Hey Polish guy

[Michchamp]

I just saw this long propaganda video on twitter about the Warsaw Uprising.

it was a sponsored ad, produced by some Polish-American think tank, though I forget the name.

The video basically trashed the USSR for sitting there and not rushing to intervene, and praised America for dropping some supplies (or trying to).

in the west (UK & US) what we learned was that the Uprising was more or less a timing mistake because they launched too early, before Russia could get there. this video seemed to contradict that, and laid the blame entirely on the Russians, who wanted all Polish Resistance dead so they could takeover.

Is this what they teach in Poland?

I've learned that every country involved basically has their own history of who did what to win.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

Pretty much.

Basically Poland fight alone.

The West even refused to send supplies until Polish underground had their letters published in British newspapers.

Soviet sit back and watch the show. They even refused access to airbases such that the supplies from West wouldn't need to fly from Italy over German occupied territory.

There is also the case to be made that the Soviet supply lines were overstretched and unable to supply a large offensive. Which is true, although no real attempt was made to aid the uprising.

Warsaw actually has a great propaganda museum decided to it. Pretty new somewhat interactive.

The Polish commanders of the home army wanted the Polish paratroopers dropped to fight. The Polish paratroopers wanted to get massacred fighting for Poland. Of course, they were not allowed.

Instead they were used as scapegoats for the failure of Operation Market Garden.

Near the end of the uprising the Soviets dropped some supplies. You know, just so they could claim they did. Didn't bother attaching parachutes so most of what was dropped ended up getting damaged.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

In General, the Soviet army treated the Polish home army decently. They typically sympathized with the Poles. The NKVD on the otherhand was much different. Imprisonment or execution was the typical fate of home army members.

After Bor-Komorowski surrendered to the SS, he joked he would have done so earlier had he known whom he was fighting. The General whom he surrender to was Herman Fegelein whom Komorowski knew from the 1936 Olympics. Fegelein is believed to be the reason why Komorowski survived German captivity.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

Once of the better books about the Warsaw Uprising.



Rising 44 by Norman Davies. He also wrote God's Playground a 2 volume history of Poland. Probably the best history of Poland you can find.
https://www.amazon.ca/Rising-44-Norman-Davies/dp/0330488635

Adam Koskodan wrote a book called "No Greater Ally". Its okay, reads like a master's level history paper. Based largely on interviews from Poles who settled in Michigan after WWII.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

Sabaton is a Swedish metal band who sings about history. They have a few songs about Poland which is why they are very popular there.

Song about Warsaw Uprising
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZUYg4AXSpc


Song about Witold Pilecki who volunteered to go to Auschwitz. Than escaped. Fought in Warsaw Uprising.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvDg7UftJw8

Polish band Lao Che had an entire album about the uprising. It is pretty decent, but not understanding Polish means most impact is lost.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

1. 1939 / Przed Burzą (Before the Storm)
2. Godzina W (Hour W - Code for starting uprising)
3. Barykada (Barricade)
4. Zrzuty (Airdrops)
5. Stare Miasto (Old Town)
6. Przebicie do Śr?dmieścia (Fight to Town Center)
7. Czerniak?w (small village near Warsaw)
8. Hitlerowcy (Supporters of Hitler)
9. Kanały (Sewers, how most of the fighters escaped encirclement)
10. Koniec (End)

 

[Polish-Hammer]

1. 1939 / Przed Burzą (Before the Storm)
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/1939-przed-burzą-1939-storm.html
2. Godzina W (Hour W - Code for starting uprising)
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/godzina-w-w-hour.html
3. Barykada (Barricade)
4. Zrzuty (Airdrops)
5. Stare Miasto (Old Town)
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/stare-miasto-old-town.html
6. Przebicie do Śr?dmieścia (Fight to Town Center)
7. Czerniak?w (small village near Warsaw)
8. Hitlerowcy (Supporters of Hitler)
9. Kanały (Sewers, how most of the fighters escaped encirclement)
10. Koniec (End)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJQGBFmtcSY&list=PLdKPpck0fhsFjVoDQ6A-3tx0vNjikMbnk&index=3