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Polish Information Center

Poland's War Effort 1939 - 1944

During the period 1934 to 1939, Hitler had urged Poland to join Germany in an attack on Soviet Russia, promising her large territorial gains in Eastern Europe. Poland rejected all of Hitler's proposals and signed on August 25, 1939 an Agreement of Mutual Assistance with Great Britain in defense of European Democracy.

At dawn on September 1, 1939, German land and air armies attacked at 14 points from East Prussia, West Prussia, Silesia, Moravia and Slovakia. Germany had bombed all Polish airfields and 61 towns within the first few hours.

The German-Polish war lasted 35 days, from September 1 to October 5, 1939. At Kock the last major engagement of the war was fought on October 5th. The siege of Warsaw, capital of Poland, lasted 19 days in spite of heavy air and artillery bombardment. Warsaw surrendered on September 27, after the armies had exhausted all ammunition, the water supply had been cut, and 200 large fires were raging in the city.

The relative strength of Polish and German forces in September 1939 was as Follows:

Poland

Germany

Infantry:

31 divisions

70 division

Panzer units:

1 division

14 division

Planes:

443

4320

Fire power ratio:

On September 14, German panzer units had been halted thanks to the resistance of the Polish armies and to the extension of German supply lines. The Poles began to organize effective resistance along the marshes of Polesie and in South-eastern Poland. But at dawn on September 17, also without declaration of war, Soviet Russia despite her non-aggression treaty with Poland attacked the rear of the Polish armies fighting Germany. On September 28, Germany and Russia signed agreement dividing Poland between themselves '' for all time'', along the '' Ribbentrop-Molotov'' line.

Immediately following cessation of organized warfare in Poland, Polish soldiers and civilians formed guerrilla units which were to become the nucleus of the great Polish Underground or Home Army, numbering today over 250,000 soldiers. Simultaneously, two days after the fall of Warsaw, a Polish Army was formed in France by General Sikorski. This army consisted of 4 1/2 infantry divisions, an armored brigade and the Carpathian Brigade, some 80,000 men in all. The first and second divisions took part in the battle of France; the Carpathian Brigade fought in Norway and was the first to enter Narvik.

After the collapse of France, General Sikorski succeeded in evacuating a large part of Polish troops England, where Poland now has an army corps of 30,000 with an armored division, a parachute brigade, and other units. Besides these 5,000 women have been organized into a Polish Women's Auxiliary Service.

When the Polish-Russian Treaty was signed were released, and a new Polish army was organized on Russian soil under General Anders. Before it could be equipped, it was transferred to the Middle East at the request of the Soviet Government. With the Carpathian Brigade now expanded to a Division, it forms a separate Army corps. Polish ground forces in the Middle East number some 75,000 men, fully trained and armed with the most modern American and British equipment. They fought in the Libyan Campaign [ Tobruk, El Gazala ] and are now fighting in Italy [ Monte Cassino and Ancona ].

Also following the September campaign Polish fighter squadrons were set up in France, and bomber crews were trained in Britain. When Hitler attacked in the West, Polish fighter pilots, fighting with the British and French Air Forces, faced his air armada. After the fall of France 8,000 Polish flyers were evacuated to England. They played a glorious role in the Battle of Britain, destroying 219 German planes and probably destroying 39.

Up to May 1,1944 the official records of the Polish air force operating from British bases in the British Isles contains the following entries:

620 enemy aircraft actually destroyed
167 probably destroyed
214 badly damaged

Polish Bomber Squadrons have taken part in 893 operations of a varied character in which a total of 7,056 sorties were made.

They dropped 15,547,771 lbs. of bombs and mines.

At the present moment the Polish Air Force numbers 12,000 men and ranks fourth in size among other of the United Nations [ after the United States, Great Britain and Russia ]. It consists of 14 squadrons and is larger than the air forces of France, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Yugoslavia and Belgium combined.

The Polish Navy has been fighting since the outbreak of the war by the side of the British Riyal Navy. It participated in the evacuation of Dunkirk, in the attack on the Bismark, the landing at Dieppe, in the battle of the Atlantic and operations off the North Africa coast and Italy. It now consists of 1 cruiser, 6 destroyers, 3 submarines and 3 coastal craft. Poland's merchant fleet is also in constant service on all seas and has carried much land material in convoys to Russia and battle fields.

The largest Polish military command is stationed in Occupied Poland. This is the Home Army and divided into two groups:

a] Operational units, in which soldiers are used in actual skirmishes with the invader.

b] The regular Army, whose men undergo consistent training and are strictly subject to the military discipline oft the organization.

The operational group consists of 250,000 men, while the number of men in the Regular Army is much higher.

In order to understand fully its significance, it should be remembered that the Home Army has been able through its activities to immobilize in Poland the following German forces:

1] Five full divisions, i.e. over 60,000 men for '' Special assignments'', stationed at several points throughout the country.

2] Fourteen divisions, i.e. about 160,000 men on garison duty.

3] Military Nazi party formations, in this 57,250 SS-men, 95,000 party policeman, etc.

4] Formations of railroad, roads and frontier guards, over 200,000 men.

5] About 180,000 civilians of military age doing military service in armed organizations, such as the '' German Self-Defense'' and the '' German Security'' [ Sonderdienst] for defense against the Polish Underground Movement.

In conclusion, two figures should be borne in mind:

1]. Poland's losses in the War:

a] Losses on the battle field .........900,000

b] Losses in Occupied Poland ..........5,700,000

Total 6,600,000

2] Strength of Polish Armed Forces outside of Poland Today:

The Polish Corps in Scotland ,,,,,,,30.000

Polish Army in the East and Italy...........75,000

Air Force..........................................12,000

Navy...................................3,000

Total 120,000

Polish Units organized in Russia, fighting with the Red Army.............80,000

Material powyzszy znajduje sie w Instytucie J. Pilsudskiego w New York w dziale Akta agendy Ministerstwa Informacji i Dokumentacji, T.7-8 PIC

Polish Information Center

Poland's War Effort 1939 - 1944 During the period 1934 to 1939, Hitler had urged Poland to join Germany in an attack on Soviet Russia, promising her large territorial gains in Eastern Europe. Poland rejected all of Hitler's proposals and signed on August 25, 1939 an Agreement of Mutual Assistance with Great Britain in defense of European Democracy. At dawn on September 1, 1939, German land and air armies attacked at 14 points from East Prussia, West Prussia, Silesia, Moravia and Slovakia. Germany had bombed all Polish airfields and 61 towns within the first few hours. The German-Polish war lasted 35 days, from September 1 to October 5, 1939. At Kock the last major engagement of the war was fought on October 5th. The siege of Warsaw, capital of Poland, lasted 19 days in spite of heavy air and artillery bombardment. Warsaw surrendered on September 27, after the armies had exhausted all ammunition, the water supply had been cut, and 200 large fires were raging in the city. The relative strength of Polish and German forces in September 1939 was as Follows:


	Poland	Germany
Infantry:	31 divisions	70 division
Panzer units:	1 division	14 division
Planes:	443	4320
Fire power ratio:	1	72


On September 14, German panzer units had been halted thanks to the resistance of the Polish armies and to the extension of German supply lines. The Poles began to organize effective resistance along the marshes of Polesie and in South-eastern Poland. But at dawn on September 17, also without declaration of war, Soviet Russia despite her non-aggression treaty with Poland attacked the rear of the Polish armies fighting Germany. On September 28, Germany and Russia signed agreement dividing Poland between themselves '' for all time'', along the '' Ribbentrop-Molotov'' line. Immediately following cessation of organized warfare in Poland, Polish soldiers and civilians formed guerrilla units which were to become the nucleus of the great Polish Underground or Home Army, numbering today over 250,000 soldiers. Simultaneously, two days after the fall of Warsaw, a Polish Army was formed in France by General Sikorski. This army consisted of 4 1/2 infantry divisions, an armored brigade and the Carpathian Brigade, some 80,000 men in all. The first and second divisions took part in the battle of France; the Carpathian Brigade fought in Norway and was the first to enter Narvik. After the collapse of France, General Sikorski succeeded in evacuating a large part of Polish troops England, where Poland now has an army corps of 30,000 with an armored division, a parachute brigade, and other units. Besides these 5,000 women have been organized into a Polish Women's Auxiliary Service. When the Polish-Russian Treaty was signed were released, and a new Polish army was organized on Russian soil under General Anders. Before it could be equipped, it was transferred to the Middle East at the request of the Soviet Government. With the Carpathian Brigade now expanded to a Division, it forms a separate Army corps. Polish ground forces in the Middle East number some 75,000 men, fully trained and armed with the most modern American and British equipment. They fought in the Libyan Campaign [ Tobruk, El Gazala ] and are now fighting in Italy [ Monte Cassino and Ancona ]. Also following the September campaign Polish fighter squadrons were set up in France, and bomber crews were trained in Britain. When Hitler attacked in the West, Polish fighter pilots, fighting with the British and French Air Forces, faced his air armada. After the fall of France 8,000 Polish flyers were evacuated to England. They played a glorious role in the Battle of Britain, destroying 219 German planes and probably destroying 39. Up to May 1,1944 the official records of the Polish air force operating from British bases in the British Isles contains the following entries: 620 enemy aircraft actually destroyed 167 probably destroyed 214 badly damaged . Polish Bomber Squadrons have taken part in 893 operations of a varied character in which a total of 7,056 sorties were made. They dropped 15,547,771 lbs. of bombs and mines. At the present moment the Polish Air Force numbers 12,000 men and ranks fourth in size among other of the United Nations [ after the United States, Great Britain and Russia ]. It consists of 14 squadrons and is larger than the air forces of France, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Yugoslavia and Belgium combined. The Polish Navy has been fighting since the outbreak of the war by the side of the British Riyal Navy. It participated in the evacuation of Dunkirk, in the attack on the Bismark, the landing at Dieppe, in the battle of the Atlantic and operations off the North Africa coast and Italy. It now consists of 1 cruiser, 6 destroyers, 3 submarines and 3 coastal craft. Poland's merchant fleet is also in constant service on all seas and has carried much land material in convoys to Russia and battle fields. The largest Polish military command is stationed in Occupied Poland. This is the Home Army and divided into two groups: a] Operational units, in which soldiers are used in actual skirmishes with the invader. b] The regular Army, whose men undergo consistent training and are strictly subject to the military discipline oft the organization. The operational group consists of 250,000 men, while the number of men in the Regular Army is much higher. In order to understand fully its significance, it should be remembered that the Home Army has been able through its activities to immobilize in Poland the following German forces: 1] Five full divisions, i.e. over 60,000 men for '' Special assignments'', stationed at several points throughout the country. 2] Fourteen divisions, i.e. about 160,000 men on garison duty. 3] Military Nazi party formations, in this 57,250 SS-men, 95,000 party policeman, etc. 4] Formations of railroad, roads and frontier guards, over 200,000 men. 5] About 180,000 civilians of military age doing military service in armed organizations, such as the '' German Self-Defense'' and the '' German Security'' [ Sonderdienst] for defense against the Polish Underground Movement. In conclusion, two figures should be borne in mind: 1]. Poland's losses in the War: a] Losses on the battle field .........900,000 b] Losses in Occupied Poland ..........5,700,000 Total 6,600,000 2] Strength of Polish Armed Forces outside of Poland Today: The Polish Corps in Scotland ,,,,,,,30.000 Polish Army in the East and Italy...........75,000 Air Force..........................................12,000 Navy...................................3,000 Total 120,000 Polish Units organized in Russia, fighting with the Red Army.............80,000
Material powyzszy znajduje sie w Instytucie J. Pilsudskiego w New York w dziale Akta agendy Ministerstwa Informacji i Dokumentacji, T.7-8 PIC

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