Figure 1.--These Polish boys managed to reach England, although we are not sure just how. Many Poles reached the West through Iran, I'm mot sure about these boys. They are training with RAF. The photograph is dated October 29, probably 1941. The press caption read, "Polish boys evacuated from Poland following Polish-Russian Agreement, July, 1941, and now receiving preliminary military training as well as educational education in England, swing along singing a song of their homeland. at school. The youngsters, ages 15-17, are attached to R.A.F. and will someday avenge rape of country." Note the reference to evacuated from Poland. That of course was not possible in 1941. We are not sure why the caption was written that way. Perhaps it was just an error by an editor who did not know. Or someone during the war-time emergency did not want Americans asking why the boys were in Russia. Also note that the boys look your than 15 years old.

The NAZIs and Soviets after invading Poland, paritioned Poland (September 1939). This was provided for under the terms of the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agression Pact. Both countries launched a horific occupation designed to destroy not only the country, but the very notion of Polish nationality. Polish leaders and the iunteligensia were arrested and many executed in an effort to ensure that Poland would never again become a nation. The NAZIs pursued this policy throughout the War. Soviet policy changed after the NAZI invasion (June 1941). Stalin saw the Poles as possible allies. The Germans rapidly occupied the Societ eastern zone of pre-War Poland, but the Soviets had large numbers of Poles, both POWS and civilians deported from Poland as part of the process of suppressing Polish resistance. As a result, the Soviet Government signed an agreement with the London-based Polish Government in exile which invalidated the border arrangenents negotiated with the Germans (July 30, 1941). The agreement also changed the status of the Poles detained in the Soviet Union. They were given the choice of fighting with the Red Army or joining the Polish forces fighting with the Western Allies.

Occupation of Poland (September 1939-June 1941)

The NAZIs and Soviets after invading Poland, paritioned Poland (September 1939). This was provided for under the terms of the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agression Pact. Both countries launched a horific occupation designed to destroy not only the country, but the very notion of Polish nationality. Polish leaders and the inteligensia were arrested and many executed in an effort to ensure that Poland would never again become a nation. The NAZI ocupation and attrocities in Poland are well known. The Soviet occupation is less well knowm. The NKVD murders of the Polish officers in the Katyn Forest or only one episode in the dismal history of Soviet attricities. The NKVS are believed to have deported 1,5 million Polish civiliand. Another 0.5 million Polish POWs were cheld in Soviet camps. The NAZIs pursued this policy throughout the War. Soviet policy changed after the NAZI invasion (June 1941).

Barbarossa (June 1941)

Hitler launched largest military operation in history--Operation Barbarossa (June 1941). Stalin who had moved the Red Army west into the annexed area of eastern Poland was shocked. Hecwentbinto seclusion for several dats. Front blinecunits had standing orders not to fire least they createc an incudent that would give Hitler an excuse to invade. As aesult, the initial Red Army response was confused an inefectual The Red air Dorce was devestated. Wehrmacht Army Group Center drove into the Soviet occupation zone and made rapid progress, devestating Red Army units and rapidly moving east. The Germans on all fronts reported great victories. The Germans and foreign military observers predicted that the Societ Union would collapse within weeks. For ahilevit vlooked like they might be right.

Polish-Soviet Agreement (July 1941)

A desperate Stalin needed Allies. The two most important were Britain and America. Britain had a Treaty with Poland and an informal relationship with America. America had large number of citizens of Polish ancestry who were apauked by the German and Soviet invasions. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden incouraged Polish Prime Minister in Exile Sikorski to approach the Soviets. Sikorski opened negotiations with the Soviet ambassador to London, Ivan Mayski, to re-establish diplomatic relations (July 5). Sikorski became the the architect of the resulting agreement, sometimes called Sikorski-Mayski Agreement. While Stalin's principal concern was probably Britain and America, he also saw the Poles as possible allies. The Germans rapidly occupied the Soviet eastern zone of pre-War Poland, but the Soviets had large numbers of Poles, both POWs and civilians deported from Poland as part of the process of suppressing Polish resistance. The fact that the Germans now occupied all of pre-War Poland and the barbaric character of the occupation as well the Poles in Soviet camps convinced the Poles to deal with them. As a result, the Soviet Government signed an agreement with the London-based Polish Government in exile (July 30, 1941). The signees were Polish Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski and Soviet Ambassador to the United Kingdom Ivan Mayski. The Agreement invalidated the border arrangenents negotiated with the Germans (July 30, 1941). The agreement also changed the status of the Poles detained in the Soviet Union. They were given the choice of fighting with the Red Army or joining the Polish forces fighting with the Western Allies. The text of the agreement signed in London read:

" 1. The Government of the U.S.S.R. recognizes the Soviet-German treaties of 1939 as to territorial changes in Poland as having lost their validity. The Polish Government declares Poland is not bound by any agreement with any third power which is directed against the U.S.S.R.

2. Diplomatic relations will be restored between the two governments upon the signing of this agreement, and an immediate exchange of Ambassadors will be arranged.

3. The two governments mutually agree to render one to another aid and support of all kinds in the present war against Hitlerite Germany.

4. The Government of the U.S.S.R. expresses its consent to the formation on territory of the U.S.S.R. of a Polish Army under a commander appointed by the Polish Government in agreement with the Soviet Government, the Polish Army on territory of the U.S.S.R. being subordinated in an operational sense to the Supreme Command of the U.S.S.R., in which the Polish Army will be represented. All details as to command, organization and employment of this force will be settled in a subsequent agreement.

5. This agreement will come into force immediately upon signature and without ratification. The present agreement is drawn up in two copies, in the Russian and Polish languages. Both texts have equal force.

The Soviet Government grants amnesty to all Polish citizens now detained on Soviet territory either as prisoners of war or on other sufficient grounds, as from the resumption of diplomatic relations." Note the last sentence and the phrase 'other sufficient grounds'.

Polish-Soviet Relations

Poland and the Soviets subsequently signed a military alliance in Moscow (August 14, 941). Sikorski then went to Moscow with a diplomatic mission, including the future Polish ambassador to Moscow, Stanisław Kot, and newly appointed chief of the Polish Military Mission in the Soviet Union, General Zygmunt Szyszko-Bohusz. It soon became known that large numbers of Polish officers known to jhave been in Soviet hands were missing, This would cloud war-timecrelations relations between the Polish and Soviet Governments. The Poles pressed the Soviets for an accounting of the missing men. As the NKVF had murdered them, the Soviets refused to providecthe requested information. It was finally the Germans who provided the answer when they found the mass graves in the Katyn Forest (July 1943).

Polish Military Contribution

The Poles in manpower terms made the fifth largest contribution to fighting the Germans (after the Soviets, Americans, British, and French) and in the West fought with the British. Of course the mobilization of Poles was limited by the fact that the Germans occupied all of the country.

Initial Phase

Unlike the Czechs, the Poles decided to fight. The Polish Army was largely overwealmed by the Germans in the first few weeks of the War. While the Polish fefense was not well managed, it proved in many ways more effective than the French. Some Poles escaped to join the French and after France fell, escaped to Btitain. Two Polish squafrond sought wsith the RAF in the Nattle of Britain.

Home Army

Poles Joining the Red Army

On the Eastern Front the Poles fought both in the Home Army and with the Red Army.

Wehrmacht Desertions

One source mentions Polish deserters from the Whermacht, but we do not yet have the details on this. One source suggests about 90,000 Polee deserted the Wehrmacht, most from Silesia.

Poles Reaching the West

After the German invasion, Stalin eleased interned Poles. Many reached the West through Iran. General Władysław Anders organized a 40,000-strong army which fought with the British 8th army. It became known as the Polish II Corps. They fought both in North Africa and Italy. There most important battle was at Monte Casino. The Poles sho fought with the British were shocked when thet were not allowed by Prime Minister Atlee to march in the London victory parade to honor British servicemen and the allies that fought with Britain (June 8, 1946). Primeminister Atlee was concerned about offending Stalin. The British did invite RAF 303 Squadron which had fought in the Battle of Britain. But they refused if their Polish comrades were excluded.

Assessment

Knowing the outcome of World war II in Poland, many will judge the Soviet Polish agreement a failure. History is, however, much more complicated. The Poles that went to Moscow to negotiate the agreement had no illusions about Stalin's character. There options, however, were limited. It is true that The Soviets after the War not only seized control of Poland. He also had Poles who fought in the anti-NAzi resistance arrested and many were shot. Even Poles that fought with the Western Allies, if they returned were persecuted andc arressted. But that is only half of the story. Stalin as a NAZI ally sought had like Hitler set out to destroy the Polish nation. After the War, Poland emerged as a nation. It was a much reduced country and a Soviet satellite, but it was a nation. And the agreement got large numbers of Polish POWs out of the Gulag where they were being starved. In addition, Polish civiliansd deported by the Soviets were allowed to leave the Soviet Union. And as bad as Soviet policy was in Poland, it was not the genocidal policies of the NAZIs. And perhaps the final salute to men who negoitated the treaty is that it was in Poland during the 1980s that another generation of Poles as part of Solidarity dfurung the 1980s began to unravel not only the Siviet Empire, but the Soviet Union itself.

Created: 6:05 PM 6/13/2008
Last updated: 7:44 PM 9/25/2017