Posted on 07/31/2006 11:39:52 PM PDT by twinself
The Polish Home Army has begun a battle to liberate Warsaw, the first European capital to fall to the Germans nearly five years ago. At 1700 local time, the code signal "Tempest" was given and there was a wave of explosions and rifle fire throughout the city.
Reports from Poland say the timing of the uprising was chosen for maximum effect as the Germans appeared to be about to withdraw from Warsaw.
The German frontline has been forced to retreat over the past few months in the face of a sustained attack from the Red Army, forcing them out of the Baltic States, Belorussia and western Poland.
Soviet troops are now said to be fighting within 10-12 miles of Praga, the suburb on Warsaw's right bank.
To the north of the city, Soviet troops are advancing north-westward to Warsaw, with the River Vistula on their left flank.
General Tadeusz 'Bor' Komorowski, commander-in-chief of the Home Army, or Armia Krajowa, wanted to take the Germans by surprise and seized his opportunity in late afternoon.
He sent out a rallying call to his troops: "Today I have issued the order you have been waiting for, the order to begin open battle against Poland's age-old enemy, the German invader.
"After nearly five years of uninterrupted and heavy fighting underground, today you will carry your arms in the open in order to free your country again and to render exemplary punishment to the German criminals for the terror and crimes committed on Polish soil."
He has an estimated 40,000 troops, including 4,000 women, but they have only enough arms for about 2,500 - and most of those are rifles and tommy guns.
During the first day's fighting significant areas of the city's left bank have been captured, including the main post office and mint. Gas, electricity and water services have all been returned to Polish hands.
A network of street barricades has been erected blocking the flow of traffic in and out of the city.
Reports speak of a great pall of smoke hanging over the city - though to have been caused by the Germans setting fire to buildings.
Casualty reports suggest 2,000 Poles and 500 Germans may have been killed.
The battle for control of Warsaw lasted 63 days and ended with surrender by the Poles on 3 October 1944. A German counter-offensive began on 5 August 1944. Orders were given to round up civilians and shoot them. Women were used as human shields for the German tanks.
During the uprising, the civilian population of Warsaw was kept in touch with newspapers published mostly by the Home Army and a local radio station. The final paper was printed on 5 October 1944 and the radio broadcast its last programme on 4 October.
General Bor had planned for the liberation of Warsaw to take about a week. But he received no help from the Soviets, who ceased their offensive towards the capital.
They also refused to allow the Allies to use Soviet bases to take-off and land. So the pilots were forced, instead, to fly up from Italy. Without fighter escorts many were lost and many of their supplies ended up in the wrong hands.
Final casualties were over 15,000 dead or missing, 5,000 wounded, and 200,000 Polish civilians dead. On the German side there were an estimated 16,000 dead and 9,000 wounded.
ping!
Imagine being caught between Germany and Russia.
A battle practically unknown and unheard of in America.
God bless the memory of those heroic Poles, and most especially the Polish Jews that took part in this uprising. Tragic tho' the immediate outcome was, 'twas a bright spark in the dim history of Humanity.
"They shall not grow old, As we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, Nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them, We will remember them."
Amen. So mote it be.
> The Nazis are alive and well today. They just where rags on their heads, and their allies are leftist around the globe. Just think about it.
Best not go there, IMHO. Similar (horrible! and unfair) things could be said of Israel. Like 10:1 reprisals and Lebensraum in the occupied territories. Sounds rather like a nasty (nazi) enemy the Free World fought hard to defeat 60 years ago. Israel should not and need not go there.
In my view, the challenge for Israel is to strive to avoid becoming the Enemy She once fought.
"I have seen the enemy, and it is us" -- Kilroy
Wow, nice surprise to see this post on top of the list as I just returned from a wedding in Warsaw and was able to visit many historical places and really enjoyed the people of Poland. They are so anxious to please and trying very hard to encourage tourism. Thrilled to find the city of Krakow booming with people and of course visiting Auschwitz was one of the sadest days of my life...unimaginable.
Glad you liked it. Next time you must visit Wroclaw and Sudety mountains. :)
Wish I had visited those "mountain" areas this trip...it was sooooo hot and most places aren't air conditioned. Fortunately we had it in our hotel but most other places were miserable...Chopin concert in the park was fabulous...lots of people trying to get cooled off in the shade. Lovely city.
> Only a small group of them - '43 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising survivors from ZOB Group took part in actual '44 Warsaw Uprising that lasted 63 days.
Heroes all. Tonite I will take wine in their honor.
Huzzah!
What a coincidence I have been reading "Warsaw Uprising" by Gunther Deschner for the past few weeks. Very detailed account.
Has anyone evr seen the movie "Kanal"? Well worth a watch if you can find it.
> When Israel says, "never again". They are not going to go quietly to the gas chambers or ovens. Israel will fight, and they have to. Since the enemy wants to finish off what Hitler tried to do.
I can't solve the Middle East crisis easily. My heart is deeply saddened by what is happening: the carnage, the senseless terrorist killing for no reason, the mindless reprisals, the aftermath that leads to the vicious vortex.
Whose baby is more precious? Whose should live? The baby of a Levantine, or the baby of an Israeli?
Both babies are small, fragile, defenseless.
Ask me this, and I shall weep: I've held many wee babies in my time, and changed their diapers, and cuddled them into peaceful slumber. Some have been of my own kith and clan. Others, children of family and friends of mine. Occasionally, those of perfect strangers.
Or the wee, gangly kids all arms-and-legs, with heads too big for their bodies. About seven-or-eight years old. They know nothing about any of this political bullsh*t: they should be in Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts, learning to do useful things. And such "useful things" should not include how to field-strip an AK-47.
Useful things like first aid and how to life off the land and how to use matches safely, and why you should carry a pocket-knife always, and who Akela was and why we should always Do Our Best.
These wee Lads deserve something better than the bullsh*t they are getting.
Yet we blather on about Israel's "right" to "retaliate" and I say "ok fine, if it must be so be it." But what about the wee kids?
They do not know their parents' hate. But sure as Hellfire, we'll teach 'em all about it.
To our shame.
Sure I've seen "Kanal". If you are interested in movies related to Warsaw Uprising you should also watch "Kolumbowie" an adaptation of excellent book by Roman Bratny "Kolumbowie rocznik '20" (Columbuses of year '20). Did you read Norman Davies's "'44 Rising"?
Radical Islam hides behind women and children when they launch rockets at Israel citizens. What is Israel suppose to do?
No but I will definitely put them on my to read/see list. It's amazing how organised the Poles were and how well they fought with the little they had.
I did get a DVD of "Battle for Warsaw" a few months ago. A 70's documentary by one of the writers for The World at War episodes, Peter Batty. Still quite good even though it was produced during the communist controlled era.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.