POLISH GREATNESS BLOG: " BOOK SELECTIONS - "ZOLNIERZ POLSKI " ( Polish Soldiers)

Zolnierz Polski is a rare gem of a book illustrating Polish military uniforms of the World War II era, as well as that of the Polish People's Army. Each of the uniforms was drawn in minute detail - representing military dress of Polish fighting men - of land, sea and air. In addition to Polish uniforms, the book also contains drawings of weapons, ammunition, insignia, badges, medals and more! There is no other book like this on the web - or in the world!

When Poland was invaded by Germany and Russia in September 1939, the Polish army evacuated and eventually made its way to France, where they fought alongside their French allies. The uniforms worn by Polish soldiers were anything but "Polish" , and was decidedly French in design. But when France fell to the Nazis, the Polish armies fled to Britain and served under the British Army. Their uniforms were British design, but had the addition of distinctive "Poland" appliques on each sleeve. In this blog post, I have included just a few of the images presented in this book. Information about publisher of this book will be presented at the very end of this special series.

Many people do not realize that Poland was the 4th largest ally in World War II. What Poland lacked in numbers, they made up for in military skill, prowess and phenomenal courage and guts. The Polish soldier, then as well as now, is committed to fighting for freedom - and believes that there can be no freedom if others are languishing in chains.

Their motto has been and always will be - For Your Freedom and Ours.

POLISH ARMY

INSIGNIA 1939

Army 1939
Signs degrees on the epaulettes of jackets and coats trace troops and aviation.

  1 Polish Marszalek
  2 General weapons
  3 General division
  4 Brigadier General
  5 Colonel
  6 Lieutenant colonel
  7 Major
  8 Captain
  9 Lieutenant
10 Ensign
11 Ensign
12 Senior
13 Sergeant
14  Platoon Leader ( NCO )
15  Corporal
16  PFC
17  Private
Signs made ​​senior matt silver or ribbons in the same color.

POLISH NAVY

INSIGNIA 1939

 

Polish Navy 1939
Signs degrees on the epaulettes and sleeves Navy.

  1 Admiral
  2 Vice-admiral
  3 Rear-admiral
  4 Commander
  5 Lieutenant Commander
  6 Lieutenant Commander
  7 Captain
  8 Lieutenant
  9 Ensign
10 Ensign
11 Senior boatswain
12 Boatswain
13 Boatswain Mate
14 Mate
15 Senior sailor
Signs made ​​of a golden color belt, gold embroidery.

POLISH AIR FORCE IN THE WEST

1941-1945

Polish Air Force in the West 1941 - 1945
Signs degrees on the epaulettes sleeves and collars .

  1 PFC
  2 Corporal
  3 of plutonium
  4 Sergeant
  5 St . Sergeant
  6 Ensign
  7 Aspirant
  8 Student school cadets
  9 Corporal - pupil school cadets
10 Corporal - Cadet
11 Sergeant - Cadet
12 Ensign
13 Lieutenant
14 Captain
15 Major
16 Lieutenant colonel
17 Colonel
18 Air commodore
19 Brigadier General

Polish Armed Forces in the West 1941-1945
BADGES

 

Polish Armed Forces in the West, 1941-1945

  1 Generals - dark blue ( velvet ) , tabs crimson
  2 Infantry - dark blue , its yellow tabs
  3 Light Artillery - dark green ( velvet with officers ) , black tabs
  4 Heavy artillery - dark green ( velvet with officers ) tabs pulley
  5 Flak - dark green - its yellow tabs
  6 Artlyleria Boats - black and green pennants
  7 Cavalry and comp. recognition - pennants magenta - navy
  8 Weapon Armor - black -orange pennants
  9 A link - black ( velvet in ofic . ) Tabs blue
10 Sappers - black ( velvet in ofic . ) , Belt tabs
11 Columns Auto - black , orange tabs
12 Accomplished longitude - black ( velvet in ofic . ) Tabs white
13 Accomplished weapons - light green ( velvet in ofic . ) Tabs black
14 Accomplished train - light blue, magenta tabs
15 Accomplished stewardship - sapphire , crimson tabs
16 Health service - Cherry ( velvet in ofic . ) Tabs navy
17 Accomplished Veterinary - Cherry ( velvet in ofic . ) Light green tabs
18 Arboriculture - raspberry ( velvet in ofic . ) Tabs black
19 Gendarmerie - pulley , its yellow tabs
20 Chaplaincy - golden embroidery on patkach color uniforms .

Warsaw Uprising 1944: August 26 - WARSAW POLES LOSING TERRITORY

Polish boys in the Solec district

Polish insurgents fighting in Mokotow have tried to establish a connection with Upper Czerniakow but their efforts to break the German ring in the area of Lazienski Park have failed.

During the night two companies from the Baszta regiment succeeded in the capture of the Holy Family of Nazareth convent on Czerniakowska Street. The nuns, the injured and civilians were evacuated and have been taken to relative safety. Throughout the Nazi occupation the nuns conducted secret classes in defiance of Nazi edicts. Nazi Germany's inflicted its policy of cultural annihilation on the Polish nation, forbidding the continuation of Polish schools and universities on pain of death. During the past five years over 115 students managed to pass their final examinations.

Secret classes given by the nuns of Holy Family of Nazareth Convent in Warsaw WW2

At 12:30 a.m. General Bor, the Delegate of the Government and its staff descended into the city sewers. They entered through a manhole just 220 yards away from German positions. Four hours later they emerged in the Centre City sector. At this point in time, less than half a square mile of the Old Town remains in the hands of the Armia Krajowa (AK).

Polish units are defending about a dozen buildings, including the Old Arsenal, the Polish Bank, the Bastion of Holy Mary, St. John’s Cathedral, the hospital for the mentally ill, and Mostowski’s Palace.

 

Polish Insurgents attacking German units

Fighting has reached an intensity never seen before in the history of warfare. Polish and German units are in a stand to the death. One building has been attacked by the German eleven times and has changed hands seven times.

 

Germans launch barage of fire from 15 cm Sig 33 Howizer Warsaw Uprising

Air raids and artillery bombing of the Old Town continue. Despite incessant enemy attacks, the insurgents keep their positions in the Polski Bank on Bielanska Street, the ruined Simonsa passage on Dluga Street, the ruins of the City Hall and in the Blank’s Palace. They also fight back enemy attacks on barricades in Miodowa, Podwale, Piwna, Swietojanska and Kanonia Streets. Strong German pressure from the Vistula towards Brzozowa, Bolesc and Rybaki Streets continues. The insurgent troops are forced to retreat from the ruins of the “Quebracho” tannery on Bolesc Street and from the Jan Bozy Hospital. 

 

Warsaw Barricade

The northern part of Srodmiescie in particular the area around Panska, Twarda, Sliska and Sienna Streets have been under strong enemy fire. Sources indicate that the staff of the Warsaw District of the People’s Army, many soldiers and civilians have been buried beneath the ruins of a bombed house at 16 Freta Street.

Lt. John Ward

Lt. John Ward, a British soldier, and member of the AK has dispatched messages again today to London reporting on the days events in Warsaw. 

The message reads as follows: The Germans are continuing their campaign of murder in Warsaw. Three days ago two Polish prisoners came with a message from Gestapo headquarters in Such Avenue. The message was that the German troops who were in the post in Pius Street should be allowed to join Gestapo headquarters in Such Avenue. The Germans said that in exchange they would release some Polish prisoners and send some medical supplies. The request was, of course, refused. The two Polish people who brought the message say that the Germans have constructed a crematorium and are shooting and burning about 300 men daily. Up till the time these two people left Gestapo H.Q. 3,000 suits of civil clothing had been received into the German store. That means that 3,000 Polish patriots have already been brutally murdered. It is known that there are another 2,500 prisoners there, and that more are arriving every day. AK is powerless to prevent this brutal wholesale murder. They have not the special types of heavy weapons needed to attack such a heavily fortified stronghold as Such Avenue.


Despite the heavy losses of the Polish forces, the men and women of Warsaw refuse to give up. Sources indicate that the “Oaza” battalion has just been formed consisting of remnants of insurgent troops in Sadyba and is under the command of Captain Janusz Wyszogrodzki “Janusz". No further word regarding their actions.


 

Warsaw Uprising 1944: August 25 - Polish Insurgents Escape Through Sewers

During the night members of the AK have escaped from the Old Town Sector through the sewers and have made their way to the City Centre. In Mokotow, defence measures are being reorganized by the new district commander Col “Karol” . The Mokotow unit currently has about 5,500 soldiers, three thousand of which are fighting on the front lines. Ever more wounded insurgents, rear troops and a small group of civilians are leaving the Old Town through sewers and heading for Zoliborz.  With them are the city’s civilian administration with Deputy Prime Minister Jan Stanislaw Jankowski “Sobol” and Chairman of the National Unity Council Kazimierz Puzak “Bazyli” move to Srodmiescie.   

 

Polish Insurgents cross Warsaw via underground network of sewers

Polish Soldiers Escape Old Town through the city sewers

In the Old Town German forces continue to attack on the State Securities Plant buildings on Sanguszki Street. Polish insurgents from the “Lesnik” group have suffered severe losses. Polish forces have evacuated Warsaw civilians from buildings under their control. Heavy fighting continues for the Jan Bozy Hospital on Bonifraterska Street, the “Fiat” factory on Sapiezynska Street, and the Canonesses Convent in Teatralny Square. 
 

Teatralny Square as it appeared in 1925. Jablonowski Palace is on the left.

Under heavy German fire the insurgents North Group under the command of Col. Karol Ziemski "Wachnowski" has moved position from the ruined and burnt out building of the Main Archives of Old Records on Dluga Street to the chapterhouse of St. Jacek’s Church on Freta Street. Meanwhile in Srodmiescie  a company of the “Kilinski” battalion has seized a strong German outpost in the former “Café Club” coffee shop on the corner of Nowy Swiat and Aleje Jerozolimskie Streets.  This has put a stop to the constant barrage of enemy fire on the barricade linking the two parts of Srodmiescie. 

 

Roosevelt & Churchill
wearing "same hats"

There has been a flurry of messages between Churchill and Roosevelt these past few days. In the latest message to Roosevelt, Churchill re-iterated his intention in not giving up and in seeking a resolution to the plight of the Poles.  

However, President Roosevelt has expressed his lack of confidence in the Polish situation. Churchill has begun to apply pressure on the US President demanding that he send Amercian Air Force to Warsaw and that their planes land on Soviet airfields  but without the consent of the Soviet authorities.  There is no response as yet from the White House. In the meantime Polish insurgents are fighting the enemy with whatever weapons they can seize from the Germans, or manufacture on their own. 

President Roosevelt is in the midst of the presidential campaign. Without a doubt he will be re-elected as polls indicate that his popularity is at an all-time high. Recently he has met with delegates of the Polish American Congress (PAC). The PAC was founded earlier this year and has already rallied almost 3,000 Polish delegates from around the country. At their first Congress delegates emphasized the patriotic commitment of Polish-Americans to the United States, to the war against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. They appealed to the US government to support the freedom and sovereignty of Poland, an Ally, at the end of the war. Roosevelt has guaranteed Poland`s inviolable freedom according to terms of the Atlantic Charter in which all nations great and small will be part of a just and peaceful international order. Lt. John Ward, a British soldier, and member of the AK has dispatched messages again today to London reporting on the days events in Warsaw. 

 

Lt. John Ward

The message reads as follows: To Colonel P… Sir, help is badly needed in the centre of the city of Warsaw. The ammunition for the anti-tank weapons, type "Piat," that were sent has all been used. Sir, the main things needed are grenades, anti-tank weapons, heavy machine guns, rifles, ammunition of all types. The best area for descent is the area south of Jeroboams Avenue, tending east of No wy Swat, west to Marshmallows and south to Pius Street. This area is free from Germans. Sir, I received your message of the 19.8.44 on the 20.8.44. The boy scouts organization in Warsaw is doing work that is beyond all praise. Many young boys have given their lives in service of their country. The boys are keeping up the international tradition of the scouts. During the past 24 hours there have been no outstanding events in the battle for Warsaw. The fighting was continued as bitterly as ever without any great result. The amount of damage being done by the enemy mine-throwers is colossal. Wildcat, Cruz, Pius, Mokotow, TKOs Streets and Jackdaws Avenue have been very badly damaged during the past 48 hours, casualties are high. In the City Centre large fires continued to burn throughout the night. Food supplies are growing shorter each day, and there is no means of replenishing them. Heavy artillery was heard during the night at a distance of about 12 miles from the city.    

Churchill giving a back-handed V sign

Warsaw Uprising 1944: August 22 - RUSSIAN ARMY SLAUGHTERS POLISH SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS

The Killing Machine - NKVD units

AK Command fears of the possibility of a massacre of their units in the countryside. German and Soviet troops are spread out and hunting them down. NKVD agents are known to be among the ranks of the Red Army and have been begun an indiscriminate campaign of massive arrests of Polish soldiers, as well as civilians. Many Polish POWs have been deported to Russia in areas unknown or shot by summary execution without  trial. Many others have been subjected to mock trials in Soviet courts and convicted of being "enemies of the State" and then shot.  Sources indicate that Polish prisoners are forced to endure the most inhumane conditions, living in over-crowded cells, or holes dug into the ground, which are often flooded with freezing water.  Beatings occur on a daily basis. Executions are being carried out by the head of the jail, Sergeant Bazyli Rogozinski. Those who survived tell the story, "whenever Rogozinski started to drink it was an indication that he would be executing prisoners that night".

General Bor has sent an urgent message advising AK units outside the city that if Warsaw is taken by the Soviet Army, and he is unable to give orders, then they are directly subordinated to the orders of the Polish Government in Exile in London. 

NKVD Slaughtered Polish military and civilians



Armia Krajowa

Stalin sent Churchill and Roosevelt a top secret diplomatic message. In it he said, “Sooner or later the truth about the group of criminals who have embarked on the Warsaw adventure in order to seize power will become known to everybody. These people have exploited the good faith of the citizens of Warsaw, throwing many almost unarmed people against the German guns, tanks and aircraft. A situation has arisen in which each new day serves not only the Poles for the liberation of Warsaw but the Hitlerites who are inhumanly shooting down the inhabitants of Warsaw....Meanwhile the Soviet troops....are doing everything possible to smash these counterattacks of the Hitlerites and to go over to new wide-scale attack in the region of Warsaw. There can be no doubt that the Red Army is not sparing its efforts to break through Germans around Warsaw and to free Warsaw for the Poles.....”




Prime Minister Mikolajczyk has recently made another attempt in reaching a deal with the Soviet Government. Polish General Izydor Modelski, Deputy Minister of National Defence in the Polish Government in Exile was sent to deliver a message to the Soviet official Volkov in London. The letter informs the Soviet Government that the Polish Prime Minister has every intention of forming a government in Warsaw and that he is willing to accept Polish Communist participation. He claims that he has already gained the support of three Polish political parties and the majority of socialist ministers. There is no response as yet from the Soviet government.  

Stalin and Chief Executioner Nikolai Ezhov

In the Old Town Polish insurgents are desperately fighting back an attack of German tanks and infantry on barricades in Nalewki and Długa Streets barring access to Krasinski Square. By evening, after heavy fights, the Germans succeeded in taking up positions in the ruined Arsenal. The remainder of the insurgent troops have already evacuated the building and are stationed near the Simonsa passage on the corner of Dluga and Nalewki Streets. In the northern part of Srodmiescie the insurgents have fought back an enemy attack on Borman’s Factory on Targowa Street. German infantry units have attacked barricades at the entry of Traugutta and Mazowiecka Streets. Polish fighers have captured a German outpost in the “Cristal” restaurant located on the corner of Aleje Jerozolimskie and Bracka Streets. Germans posted there had kept the passage across Aleje Jerozolimskie under constant fire.         


Sabaton- Uprising (napisy PL) (00:04:56m) 
 

   

At about 2 a.m. the Poles mounted a second attack on Gdanski Railway Station lead by insurgent troops from Zoliborz and Kampinos, under the command of Lt. Col. Mieczysław Niedzielski “Zywiciel”. From the Old Town, they were supported by units commanded by Maj. Waclaw Janaszek “Bolek”. However the attack broke failed and by dawn insurgent troops retreated with severe losses. In both attacks the casualties of dead and wounded has reached about 500. The new commander of District V Lt. Col. Jozef Rokicki “Karol” has forced his way through the sewers to Mokotow and has divided the area into Dolny (Lower) Mokotow including vast areas of Sielce, Czerniakow and Sadyba, and Gorny (Upper) Mokotow west of Puławska Street. Fighting in that area is the “Baszta” regiment.    

 

Joseph Rokicki

Baszta Battalion

REMEMBRANCE: WARSAW UPRISING

(1/5) Timewatch Battle for Warsaw World War II (10:01m)




(2/5) Timewatch Battle for Warsaw World War II (10:00m)




(3/5) Timewatch Battle for Warsaw World War II (10:01m)




(4/5) Timewatch Battle for Warsaw World War II (10:01m)




(5/5) Timewatch Battle for Warsaw World War II (08:23m)





Since the end of the September Campaign of 1939, the Polish Underground was already planning for an uprising against the German occupiers. It was to begin only once the Allies were approaching Warsaw, and when Germany's defeat was imminent. Poland's freedom and independence relied entirely on Allied support and cooperation and the Polish government-in-exile had no doubt that the British government was true to its word. According to the Agreement between the two countries, signed on August 25, 1939, both pledged to provide one another with all their support in the event of hostilities from another Power.

The Polish government-in-exile made numerous attempts to confer with Britain on laying the groundwork for a future offensive. Churchill gave the Poles every assurance that Britain would defend Poland at the crucial time. But unbeknownst to the Polish government, England had a hidden agenda. A British Chiefs of Staff report disapproved of any military action taken by Poland because, " it would be politically unacceptable [for Poland] to undertake any such measures without the approval and cooperation of Russia." Furthermore the report made a recommendation that this policy not be mentioned to Poland.

The Home Army sent frequent messages to London requesting that Polish military units be deployed to Warsaw, including their own 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. Britain had control of almost all Polish military troops on land, sea, and air. The Polish request was denied. Churchill applied considerable pressure on the Polish government to give their consent to deploy the Parachute Brigade for battle in the D-Day operations. In exchange, Churchill promised that England would provide assistance in the Uprising, and make “every effort to find aircraft to transport the brigade to Poland.

On August 1, at 5:00 p.m. over 50,000 Polish underground fighters, under the command of Colonel Monter began conducting assaults on German positions, simultaneously all over Warsaw. Only 10% of the Home Army was sufficiently armed. They had the support and cooperation of numerous other underground regiments: the National Armed Forces (NSZ), the Polish People's Army (PAL), the People's Army (AL), and the Security Corps (KB), in addition to numerous partisan groups. Facing them was the German Wermacht comprising 70,000 soldiers backed by bombers and tanks. Before August 3, the Polish fighters successfully captured a series of complexes in Warsaw's most important boroughs: Srodmiescie, Powisle, part of Czerniakow, Zoliborz, Mokotow, the Old Town, Wola, Sadyba, and parts of Ochota and Praga. The Poles made significant advances but could not overtake all the German
strongholds for lack of ammunition.

On August 3, Stalin promised the Polish Prime Minister Wladyslaw Mikolajczyk that the Red Army would fight the Germans if the uprising would last for at least 6 days. The Uprising lasted for all of 63 days, but the Soviets did nothing to help the Polish fighters.


On August 8 and 9, Churchill pressured Air Marshal Slessor to resume flights, but this time using only Polish crews. The drops were successful and throughout the next week 90 more Polish, British, and South African crews flew over the Warsaw area dropping supplies and ammunition. But by the end of the week it was too late. The Germans had reinforced their anti-aircraft defenses. Seventeen of the ninety planes were shot down, others were severely damaged. Many of the supplies that were air dropped, landed in German-controlled areas. British Command denied further requests by Polish airmen to fly to Warsaw.

Polish Home Army Captured Germans

Polish insurgents capture German tank

The fiercest battle took place in the Old Town (Stare Miasto), where German troops used rail-mounted howitzers. In only two weeks of battle, more than 4,000 tons of German bombs were dropped on an area no larger than 3/4 square mile. From August 19 onward, Germans attached the Old Town, but were not able to recapture it until September 2.

News of the devastation on Warsaw and its people did not reach the West.

While the Poles were in the midst of the most hellish of battles, the world was celebrating the liberation of Paris. Churchill had put a publicity ban on all media during the Uprising. Later, he denounced the press for having maintained silence. He lied to the public about the true nature of the Soviet Union, and promoted the Polish people as trouble-makers, and the Soviets as good-natured saviours. Roosevelt was equally deceptive. Of the nine press conferences that he held, he did not mention one word about the Uprising. When the news about the Uprising leaked out to the Press near the end of August, Roosevelt claimed that he didn’ t know much about it. 

Over 100 American planes dropped 1,350 canisters over Warsaw, filled with ammunition, food and medicine but many of the canisters drifted into German occupied zones and were confiscated by the Nazis. The AK managed to receive only 20% of the supplies. Britain and the U.S. treated this so-called "rescue mission" as a great success and praised Stalin for his collaboration. The public was not aware of the situation.

Stalin also sent supplies to Warsaw, albeit for propaganda purposes. The canisters however were hurled out of the planes without parachutes so that when they hit the ground, their contents were smashed to pieces. It was deliberate sabotage of the worst depths of human depravity.

No military reinforcements were dispatched. The British continued to stone-wall, claiming that "no transports could be spared". They did have transport available but they sent the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade to fight in Operation Market Garden - a battle that turned out to be a suicide mission. It resulted in the slaughter of the Parachute Brigade.
 
General Sosabowski had previously warned the Allies not to embark on this mission but it fell on deaf ears. He turned out to be right. Irregardless, British Command targeted Sosabowski as a scapegoat and blamed him for the debacle. He was then released from command.

On September 19, the Russian troops began firing on the Germans, driving them westward.  As the Germans retreated, they used flamethrowers to destroy whatever was left standing in Warsaw.  Within days the Red Army captured Warsaw.

On October 3, 1944, at 8:00 p.m., General Bor Komorowski signed the surrender at German headquarters. The Warsaw Uprising, which lasted for 63 days, came to an end.

Old Town after Uprising

The total number of AK killed in the Warsaw Uprising was 62,000. From 200,000 to 300,000 civilians were massacred. Ninety per cent of Warsaw was in complete ruin. The combattant strength was almost at par - 40,000 men on each side. German casualties were 26,000 and Polish casualties, 22,200. The Germans lost 310 tanks armored cars and artillery, and 340 trucks and cars.

A SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE SERIES ON

THE WARSAW UPRISING - DAY BY DAY

 IS PRESENTED BY

POLISH GREATNESS (BLOG)

Click here for Complete Index

Suggested Links:

Warsaw Uprising
Poland in Exile Warsaw Uprising
Polish Greatness

ANGUISH OF DEFEAT - POLES SURRENDER AT KOCK

October 6, 1939

Eight thousand Polish soldiers of the Samodzielna Grupa Operacynja Polesie (Independent Operational Group Polesie) surrendered to German forces today at 10:00 hours. In his last orders General Franczisek Kleeberg wrote that the reason for capitulation was that they had run out of ammunition and food, as his troops had never lost a battle since the invasion began. General Kleeberg was taken by German forces and imprisoned at Oflag IV-B Koenigstein.

Polish General Franczisek Kleeberg

For the past week the soldiers had been fighting unaware that Warsaw capitulated on September 28th.
On September 30th, German commander of the 10th Army Division, Walter Von Reichenau, knew that a large division was positioned between the Bug and Vistula Rivers, near the town of Kock,  He dispatched all the forces at his disposal to destroy the remaining Poles:  the German 29th, and 13th Motorized Infantry Divisions, each having 16,445 soldiers, 2,676 trucks, 1,944 motorcycles and 18 armoured cars including some independent units.

In the early morning of October 2,  the Commander of the German 13th Motorized Infantry Division, General Paul Otto, dispatched the 3rd Battalion of the 93rd Motorized Infantry Division, with support by the 8th Battery, 13th Regiment of Light Artillery.  The units were split into two groups and sent to Serokomia and Kock. At 08:00 hours, the guard platoon of the No. 2 Company of the "Wilk" battalion came under artillery fire by the German units.  After considerable time, the Germans withdrew.  The Polish 179th Infantry Regiment was alerted and moved to defensive positions near the city of Kock.  At about 11:00 hours the Germans attacked the Polish positions again, which by then were strengthened with additional units.  The German attack failed and they withdrew.  At dusk German motorcyclists appeared near the church in Kock and began firing but withdrew when the Poles fired back.

Polish troops are devastated by the surrender and expected that fighting would continue for several weeks longer, raising hopes that England and France would intervene.  The Polish forces put up a brave and fierce fight despite the lack of Allied support.  German General Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt of Army Group South commented in his report that "The Polish Cavalry attacked heroically; in general the bravery and heroism of the Polish Army merits great respect. But the higher Command was not equal to the demands of the situation."

Polish Prisoners of War

In a major speech in the Reichstag today, Hitler again proclaimed his desire for peace with Britain and France, He added that he has done nothing more than to correct the injustice imposed on Germany by the terms of the Versailles treaty and assured Britain and France that he has no plans for war against them.  Hitler made blistering accusations against Churchill for being a war-monger and creating the state of affairs. Feigning an attempt at conciliation, Hitler proposed a European Conference to meet and resolve the few remaining differences. British Parliament is in an uproar. Such proposals are no doubt a precursor to the Nazis  "liberating" other countries as well.

The government of Finland has mobilized her standing armies.

In China, Chinese forces win the first battle of Changsha after having repelled Japanese forces. In the 11 day battle over 40,000 Japanese troops were killed.  This is the first "setback" of the Japanese expeditionary forces against Chinese Nationalist forces since the fighting began two years ago.  The 120,000 strong Japanese forces have also lost significant numbers of armaments when it was ambushed by Chinese troops defending Changsha, capital of the Hunan Province.


Link:
Polish Greatness.com