Warsaw Uprising 1944: August 12 - POLISH PRIME MINISTER FEARS SOVIETIZATION

German Tank in Wola District

German attacks this morning on Old Town were repelled by insurgents. Heavy fighting continues as Polish fighters have recaptured a school and warehouses located on Stawki Street taken by the Germans just a few hours ago. Pocztowy Station still remains in Polish hands and is the only outpost which has cut off the strategic artery of Jerozolimskie Avenue.

Maj. Waclaw Janaszek “Bolek” has taken over command of the “Kedyw” group from Lt. Col. Jan Mazurkiewicz “Radoslaw” who was wounded in battle. Due to heavy enemy fire,  Polish Command decided to move AK Headquarters from the school at 6 Barokowa Street to the building of the Ministry of Justice at 7 Dluga Street.

Insurgents fight back enemy attacks along barricades in Podwale, Swietojanska, Piwna, Senatorska and Miodowa Streets and on the City Hall and Blank’s Palace. The Germans have launched strong attacks on the Krasinski Gardens, Mostowski Palace and barricades in Leszno Street.

SS RONA has launched attack in the area of Starynkiewicza Square. After a fierce exchange of gun fire Polish troops of the “Chrobry II” group  have retreated from the Water Supply and Sewage Headquarters, the Tourist Hostel, the Military Geographical Institute and the District Office.

“Chrobry II” still holds control of the northern side of Aleje Jerozolimskie Street with the Dom Kolejowy rail office building and the Postal Railway Station. Meanwhile, enemy troops are attacking along Grzybowska Street and from Chlodna along Zelazna and Walicow Streets. But the attack is repulsed.

Patrol Stanislawa Jankowskiego-Agaton- Piesc Battalion defending Chloda Street (Wola)

Squadron 1586 aka No. 301 has flown over Warsaw seven nights in a row this week.  Only one plane has returned to the air base in Brindisi, Italy.

Pilots of Squadron 1586

In London today Prime Minister Mikolajczyk sent a report to General Bor in Warsaw of his impressions about the Soviet Government. He maintains that the Soviets have decided not to Sovietize Poland "for the time being" preferring instead to postpone the decision. He stated that “On the other hand, the Polish Communists are determined to take this opportunity to communize Poland... Which ways, which means, should be chosen in order to save Poland from Sovietization? What should the Polish Government in Exile do? Continue to fight and remain in exile? Or, by taking advantage of its own contacts abroad, should it return to Poland exposing itself and all the political parties that are the bases for its existence, to all the dangers of a return and then admit Communists into the ranks of the government to prevent Poland from Sovietization?’ “

Prime Minister Mikolajczyk

In July 1943, Mikolajczyk was appointed successor to Prime Minister Sikorski. Sikorski was killed in a tragic plane crash over Gibraltar. There was immediate speculation that the  crash was not an accident but a sinister plot by the Soviet government to eliminate Sikorski.  In a broadcast to Poland, Mikolajczyk stated “ We do not wish to see only a formal democracy in Poland but a social democracy which will put into practice not only political, religious and personal freedom but also social and economic freedom, the four freedoms of which Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke so finely. In any case there is and will be no place in Poland for any kind of totalitarian government in any shape or form." 

Mikolajczyk faces daunting challenges. Despite efforts by Winston Churchill, talks between Mikolajczyk and Stalin have broken down over several issues, including that of Polands postwar borders. Stalin insists that the eastern Polish territories rightfully belong to the Soviet Union and Mikolajczyk has refused to compromise.

WARSAW RISING The forgotten soldiers of WWII part 2 (00:09:49m)