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"Poles versus Red Army 1920" Topic


15 Posts

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Comments or corrections?

doc mcb10 Aug 2020 6:00 a.m. PST
doc mcb10 Aug 2020 6:06 a.m. PST

I knew this had happened but that was it. Fun propaganda posters from both sides.

Personal logo Aurochs Supporting Member of TMP10 Aug 2020 6:30 a.m. PST

I have serious doubts that the red army would have been able to conquer Germany, Austria and the rest of central Europe.

Pan Marek10 Aug 2020 7:30 a.m. PST

Osprey just came out with a campaign book:
Warsaw 1920.

Frederick Supporting Member of TMP10 Aug 2020 7:43 a.m. PST

Great posters! Thanks for finding this site

Cuprum210 Aug 2020 8:02 a.m. PST

It was not about conquest. The military forces of the devastated Russia were hardly capable of real conquest of those countries that a much richer and more equipped Germany could not conquer a little earlier. The plan was to support the revolutions in Europe that were to break out when the Red Army approached. And such revolutions were quite real, as demonstrated by the socialist revolutions in Hungary and Germany.
The Poles themselves teased the "red bear" for a whole year, attacking the territories that Soviet Ukraine and Soviet Belarus considered their own, which were in union with Soviet Russia. And not only on them … The Western Ukrainian Republic, Germany, Lithuania suffered from the aggression of the Poles.
By the way, as part of the Red Army, the Western Rifle Division, consisting of Communist Poles, fought valiantly (including against the troops of the Polish Republic).

From the point of view of wargame, a very interesting war. Weapons and equipment of the period of the First World War (tanks, planes, armored trains), but maneuverable combat operations, rather interesting uniforms (the Poles have military units in French and German uniforms), the largest last cavalry battles of the 20th century. Figures for creating armies are available.

To immerse yourself in the atmosphere, I recommend watching the film "1920 Battle of Warsaw"

YouTube link

Pan Marek10 Aug 2020 8:20 a.m. PST

See:
link
(this includes a history of the Western Rifle "Division".

Also see:
link


Events in the aftermath of WWI and the Russian revolution are rarely as clear as Soviet text books.

Cuprum210 Aug 2020 6:54 p.m. PST

One may think that in the Polish textbooks, these events are now presented as accurately and in detail)))
And you think that I'm somewhere lied?

advocate11 Aug 2020 2:04 a.m. PST

"Great posters". Am I the only person to see a distinct anti-Semitic tinge in many of the "enemy"?

advocate11 Aug 2020 2:07 a.m. PST

But for Covid I'd probably have been bringing out my Russo-Polish forces for a spin. Maybe later in the year…

Umpapa11 Aug 2020 6:57 a.m. PST

We discussed it also here:
TMP link
TMP link

This war was more about conflict of ideas: world communism totalitarian revolution vs socialist democratic prometheism (freedom for all nations of former Russian Empire).
link
Very important part of this war was struggle for souls of nations of Europe and Russia. It was not Polish-Russian war: it was more war of civilizations.

On Soviet, communists side were: bolscheviks, Lithuania, all totalitarian/anarchist communists of all nations: many Russians (even White), some Poles, Balts, Ukrainians. Germany and Czechoslovakia actively suppport Soviets.

Great Britain were neutral but stopped all cargo to Poland due to strike of workers (GB was afraid of too powerful France).

On Polish side there were Baltics (Central Lithuania, Lietuva, Estonia), Ukraine and Belarus. Hungary helped with a helluva lot of ammo. Romania helped with logistics. USA sent food, drugs and volunteers including pilot author of "King Kong". France mobilization stopped German Army from intervening, handful of officers incl DeGaulle were moral suport. Nations of Armenia and Georgia also helpd with volunteers. Even 30 000 Russians fight against Soviets – they were Savinkov socialist democratic "Third Russia" – "Neither Red Nor White" (real heroes of future democratic Russia, I hope). Those were not "Polish nationalist" as they were mostly socialist (Pilsudski was socialist revolutionary himself).

If non-Red side were more succesful, in 1921 there would be independent Ukraine and Belarus. Bear in mind Poland liberated Minsk, Kiev, Davgapilis on behalf of allied national governments and with cooperation of local national forces and none of this territory was annexed or ethnically cleansed.

Poland wanted to set up Intermare Confederation/Alliance of independent states: Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Lietuva, Estonia as such confederation would become a counter-weight to any potential imperialist intentions on the part of Russia or of Germany. Old Polish axiom, proven in 1939, till today: "There can be no independent Poland without an independent Ukraine". Without independent Poland there can be no independent Baltics, which again 1939 proved.

link
link

Re wargaming: if only somebody made 1:72 tachanka in plastic it would help a lot to wargame RCW/1920/BoB
TMP link

Cuprum211 Aug 2020 7:35 a.m. PST

The mention of "Central Lithuania" as an independent state touches. You also forgot to mention the military clashes between the armies of Poland and Lithuania (which tried to defend its territory from Polish aggression).

link

It is also strange that the nationalist governments of Ukraine and Belarus seem to you more legitimate than the communist governments of these states. And on what basis?
Considering Savinkov a "third force" is also strange. He has been the official representative of Admiral Kolchak in Europe since 1918.

You can buy from the author: link

Personal logo Bobgnar Supporting Member of TMP11 Aug 2020 9:31 p.m. PST

did anyone mention this
link

good movie to my view.

doc mcb13 Aug 2020 7:08 a.m. PST

advocate, yes, I picked up on that. When I said "fun" I meant so overdrawn as to be ridiculous. Nothing subtle about wartime propaganda, I suppose.

Personal logo StoneMtnMinis Supporting Member of TMP16 Aug 2020 6:48 a.m. PST

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