The Armia Krajowa or AK (Home Army) functioned as the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland, which was active in all areas of the country from September 1939 until its disbanding in January 1945. The Armia Krajowa, one of the largest underground resistance movement during World War II, formed the armed wing of what subsequently became known as the "underground state" (państwo podziemne). Armia Krajowa - Origins. The AK originated from the Sluzba Zwyciestwu PolskiIncluding:

• Armia Krajowa - Origins
• Armia Krajowa - Structure
• Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment
• Armia Krajowa - Operations
• Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews
• Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians
• Armia Krajowa - External link

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While the AK did not engender a general revolt, its forces did carry out intensive economic and armed sabotage. In 1944 it acted on a broad scale, notably in initiating the Warsaw Uprising, which broke out on 1 August 1944. It had the aim of liberating Warsaw before the arrival of the Soviet Red Army. While the insurgents released a few hundred prisoners from the Gesia St. concentration camp and carried out fierce street-fighting, the Germans eventually defeated the rebels and burned the city, finally q ...

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Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Operations

As a clandestine army operating in a country occupied by the enemy, separated by over a thousand kilometers from any friendly territory, the AK faced unique challenges in acquiring arms and equipment. In a tremendous achievement, the AK was able to overcome these difficulties to some extent and put tens of thousands of armed soldiers into the field. Nevertheless, the difficult conditions meant that only infantry forces armed with light weapons could be fielded. Any use of artillery, armor or aviation was obviously out of the question (except ...

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Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment

Relations between Lithuanians and Poles were strained during most of the interwar period due to conflicts over the Vilnius region and Suvalkai region, where there was a large Lithuanian minority. During the war these conflicts resurfaced as Armia Krajowa's ideal of a Polish state included the Vilnius region. On June 23, 1944, AK committed a massacre of Lithuanian civilians[citation needed], at Dubingiai where 27 Lithuanian civilians, including women and children were murdered. Some Lithuanian authors suggest a higher ...

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Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

The executive branch of the AK was the operational command, composed of many units. Estimates of the AK membership in the first half of 1944 range from 250,000 to 350,000, with more than 10,000 officers. Most of the other Polish underground armies became incorporated into the AK, including: The Konfederacja Narodu (Confederation of the People) (1943). The Bataliony Chłopskie (Peasants' Battalions). A large military organization of the Stronnictwo Ludowe (People's Party). The So ...

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Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Structure

In February 1942, the Operational Command of the AK Information and Propaganda Office set up the Section for Jewish Affairs, directed by Henryk Woliński. This section collected data about the situation of the Jewish population, drafted reports and sent information to London. It also centralized contacts between Polish and Jewish military organizations. The AK also organised financial aid for Jews (see Żegota). The AK accepted only a few Jews (about one thousand) into its o ...

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Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews

Relations between Lithuanians and Poles were strained during most of the interwar period due to conflicts over the Vilnius region and Suvalkai region, where there was a large Lithuanian minority. During the war these conflicts resurfaced as Armia Krajowa's ideal of a Polish state included the Vilnius region. On June 23, 1944, AK committed a massacre of Lithuanian civilians[citation needed], at Dubingiai where 27 Lithuanian civilians, including women and children were murdered. Some Lithuanian authors suggest a higher ...

See also:

Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians, Armia Krajowa - External link

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

Relations between Lithuanians and Poles were strained during most of the interwar period due to conflicts over the Vilnius region and Suvalkai region, where there was a large Lithuanian minority. During the war these conflicts resurfaced as Armia Krajowa's ideal of a Polish state included the Vilnius region. On June 23, 1944, AK committed a massacre of Lithuanian civilians[citation needed], at Dubingiai where 27 Lithuanian civilians, including women and children were murdered. Some Lithuanian authors suggest a ...

See also:

Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians, Armia Krajowa - External link

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

The AK originated from the Sluzba Zwyciestwu Polski (Polish Victory Service), set up on 27 September 1939 by General Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski. On 17 November 1939 General Władysław Sikorski replaced this organization with the Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Union for Armed Struggle), which after joining with the Polski Związek Powstanczy (Polish Union of Resistance) became the AK on 14 February 1942. Stefan Rowecki (known as Grot, or "arrowhead"), served as the AK's first commander until his arrest in 19 ...

See also:

Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Origins