in the Baltic states, and even more so in Finland, pro-German sentiments were very strong. So these countries could well not only miss German troops through their territory, but also to take part in the campaign against the Soviet Union.
In this case, the Poles will definitely not fight, since they do not have any obligations to the USSR. You are also unlikely to get help from England and France. Thus, we are left alone with Germany. If, in response to a German attack, the Red Army strikes Germany through Polish territory, there is no way for Warsaw to avoid participating in the war.
And one can only agree with the opinion of Winston Churchill: “Marshal Voroshilov’s demand, according to which the Russian armies, if they were allies of Poland, would have to occupy Vilnius and Lvov, was a completely expedient military demand.”.
To what has been said above, it should be added that Poland not only did not want Soviet aid, but until the last moment she continued to plot dirty tricks against our country.
Thus, in the report of the 2nd (intelligence) department of the General Staff of the Polish Army, dated December 1938, it was emphasized: “The dismemberment of Russia lies at the heart of Polish policy in the East... Therefore, our possible position will be reduced to the following formula: who will take part in the section. Poland must not remain passive during this wonderful historical moment. The task is to prepare well in advance physically and spiritually... the main objective- weakening and defeat of Russia".
And here is an excerpt from a conversation between the adviser of the German embassy in Poland, Rudolf von Schelia, and the newly appointed Polish envoy to Iran, J. Karsho-Sedlevsky, that took place on December 28, 1938:
“The political outlook for the European East is clear. In a few years, Germany will be at war with the Soviet Union, and Poland will support Germany, voluntarily or forcedly, in this war. It is better for Poland to definitely take the side of Germany before the conflict, since Poland’s territorial interests in the West and political goals Poland in the East, especially in Ukraine, can only be secured through a previously reached Polish-German agreement.
He, Karsho-Sedlevsky, will subordinate his activities as Polish Ambassador leader in Tehran for the implementation of this great Eastern concept, since it is necessary ultimately to convince and induce also the Persians and Afghans to play an active role in future war against the Soviets. He will devote his activities to this task in the coming years in Tehran."
From a recording of a conversation between German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and Polish Foreign Minister Jozef Beck, which took place on January 26, 1939 in Warsaw: “Mr. Beck did not hide the fact that Poland lays claim to Soviet Ukraine and to the exit to the Black Sea".
From books by I. Pykhalov “The Great Slandered War”. Links are there too.
And Anders' army
The Polish emigrant government was created on September 30, 1939 in Angers (France). It consisted mainly of political figures who pre-war years actively colluded with Hitler, intending with his help to create “Greater Poland” at the expense of the territories of neighboring states. In June 1940 it moved to England. On July 30, 1941, the USSR concluded a mutual assistance agreement with the emigrant Polish government, according to which Polish military units were created on the territory of the Soviet Union. In connection with the anti-Soviet activities of the Polish government, on April 25, 1943, the USSR government broke off relations with it.
From the Cambridge Five, the Soviet leadership received information about the British plans to bring to power in post-war Poland political figures opposed to the Soviet Union and to recreate the pre-war cordon sanitaire on the USSR border.
On December 23, 1943, intelligence provided the country's leadership secret report Minister of the Polish Exile Government in London and Chairman of the Polish Commission for Post-War Reconstruction Sejda, sent to the President of Czechoslovakia Benes as official document Polish government on issues of post-war settlement. It was entitled “Poland and Germany and the Post-War Reconstruction of Europe.” Its meaning boiled down to the following: Germany should be occupied in the west by England and the USA, in the east by Poland and Czechoslovakia. Poland should receive land along the Oder and Neisse. The border with the Soviet Union should be restored according to the 1921 treaty. Two federations should be created in the east of Germany - in Central and South-Eastern Europe, consisting of Poland, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Romania, and in the Balkans - within Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and possibly Turkey. The main goal of uniting in a federation is to exclude any influence of the Soviet Union on them.
It was important for the Soviet leadership to know the attitude of the allies to the plans of the Polish émigré government. Although Churchill agreed with him, he understood the unreality of the Poles’ plans. Roosevelt called them “harmful and stupid.” He spoke in favor of establishing Polish-Soviet border along the Curzon Line. He also condemned plans to create blocs and federations in Europe.
On Yalta Conference in February 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin discussed the fate of Poland and agreed that the Warsaw government should be "reorganized on a broader democratic basis with the inclusion of democratic figures from Poland and Poles from abroad" and that it would then be recognized the legitimate provisional government of the country.
Polish emigrants in London greeted the Yalta decision with hostility, declaring that the Allies had “betrayed Poland.” They defended their claims to power in Poland not so much by political as by forceful methods. On the basis of the Home Army (AK), after the liberation of Poland by Soviet troops, the sabotage and terrorist organization “Liberty and Freedom” was organized, which operated in Poland until 1947.
Another structure that the Polish exile government relied on was the army of General Anders. It was formed on Soviet soil by agreement between the Soviet and Polish authorities in 1941 in order to fight against the Germans together with the Red Army. To train and equip it in preparation for war with Germany, the Soviet government provided Poland with an interest-free loan of 300 million rubles and created all the conditions for conducting recruitment and camp exercises.
But the Poles were in no hurry to fight. From the report of Lieutenant Colonel Berling, later the head of the armed forces of the Warsaw government, it turned out that in 1941, shortly after the first Polish units were formed on Soviet territory, General Anders told his officers: “As soon as the Red Army saves under the pressure of the Germans, which will happen in a few months, we will be able to break through the Caspian Sea to Iran. Since we will be the only armed force in this territory, we will be free to do whatever we please.”
According to Lieutenant Colonel Berling, Anders and his officers “did everything to delay the period of training and arming their divisions” so that they would not have to act against Germany, terrorized Polish officers and soldiers who wanted to accept the help of the Soviet government and go with arms in hand against the invaders of their homeland. Their names were entered in a special index called “card file B” as Soviet sympathizers.
The so-called “Two”, the intelligence department of Anders’ army, collected information about Soviet military factories, state farms, railways, field warehouses, the location of the Red Army troops. Therefore, in August 1942, Anders' army and family members of military personnel were evacuated to Iran, under the auspices of the British.
On March 13, 1944, Australian journalist James Aldridge, bypassing military censorship, sent correspondence to the New York Times regarding the methods of the leaders of the Polish emigrant army in Iran. Aldridge reported that he had been trying for more than a year to make public the facts about the behavior of Polish emigrants, but Union censorship prevented him from doing so. One of the censors told Aldridge: “I know this is all true, but what can I do? After all, we recognized the Polish government.”
Here are some of the facts that Aldridge cited: “In the Polish camp there was a division into castes. The lower a person's position, the worse the conditions in which he had to live. Jews were separated into a special ghetto. The management of the camp was carried out on a totalitarian basis... Reactionary groups waged a ceaseless campaign against Soviet Russia... When more than three hundred Jewish children were to be taken to Palestine, the Polish elite, among whom anti-Semitism flourished, put pressure on the Iranian authorities so that the Jewish children were denied transit... I heard from many Americans that they would willingly tell the whole truth about the Poles, but that this would lead to nothing, since the Poles have a strong “hand” in Washington behind the scenes...”
When the war was nearing its end, and the territory of Poland was largely liberated by Soviet troops, the Polish government in exile began to build up the capacity of its security forces, as well as develop a spy network in the Soviet rear. Throughout the autumn-winter of 1944 and the spring months of 1945, while the Red Army launched its offensive, striving for final defeat German military machine on Eastern Front, Home Army under the leadership of General Okulicki, former boss Anders' army headquarters, was intensively engaged in terrorist acts, sabotage, espionage and armed raids behind Soviet lines.
Here are excerpts from the directive of the London Polish government No. 7201-1-777 dated November 11, 1944, addressed to General Okulitsky: “Since knowledge of the military intentions and capabilities ... of the Soviets in the east is of fundamental importance for foresight and planning further development events, you must... transmit intelligence reports to Poland, according to the instructions of the intelligence department of the headquarters.” Further, the directive requested detailed information about Soviet military units, transport, fortifications, airfields, weapons, data on the military industry, etc.
On March 22, 1945, General Okulitsky expressed the cherished aspirations of his London superiors in a secret directive to Colonel "Slavbor", the commander western district Home Army. Okulitsky's emergency directive read: “If the USSR wins over Germany, this will threaten not only the interests of England in Europe, but the whole of Europe will be in fear... Taking into account their interests in Europe, the British will have to begin mobilizing the forces of Europe against the USSR. It is clear that we will in the forefront of this European anti-Soviet bloc; and it is also impossible to imagine this bloc without the participation of Germany, which will be controlled by the British.”
These plans and hopes of the Polish emigrants turned out to be short-lived. At the beginning of 1945, the Soviet military intelligence arrested Polish spies operating behind Soviet lines. By the summer of 1945, sixteen of them, including General Okulitsky, appeared before the Military Collegium Supreme Court USSR and received different terms conclusions.
Based on the above, I would like to remind our powers that be, who go out of their way to seem like “podpunks” next to Polish gentry, a characterization given to the Poles by the wise Churchill: “The heroic character traits of the Polish people should not force us to close our eyes to their recklessness and ingratitude, which over the course of several centuries caused them immeasurable suffering... It must be considered a mystery and tragedy European history the fact that a people capable of any heroism, some of whose representatives are talented, valiant, charming, constantly displays such shortcomings in almost all aspects of their state life. Glory in times of rebellion and sorrow; infamy and shame during periods of triumph. The bravest of the brave have too often been led by the foulest of the foul! And yet there have always been two Polands: one fought for the truth, and the other grovelled in meanness” (Winston Churchill. The Second World War. Book 1. M., 1991).
And if, according to the plans of the American Pole Zbigniew Brzezinski, it is impossible to recreate the Soviet Union without Ukraine, we should not forget the lessons of history and remember that in the same way, without the western lands of Ukraine, the construction of the IV Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is impossible.
The Soviet Union, along with Germany, "significantly contributed" to the outbreak of World War II. This was stated by Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski. “It must be remembered that the Soviet Union contributed significantly to the outbreak of World War II and invaded Poland along with Germany. Thus, he is also responsible for the beginning of World War II,” Waszczykowski said. According to him, the USSR participated in World War II “in its own interests,” since it itself was a victim of German aggression.
Who would have thought - the Soviet Union fought in its own interests. And in whose other interests did he need to fight? It just so happened that at the same time the Red Army deprived the Poles German general– governorship and “high” rank of subhumans. Moreover, Stalin cut off a fair chunk of Germany to Poland. Now the “grateful” Poles are fighting with our monuments with gusto.
The immortal lines immediately come to mind: “...The Germans were not the only predators who tormented the corpse of Czechoslovakia. Immediately after conclusion Munich Agreement On September 30, the Polish government sent an ultimatum to the Czech government, which was to be responded to within 24 hours. The Polish government demanded the immediate transfer of the border region of Cieszyn to it. There was no way to resist this brutal demand.
The heroic character traits of the Polish people should not force us to close our eyes to their recklessness and ingratitude, which over the course of several centuries caused them immeasurable suffering. In 1919, this was a country that the Allied victory, after generations of partition and slavery, had transformed into an independent republic and one of the major European powers.
Now, in 1938, because of such an insignificant issue as Teshin, the Poles broke with all their friends in France, in England and in the USA, which had brought them back to a united national life and whose help they were soon to need so badly. We saw how now, while the reflection of the power of Germany was falling on them, they hastened to seize their share in the plunder and ruin of Czechoslovakia. In a moment of crisis for English and French ambassadors all the doors were closed. They were not even allowed to see the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs. It must be considered a mystery and tragedy of European history that a people capable of any heroism, some of whose representatives are talented, valiant, and charming, constantly displays such huge shortcomings in almost all aspects of their public life. Glory in times of rebellion and sorrow; infamy and shame during periods of triumph. The bravest of the brave have too often been led by the foulest of the foul! And yet there have always been two Polands: one of them fought for the truth, and the other grovelled in meanness..."
You can, of course, as is now customary among supporters of total repentance on behalf of the USSR and the Red Army, call the author of these lines a “communist falsifier”, a “Stalinist”, “convict” that he is a “scoop” with imperial thinking, etc. If it were... not Winston Churchill. It’s hard to suspect this political figure of sympathizing with the USSR.
The question may arise: why did Hitler even need to give Poland the Cieszyn region? The fact is that when Germany presented Czechoslovakia with a demand to transfer to it the Sudetenland inhabited by the Germans, Poland played along with it. At the height of the Sudetenland crisis, on September 21, 1938, Poland presented Czechoslovakia with an ultimatum to “return” the Cieszyn region to it. On September 27, a repeated demand followed. A committee was created to recruit volunteers for the invasion corps. Armed provocations were organized: a Polish detachment crossed the border and fought a two-hour battle on Czechoslovak territory. On the night of September 26, the Poles raided the Frishtat station. Polish planes violated the Czechoslovak border every day.
This is what the Germans had to reward Poland for. Allies in the partition of Czechoslovakia, after all. A few months later, the turn came: “that same Poland, which just six months ago, with the greed of a hyena, took part in the robbery and destruction of the Czechoslovak state.”
After this, the Poles, with inimitable sincerity, are outraged that the USSR dared in 1939 to encroach on the territory that Poland captured in 1919–1920. At the same time, the “greedy hyena”, she is also one of the “predators who tormented the corpse of Czechoslovakia” (all complaints about the rough accuracy of this definition should be addressed to the terribly intolerant and politically incorrect Winston Churchill) came up with the idea of being indignant at the role of its benefactor the USSR in World War II.
You can send them the memoirs of the British Prime Minister in response, let the Polish diplomats read it and prepare an indignant statement for the British.
Maxim Kustov
This video proudly walked around the Internet for several days.
It didn’t take much effort to guess its purpose. The commentators were lethargic.
And the enthusiasm of the “fake film makers” somehow quickly faded away.
The Soviet state did not yet have that military power in 1939, to show it off at parades!
And the tactics of “intimidation” are not in honor of the Russians!
Reminds me of that fake
Well, that's a decent answer...
HYENA OF EASTERN EUROPE
"THE STATE MAKES THE NATION, AND NOT THE NATION MAKES THE STATE"
Jozef Piłsudski
- We (Poland) could find a place on the Reich side almost the same as Italy
and, for sure, better than Hungary or Romania.
As a result, we would be in Moscow, where Adolf Hitler with Rydz-Smigly would host the parade
victorious Polish- German troops"
(Polish professor Pavel Wieczorkiewicz).
post about the “Soviet-German parade” in Brest in 1939 - video fake
This “parade” supposedly “proves” that the USSR was a “loyal ally of Nazi Germany”
and meanly tortured the kind and fluffy Poles.
The pact between the USSR and Germany of 1939 has been in use for almost half a century
“black propaganda” to prove the thesis about “Russia’s aggressiveness”,
and as a basis for constant arrogantly boorish “claims” against it from Poland.
Hitler and Polish Foreign Minister Beck
Consider Poland from 1933 to 1939, when the Nazis became the dominant force in Germany.
This post will prove that the USSR’s position towards Poland in 1939 was completely justified.
The Polish elite, right up to September 1, 1939, planned to do exactly the same thing with the USSR,
what the USSR did with it later - dismemberment and subsequent destruction and hoped
to a military alliance with Hitler's Germany.
The Polish leadership behaved in exactly the same way towards its neighbors - Lithuania and Czechoslovakia.
Until the very last moment, the Polish leadership did not stop the closest contacts
with the German Nazis and made far-reaching plans for a “war with Russia.”
Hitler-Pilsudski Pact
In 1934 German Nazis and the Polish leadership concluded
"Non-Aggression Pact between Germany and Poland"
also called the Pilsudski-Hitler Pact.
It, just like the Soviet-German Pact of 1939, contained the principles of non-intervention
into each other’s internal affairs and stipulated by the so-called. "areas of interest" in Europe,
in particular in Czechoslovakia and the Baltic states.
photo from the signing of the pact.
Goebbels and Piłsudski
The first photo with J. Pilsudski, Beck in Warsaw. Other photos of his visit to the city of Krakow in June 1934.
It is clear here that it was a warm meeting with flowers, with an interesting cultural program in museums,
historical places, with a banquet attended by famous Polish statesmen.
Here is a photo of the dinner party in honor of Joseph Goebbels with the Polish Sejm
with the participation of deputies and Polish leaders.
After Piłsudski's death friendly relations two states did not end:
On January 31, 1938, the head of the Nazi police visited Warsaw General Dalyuge,
in September 1938 - General Zamorsky(chief of the Polish police)
was invited by Nazi friends to the congress of the National Socialist Party of Germany,
took place in Nuremberg. On December 15, the German Minister of Justice visited Warsaw Herman Frank,
and on February 18, 1939 - head of the SS and chief chief of the Gestapo Heinrich Himmler.
Polish Foreign Minister Beck in Germany:
The laying of flowers by the Polish delegation eternal flame fallen German soldiers
Poland and Czechoslovakia
The most clearly aggressive plans of the pre-war Polish elite are visible in the example
relations of the Polish leadership towards Czechoslovakia.
Immediately after World War I, territorial dispute between Poland and Czechoslovakia
worsened in Cieszyn Silesia.
This area, around which the dispute erupted, is rich in coal,
was the most industrialized region in all of Austria-Hungary.
An armed conflict began, and in 1920, Czechoslovak President Tomas Masaryk declared,
that if the Cieszyn conflict is resolved not in favor of Czechoslovakia, his country will intervene
in the recently started Russian-Polish war.
Poland, frightened by the prospect of a war on two fronts, made concessions.
what happened in Poland and Czechoslovakia in 1938 in chronological order.
Beck and the German generals
February 23, 1938.
Beck, in negotiations with Goering, declares Poland’s readiness to take German interests into account
in Austria and emphasized Poland's interest "in the Czech problem."
August 11, 1938- in a conversation with Lipsky, the German side expressed understanding
Poland's interest in Soviet territory Ukraine.
September 19, 1938- Lipski brings to Hitler's attention the opinion of the Polish government,
that Czechoslovakia is an "artificial entity" and supports Hungarian claims
in relation to the territory Carpathian Rus'.
September 20, 1938- Hitler tells Lipsky that in the event of a military conflict
Poland and Czechoslovakia because of the Cieszyn region, the Reich will side with Poland, which is beyond the line
German interests, Poland has completely free hands, what he sees solution to the Jewish problem
by emigrating to the colonies in agreement with Poland, Hungary and Romania.
September 24, 1938. Newspaper "Pravda" 1938. September 24. N264 (7589). on S.5. publishes an article
"Polish fascists are preparing a putsch in Cieszyn Silesia."
Later, on the night of September 25, in the town of Konskie near Třinec, the Poles threw hand grenades at
and fired at houses in which Czechoslovak border guards were located, as a result of which two buildings burned down.
After a two-hour battle, the attackers retreated into Polish territory.
Similar clashes occurred that night in a number of other places in the Teshin region.
September 25, 1938. The Poles raided the Frishtat railway station,
They fired at her and threw grenades at her.
September 27, 1938. The Polish government makes a renewed demand
about the “return” of the Teshin region to her.
Throughout the night, rifle and machine gun fire was heard in almost all areas of the Teshin region,
grenade explosions, etc. The bloodiest clashes, as reported by the Polish Telegraph Agency,
were observed in the vicinity of Bohumin, Teshin and Jablunkov, in the towns of Bystrice, Kon'ska and Skrzechen.
Armed groups of "rebels" repeatedly attacked Czechoslovak arms depots,
Polish planes violated the Czechoslovak border every day.
In the newspaper "Pravda" 1938. September 27. N267 (7592) an article is published on page 1
"The unbridled impudence of the Polish fascists."
September 28, 1938. Armed provocations continue.
In the newspaper "Pravda" 1938. September 28. N268 (7593) On S.5. article is published
"Provocations of Polish fascists."
September 29, 1938. Polish diplomats in London and Paris insist
on “an equal approach to solving the Sudeten and Cieszyn problems”, Polish and German military
agree on the line of demarcation of troops in the event of an invasion of Czechoslovakia.
Czech newspapers describe touching scenes of “combat brotherhood” between German fascists
and Polish nationalists.
A Czechoslovakian border post near Grgava was attacked by a gang of 20 people armed with automatic weapons.
The attack was repulsed, the attackers fled to Poland, and one of them, being wounded, was captured.
During interrogation, the captured bandit said that in their detachment there were many Germans living in Poland.
This photo is for every Polish home!
Touching handshake between Polish Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigła and German attaché Colonel
Bogislawa von Studnitz at the Independence Day parade in Warsaw on November 11, 1938
December 28, 1938. In a conversation with a counselor at the German Embassy in Poland
Rudolf von Schelia with the newly appointed Polish envoy to Iran J. Karszo-Sedlevsky, the latter declares: “The political perspective for the European East is clear.
In a few years, Germany will be at war with the Soviet Union, and Poland will support,
voluntarily or forcedly, Germany in this war.
It is better for Poland to definitely take the side of Germany before the conflict,
since the territorial interests of Poland in the west and the political goals of Poland in the east,
primarily in Ukraine, can only be achieved through a previously reached Polish-German agreement.
He, Karsho-Sedlewski, will subordinate his activities as the Polish envoy in Tehran to the implementation of this great Eastern concept, since it is necessary in the end to convince and motivate also
Persians and Afghans to play an active role in the future war against the Soviets."
Goering in Poland
The attitude of pre-war Poland towards Russia
Polish position, towards Russia and the hopes of the Polish elite for the German Nazis,
as documents show, it was not a spontaneous decision, it was formed over the years.
Even during the visits of “Nazi No. 2”, G. Goering, to Warsaw in 1935 and 1937
The parties reached an agreement that Poland will support Germany's demands to lift restrictions
in terms of weapons and the idea of the Anschluss of Austria.
Germany, in turn, expressed its readiness, together with Poland, to counteract
policy of the Soviet Union in Europe.
In a conversation with Marshal Rydz-Smigly, Goering stated that “Not only Bolshevism is dangerous, but Russia as such”
and that “in this sense, the interests of Poland and Germany coincide.”
Goering and Polish President Moscicki hunting in Belovezhskaya Pushcha
August 31, 1937 The Polish General Staff issued directive No. 2304/2/37, which states,
what's the ultimate the goal of Polish policy is “the destruction of all Russia”,
and one of the effective tools for achieving it is named inciting separatism
in the Caucasus, Ukraine and Central Asia using, in particular, military intelligence capabilities.
It would seem that in the threatening situation into which Poland was crawling,
the priorities would have to be different.
And in general, what does this have to do with the security of the country? Caucasus?
Nevertheless, it was planned to concentrate personnel, operational and financial
resources to strengthen work with Caucasian emigration of a separatist persuasion, having as
the ultimate goal of destabilization using all forces and means, including instruments of secret war,
internal political situation in this part of the Soviet Union, which
during the war it becomes the deep rear of the Red Army.
These are the approaches and absolutely groundless hopes for a German-Polish anti-Soviet alliance
and led to the fact that the Anglo-French-Soviet negotiations between the military delegations had to be curtailed
just a week before the start of the war, the first victim of which was Poland.
Therefore, the telegrams of the Polish ambassador in Washington, who,
Having the instructions of his government, he assured US Secretary of State K. Hull that Warsaw did not see itself as a threat from Germany.
Moreover, he was irritated that some American politicians
consider the Soviet Union and its army to be the only force that can resist the Wehrmacht
in the event of Germany starting a war (telegrams from E. Pototsky to the Foreign Ministry on November 8 and December 15, 1937).
In October 1938, Ambassador in Berlin Yu. Lipsky, in an upbeat tone, informed Minister Yu. Beck about
“more than favorable” attitude of the top officials of the Reich towards Poland and about highly appreciated its policies by the Fuhrer personally.
Friendly visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nazi Reich, adviser to Adolf Hitler
By foreign policy, Standartenführer SS Joachim von Ribbentrop to Poland.
From Angola to Antarctica
Polish policy outside the “eastern territories” was no less “peaceful.”
The “plans for Polish colonies” looked especially absurd and grotesque.
Poland seriously believed that its status as a “great power” required colonies in Africa and Asia,
so that it’s “like everyone else!”
For this purpose, in October 1930, either a government or a public organization
The Maritime and Colonial League (Liga Morska I Kolonialna), whose members became almost a million Poles - future colonists. The Poles rushed to look for empty lands suitable for arable land and seize them,
how did it happen in Brazil, Liberia and Mozambique.
Friendly visit of the Italian fascist Gian Galeazzo Ciano to Poland.
February 1939.
IN Angola they began to develop farmland, but plans to create plantations
was not destined to come true - the Portuguese government, concerned about such an unexpected development of events,
complicated immigration procedures in the colonies, and also began to focus quite
a lot of unnecessary attention to Polish settlers.
As a result most of Polish planters were forced to leave Angola after 1938.
Concerning, Madagascar, then Foreign Minister Beck begged from France
permission to use this island for the resettlement of Polish Jews at the request of “world Jewry”.
Work began to boil and an important delegation visited the island.
However, Madagascar was not destined to become the second Israel - a war began,
which buried these plans.
Poland was keenly interested and Antarctica- in Washington just before the war
the Poles were persistently interested in how the Americans would perceive their appearance on this continent.
In Poland itself they began to arrange public holidays- Sea Week and Colonial Days,
where the Poles were instilled with a taste for colonialism.
Poland pestered the League of Nations with a request to transfer part (up to 9%) to Poland
German colonies (due to the fact that Poland was partially the “successor” of Germany in terms of territories) -
Togo and Cameroon"which no one needs anyway."
The result of the entire campaign 1936-37 appeared issued by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
"Colonial Theses of Poland".
The leadership of the USSR in August 1939 acted deliberately and correctly.
He hit his enemy with the weapon that he planned to use against Russia - an agreement with Germany.
Disputes surrounding relations between Poland and Russia flared up with new strength. I can’t help but participate, especially since recent years thirty people constantly tell us how small and defenseless Poland was attacked by two terrible monsters - the USSR and the Third Reich, who had agreed in advance to divide it.
You know, now it has become very fashionable to compile various tops and ratings: ten facts about pointe shoes, fifteen facts about orgasm, thirty facts about Dzhigurda, the best frying pan covers in the world, the longest standing snowmen, and so on. I also want to offer you my “Ten Facts about Poland”, which, in my opinion, simply need to be kept in mind when the conversation turns to our relations with this wonderful country.
Fact one. After the end of the First World War, Poland, taking advantage of the weakness of the young Soviet state, occupied Western Ukraine And Western Belarus. The offensive of Polish troops in Ukraine in the spring of 1920 was accompanied by pogroms and mass executions of Jews. For example, in the city of Rivne, the Poles shot more than 3 thousand civilians, in the town of Tetiev, about 4 thousand Jews were killed. For resistance to the confiscation of food, villages were burned and residents were shot. During Russian-Polish war 200 thousand Red Army soldiers were captured by the Poles. Of these, 80 thousand were destroyed by the Poles. True, modern Polish historians question all this data.
Liberate occupied territories Soviet army succeeded only in 1939.
Fact two. In the period between the First and Second World Wars, small, defenseless and, as you yourself understand, immaculate Poland passionately dreamed of colonies that could be plundered for its own pleasure. As was customary then in the rest of Europe. And it is still accepted. Here, for example, is a poster: “Poland needs colonies”! Basically they wanted Portuguese Angola. Good climate, rich lands and mineral resources. What, you feel sorry, or what? Poland also agreed to Togo and Cameroon. I was looking at Mozambique.
In 1930, even the public organization “Maritime and Colonial League” was created. Here are photographs of the grand celebration of Colonial Day, which turned into a demonstration demanding Polish colonial expansion in Africa. The demonstrators’ poster reads: “We demand overseas colonies for Poland.” Churches dedicated masses to the demands of the colonies, and cinemas showed films with colonial themes. This is an excerpt from one such film about a Polish expedition in Africa. And this ceremonial parade future Polish bandits and robbers.
By the way, a couple of years ago, Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna said in an interview with one of the largest Polish publications: “Talking about Ukraine without the participation of Poland is akin to discussing the affairs of colonial countries without the participation of their mother countries.” And although Ukraine was not particularly indignant, dreams still remain dreams...
Fact three. Poland became the first state to conclude a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany. It was signed on January 26, 1934 in Berlin for a period of 10 years. Exactly the same as what Germany and the USSR would conclude in 1939. Well, it’s true that in the case of the USSR there was also a secret application that no one had ever seen in the original. The same application with the forged signature of Molotov and the real Ribbentrop, who, after the surrender of Germany in 1945, was held captive by the Americans for some time. The same application that uses the phrase “both sides” three times! The same application in which Finland is named Baltic state. Anyway.
Fact four. In October 1920, the Poles captured Vilnius and the surrounding area - only about a third of the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. Lithuania, of course, did not recognize this seizure and continued to consider these territories its own. And when on March 13, 1938, Hitler carried out the Anschluss of Austria, he desperately needed international recognition of these actions. And in response to the recognition of the Anschluss by Austria, Germany was ready to recognize Poland's seizure of all of Lithuania, except for the city of Memel and the area around it. This city was supposed to join the Reich.
And already on March 17, Warsaw presented an ultimatum to Lithuania, and Polish troops concentrated on the border with Lithuania. And only the intervention of the USSR, which threatened Poland with breaking the non-aggression pact of 1932, saved Lithuania from Polish occupation. Poland was forced to withdraw its demands.
By the way, I hope the Lithuanian people remember that it was the USSR that returned both Vilna and Memel and its regions to Lithuania. Moreover, Vilna was transferred back in 1939 under a mutual assistance agreement.
Fact five. In 1938, in alliance with Nazi Germany small, defenseless, “long-suffering and peace-loving” Poland occupied Czechoslovakia. Yes, yes, it was she who started that terrible massacre in Europe, which ended Soviet tanks on the streets of Berlin. Hitler took the Sudetenland, and Poland took the Cieszyn region and some settlements on the territory of modern Slovakia. Hitler then had the best military industry Europe at that time.
Germany also came into possession of significant reserves of weapons from the former Czechoslovak army, which made it possible to equip 9 infantry divisions. Before the attack on the USSR, 5 of the 21 Wehrmacht tank divisions were equipped with Czechoslovak-made tanks.
According to Winston Churchill, Poland “took part with the greed of a hyena in the robbery and destruction of the Czechoslovak state.”
Fact six. On the eve of World War II, Poland was far from the weakest state in Europe. It had a territory of almost 400,000 square meters. km, where about 44 million people lived. Military treaties were concluded with England and France.
And therefore, when in 1939 Germany demanded that Poland open a “Polish corridor” for it to access the Baltic Sea, and in return offered to extend the German-Polish friendship treaty for another 25 years, Poland proudly refused. As we remember, it took the Wehrmacht only two weeks to deliver former ally on knees. England and France did not lift a finger to save their ally.
Fact seven. Introduction of Red Army units into eastern regions Poland on September 17, 1939 and to the Baltic countries in the summer of 1940 was carried out not according to some terrible “secret pact” that no one has ever seen, but in order to prevent Germany from occupying these territories. In addition, these actions strengthened the security of the USSR. The famous joint “parade” of Soviet and German troops is just a procedure for the transfer of Brest-Litovsk to units of the Red Army. We can see the arrival of the Soviet reception contingent and some working moments of the transfer of the citadel thanks to the surviving photographs. Here there is an organized departure of German equipment, there are photographs of the arrival of Soviet equipment, but there is not a single photograph that would capture their joint passage.
Fact eight. In the very first days of the war, the Polish government and the president fled abroad, abandoning their people, their still fighting army, their country. So Poland did not fall, Poland self-destructed. Those who escaped, of course, organized a “government in exile” and spent a long time drying their pants in Paris and London. Please note - when they entered Poland Soviet troops, de jure such a state no longer existed. I would like to ask everyone asking about the Polish occupation by the Soviets: would you like the Nazis to come to these territories? To kill Jews there? So that the border with Germany moves closer to the Soviet Union? Can you imagine how many thousands of dead people would be behind such a decision?
Fact nine. Poland's dreams of colonies, of course, did not come true, but as a result of bilateral treaties with the Soviet Union, as a post-war reparation, Poland received the eastern regions of Germany, which had a Slavic past, which make up a third of the current territory of Poland. 100 thousand square kilometers!
According to German economists, for post-war period The Polish budget received more than $130 billion from mineral deposits in these areas alone. This is approximately twice as much as all reparations and compensation paid by Germany to Poland. Poland received deposits of hard and brown coal, copper ores, zinc and tin, which placed it on a par with the world's major producers of these natural resources.
More great value enjoyed Warsaw's receipt of the coast Baltic Sea. If in 1939 Poland had 71 km. sea coast, then after the war it became 526 km. The Poles and Poland owe all this wealth personally to Stalin and the Soviet Union.
Fact ten. Today in Poland, monuments to Soviet liberating soldiers are being massively demolished and the graves of Soviet soldiers who died in the battles for the liberation of Poland from the Nazis are being desecrated. And let me remind you, 660,000 of them died there. Even those monuments that have inscriptions of gratitude from Polish citizens are being demolished Soviet soldiers. Even those that were cast in 1945 from the metal of German ammunition, specially brought from the fallen Berlin.
Why am I saying this? Maybe we, like the tiger Amur, will have enough of tolerating an annoying and arrogant neighbor who has completely lost touch with reality?
Egor Ivanov
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