Poland's Army in WW2


Poland's role in WW2 is both misunderstood and underestimated.
The common belief that Poland's army was decimated in 1939 is popular, but inaccurate. Poland’s army was severely bloodied, but wasn’t finished. At the conclusion of the September 1939 campaign, Polish soldiers escaped in droves to continue the fight elsewhere. So great was Her contribution that by war’s end, Poland fielded the fourth largest army of the Allied contingent after the USSR, USA, and Great Britain.
Polish soldiers were also arguably the most effective soldiers that the Allies had to offer;
they truly distinguished themselves at such places as the skies over Britain, Monte Cassino, Falaise, Arnhem and so many others.
Another popular belief that Poland’s army as well as Her strategy of defense in September ’39 was antiquated and naive, is an unfair assessment. Poland’s army in those days was somewhat out-dated, but was going through a period of modernization, which was a slow and painstaking process for a country with a nearly purely agricultural-based economy. In many instances Polish-designed equipment was equal to, or even superior to it’s German equivalent, it was just not yet around in sufficient numbers to make any difference.
The Polish strategy to defend it’s borders in a long seemingly over-extended line was not a decision based on military ineptness, but rather a decision based on the forlorn hope that Britain and France would honor their pact to come to Poland’s aide if attacked by Germany. Poland made the choice early to defend Her territory at it’s furthest Western borders in order to buy the most time possible, in order to give Britain and France time to mobilize and attack Germany- that deep trust in Her allies, apparently was naive.



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