SOVIETS: LIBERATORS OR CONQUERORS?

" September Campaign" The opening scenes are of Polish Military Forces

September 20, 1939

In a stunning turn of events, Polish armies in the city of Lwow find themselves trapped. German units that were positioned to the north and south of the city have suddenly withdrawn all their forces and in their place are now Soviet infantry. Reports indicate that many Poles have either been forcibly conscripted into the Red Army or have done so willingly. No confirmation has yet been received from the Polish Commanders.

The Polish Armies of Poznan and Pomorze, which were defeated by German troops yesterday at Bzura, have reached the outskirts of Warsaw to provide reinforcements. Over 120,000 Polish troops have converged and broken through the German encirclement at Warsaw and Modlin. German units numbering over 175,000 soldiers were prepared for the assault. Casualties were high on both sides.

In response to Hitler's so-called peace offerings, France and Britain proclaimed that they "will not permit a Hitler victory to condemn the world to slavery and to ruin all moral values and destroy liberty."  Despite their concerted bravado, Britain and France have still not deterred Germany's drive for territorial expansion across Europe. With the exception of occasional military skirmishes along the Maginot Line, the Allied Front remains weak.  Both Britain and France have promised to come to Poland's aid but have failed to take any action. The Polish government is concerned that Poland will follow the same fate as Czechoslovakia.  When Hitler demanded control of the Sudetenland in 1938, Britain unilaterally ceded part of Czechosolvakia in exchange for guarantees of peace. Will Poland be next?       
 

Partition of Czechosloakia

Chamberlain and Hitler at Munich Conference 1938

Meanwhile in the British House of Commons, the Conservative Government under Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain has come under heavy criticism from the Labour Party Opposition for his policy of appeasement and for failing to provide assistance for Poland's defence after the September 1st invasion by Germany.

A flight of German ME-109 fighters attacked three Fairey Battle reconnaissance bombers today over the Siegfried Line near Aachen.  Britain was able to shoot down one Me fighter before losing two of her Fairey Battles. In the meantime 110 British and French armored divisions sit idle while Hitler carves up Europe.


Link:
Polish Greatness.com

POLES ESCAPE TO FRANCE WITH SECRET OF ENIGMA

September 18, 1939

Polish mathematician and cryptologist Marian Rejewski and his colleagues Jerzy Rozycki and Henryk Zygalski made a daring escape from Romania to France yesterday.  Rejewski is reknowned for cracking the code of Germany's secret Enigma machine. Several weeks before the Germans invaded Poland, Rejewski and his colleagues had presented the results of the Enigma de-coding to French and British Intelligence Bureaus. Shortly after the Nazis invaded Poland they fled to Romania, carrying with them the secrets of the Enigma.

Marian Rejewski

 Henryk Zygalski

Jerzy Rozycki

Rejewski was studying mathematics at Poznan University and also attended a secret cryptology course conducted by the Cypher Bureau of the Polish General Staff. It was not until 1932 that Rejewski set to work on decoding the Enigma. After only a few weeks he worked out the secret internal wiring system and together with his colleagues discovered the techniques for the decryption of Enigma messages.
More about the Enigma





The Battle at Bzura has taken a deadly turn for the Poles. German troops started their drive towards the south along both banks of the Bzura River, supported by more than 300 aircraft and heavy artillery. German infantries have dug into positions on high ground along the Vistula's Right Bank giving them complete control of the region. Armed with howitzers, the Germans have been shelling Polish positions all day. Polish casualties are extremely high.


Polish President Moscicki, and the Commander-in-Chief Rydz-Smigly have escaped through Polish borders and  have arrived in Romania. They were immediately interned by the Romanian government, and have dispatched a message for Polish troops urging them to keep fighting.

Polish Armoured Cars Advancing

Polish Army

Polish 75mm Howitzers

Polish R-35 tank

Polish Squadrons

Soviet forces continue to advance and have covered a distance of 100 km into Poland's heartland with little resistance. With most of Poland's Infantry Divisions concentrated in the West, and the evacuation of other Polish units, the future of Poland is bleak.  Meanwhile the German 3rd and 10th armies begin their attack on Warsaw.

The German Luftwaffe dropped thousands of leaflets on the city of Lwow urging the Poles to surrender. When this was ignored, the Germans began a general  assault, which was again repelled by the Polish fighters.

Another attack and rescue in the North Atlantic today.  The SS Kensington Court was shelled by a German U-32 submarine near the English coast. Before she sank, an SOS was sent out and 34 men jumped ship. Within minutes they were rescued by two British sea-planes and have arrived safely ashore. The Kensington Court was on route from Argentina to Birkenhead carrying 8,000 tons of cereal.

In a joint announcement that has stunned the world, the governments of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland have declared that they intend to continue trading with all belligerent nations to protect their economic interests.



Related Links:
The Enigma Machine Part 1 Polish Code Breakers
Polish Greatness.com  The Enigma

WARSAW UNDER SIEGE

September 15, 1939

The capital of Poland is under siege. German forces have reached Warsaw from the east. Only a strip of land connecting Kampinos Forest and Modlin Fortress remain in Polish hands. The relentless bombing of the city has left it in complete ruin. A great exodus of people have fled the city yet many are trapped and unable to escape. With the exception of Polish Army Forces, it is not known how many Poles remain.

 

Battle of Bzura continues with heavy losses on both sides. Polish Army Pomorze  took up defensive positions at Kutno, Zychlin, Gabin and Sochaczew on the northern bank of the Bzura River. General Stanislaw Grzot-Skotnicki's unit was between Kutno and Zychlin. General Michal Karaczewicz -Tokaczewski's unit was near Gabin. And parts of the Army Poznan by the Bzura near Sochaczew.   From there they commenced their drive towards Warsaw.  The Germans engaged most of the 10th Army Division to encircle the Poles.  The Germans deployed 2 armoured, 1 motorized and 3 light divisions, totaling 800 tanks.  The Poles were forced out of Sochaczew and trapped in a triangle of Bzura, Vistula and German forces. After crossing the Bzura (between Sochaczew and Brochow), the German Panzer Division engaged the Polish 25th infantry and managed to capture Ruszki, and after a bloody battle they stopped their advance. The Polish 25th unit had crossed the Bzura near Vistula north of Sochaczew and and are heading towards Warsaw. In the process however, they had to abandon most of their heavy artillery.  Meanwhile, the Poznan Army at Kutno has reported extensive casualties.

Brest-Litovsk, located 120 miles east of Warsaw has been surrounded. Major General Juliusz Rommel, the Warsaw Military Commander, has refused to discuss a surrender proposal from the German Supreme Command.

Polish troops have evacuated to Romania, but with the intention to continue fighting for Poland. In a surprising turn of events, although the Romanian government has granted asylum to Polish civil and military refugees, Polish infantry units were immediately disarmed and interned by the Romanians.  Poland and Romania had been allies since 1921, having ratified the Polish-Romanian Alliance Pact, which was presumed to be valid. The Polish government had recently transferred the treasury of the National Bank of Poland to the Romanian government for safe-keeping. The first shipment consisted of 1,261 crates containing 82,402 kilograms of gold while the second shipment totaled 3,057,450 kilograms, both escorted by the Romanian Navy.

Polish Soldiers in Romania 1939

In Moscow, an armistice agreement was signed between Japan and the USSR ending their four month-old, "Nomohan Incident".  They have been engaged in protracted fighting on the borders of Manchukuo (Manchuria) and Mongolia. Since the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact was signed, both sides have been under pressure from Germany to settle the dispute.  Peace talks were initiated by the Japanese Cabinet, appointed two weeks ago, after Japan lost 17,000 troops in one battle.

German radio broadcasted today interviews with British and New Zealander aircrew captured during the Wilhelmshaven raid on September 4th.

In Britain, motorists besiege petrol stations although no date for rationing has yet been established.

The first British trans-Atlantic convoy set sail today from Halifax, Nova Scotia. All ships carrying vital supplies of Canadian wheat and US munitions will travel on scheduled convoys protected by the British and Canadian Navies.  The first convoy has recently sailed from Gibraltar. The Glasgow-Thames coastal trade is moving convoys as well.



Link:
Polish Greatness.com

Poles Re-Capture Lowicz

September 12, 1939

The first German units arrived near Lwow.  German infantry under the command of General Field Marshall List began immediate military assaults on Polish fighters in the area,  while other German troops are moving north from their bridgeheads over the San River. German motorised units under the command of Colonel Ferdinand Schorner captured the city of  Sambor 66 kilometers from Lwow, and ordered his units to move on from there to break through the weak Polish defenses to capture Lwow. The assault group was composed of two motorised infantry companies and a battery of 150mm guns.  The Germans outflanked the Poles and reached the outskirts of Lwow but suffered heavy casualties from Polish gunfire. Though numerically weaker, the Polish forces repelled the German advance with only three infantry platoons and two 75mm guns. The units soon received reinforcements and held their positions until dawn. Command of the city center was given to General Francisek Sikorski, a veteran of World War I, and the Polish-Bolshevik War. The General is the brother of General Wladyslaw Sikorski.

A Polish infantry around Poznan that was supposed to have marched to Berlin unexpectedly altered their course and attempted to take the German 8th Army in the flank. After a violent battle Polish troops succeeded in pushing back German forces 12 miles south of Kutno and recaptured Lowicz.

The German 3rd Army under General Georg Von Kuchler broke through Polish lines along the Narew River and veered southward in order to cut Warsaw off from the East.  Polish cavalry units under the command of General Wladylaw Anders attempted a counter-offensive which had failed. After heavy fighting Anders ordered a retreat to new positions in the south. Other Polish units fighting in the area under General Juliusz Zulauf had to retreat as well and are heading towards Warsaw.

In the continuing battle of Bzura, the Poles have reached the Strykow-Ozorkow line. On the same day, General Tadeusz Kutrzeba was informed that Army Lodz had retreated to the stronghold Modlin Fortress.  Upon hearing of this Kutrzeba stopped the offensive and tried to break through to Warsaw,  through Sochaczew and Kampinos Forest.

Chancellor Hitler arrived in Poland yesterday to review military strategy and called on General Rundstedt to re-organize the German 8th Armies of the Group South. In the first phase of the Battle of Bzura,  the 30th German Infantry Division under the command of General Kurt Von Braisen, together with 8th Armies of General Blaskowitz, were destroyed by the Polish infantry. The Poles engaged the enemy in vicious hand-to-hand combat to re-capture every plot of ground. Over 1,500 German soldiers have been killed and wounded in action, and over 3,000 German troops were taken prisoner by the Polish infantry. Since the battle at Bzura began the Poles have been gaining considerable advantage but victory did not come easily.

German Panzer destroyed by Polish Infantry

German tanks destroyed by Polish Infantry

German soldiers captured by Polish Infantry

In Gdynia, which is now called Gotenhafen by the German occupation, Poles have started evacuating the city.

In Eastern Poland, Luftwaffe planes are bombing Kremieniec (Kremenets in German), an open village where Warsaw's diplomatic community has sought refuge since the siege of Warsaw.  No comments have been made by Poland's allies.

Kremieniec Destroyed by German troops

Polish officials who have sought refuge in Romania now found themselves interned by the Romanian government. German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop threatened the Romanians not to give asylum to Polish nationals crossing the border and promised swift military reprisals in the event of non-compliance.

In the Western Front, the French Army has advanced 8 km (5 miles) into German territory on a 24 km (15 miles) frontage in the Saarland region. According to the French units, their action had forced German troops to withdraw 6 infantry divisions from Poland for reinforcement, although Britain appears doubtful of these claims.  As a result of the advance, the front is now placed to within half a mile of the Siegried Line. A frontal assault on these defenses is now out of the question, at which General Gamelin is calling for an end to the military operation.

The Anglo-French Supreme War Council met for the first time today at Abbey-ville, in northern France. Meanwhile, a Czech army-in-exile is being formed in France.

In Britain today, the Home Office opened an inquiry into blackout rules.

The United States Navy has begun making daily patrols along the entire length of the eastern seaboard, including the Caribbean.

German UBoat in the Caribbean

Link:
Polish Greatness.com

Germany Captures Upper Silesia

September 11, 1939

The German Luftwaffe continues its relentless bombings of Polish cities and towns including Warsaw. Polish Commander-in-Chief Marshal Rydz-Smigly ordered that Warsaw is to be defended at all costs.  
German forces crossed the River San, north and south of the industrial town of Przemysl, in southeastern Poland. The Battle at Bzura continues without abating. The leaders of the German Army Group South, Rundstedt, and his Chief of Staff, Manstein, are already beginning to assemble reinforcements for the German 8th Army. Polish forces are continuing their offensive advancing on Modlna, Pludwiny, Osse, Glowno.  The German 10th army initially underestimated the Polish advance and quickly redirected the main force of the 4th and 10th Armies, and aircraft from the 4th Air Fleet towards the Bzura.  German air superiority became quickly apparent as Polish movements were significantly disrupted.

Przemysl townpeople cross river by boat

The Polish forces at Radom have been destroyed. The Germans have captured 60,000 Polish soldiers.   Germany's control of the industrial area in Upper Silesia, Poland is now complete.

Radom is destroyed

Polish General Rudolph Prich has been given command of the Polish forces around Lwow.  A plan of defense has recently been organized for the area and Polish units are now taking positions to defend the line of the San River spreading out nests of resistance along the Zolkiew - Rawa Ruska - Janow - Grodek Jagiellonski line.

Germany announced a counter blockade against Britain, saying that since "economic warfare was forced on her (Germany) is not only able to resist every pressure of blockade and every form of British hunger warfare, but to reply to it with the same methods."

German cipher experts have succeeded in cracking the British merchant ship code allowing them to identify convoy meeting points.  The British Cabinet has decided that no further attempt to bomb Germany by air will be carried out.

Churchill is beginning to exchange secret messages with President Roosevelt using the the code name, "A Naval Person".


Link:
Polish Greatness.com