Cichociemni

Cichociemni - Early days. On December 30, 1939 capt. Jan Górski, a Polish Army officer who managed to escape to France after the Polish Defense War of 1939, prepared a report for the Polish Chief of Staff in which he proposed the creation of a secret unit maintaining contact with the ZWZ by a group of well-trained envoys. The report was initially ignored, so Górski repeated it several times. Finally commander of the Polish air forces, general Zając, replied that although creation of such a unit would be a good move, the Polish Airforce had no means of transport and no training fac ...

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Cichociemni, Cichociemni - The name, Cichociemni - History, Cichociemni - Early days, Cichociemni - Training, Cichociemni - Air bridges, Cichociemni - The fight, Cichociemni - Famous Cichociemni, Cichociemni - Losses, Cichociemni - After the war

Read more here: » Cichociemni: Encyclopedia II - Cichociemni - History

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

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

Jan Piwnik was born August 12, 1912 in the village of Janowice near Opatów. In 1933 he graduated from a reserve NCO artillery school in Włodzimierz Wołyński. In 1935 he joined the Polish police, where he served as an officer. Mobilized in 1939, in the Polish Defensive War he commanded a motorized unit of the police. After the Soviet aggression, on September 23 he and his unit crossed the Hun ...

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Jan Piwnik, Jan Piwnik - Biography

Read more here: » Jan Piwnik: Encyclopedia II - Jan Piwnik - Biography

Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - Operation Market Garden. The anti-tank battery went into Arnhem during the first days of the battle, supporting the British paratroopers at Oosterbeek. This left Sosabowski without any anti-tank capability. The light artillery battery was left behind in England due to a shortage of gliders. Owing to bad weather and a shortage of transport planes, the drop into Driel, on the south bank of the Rhine, was delayed 2 days. Finally the 2nd Battalion, and elements of the 3rd Ba ...

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Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - History, Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - Operation Market Garden, Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - Brigade Order of Battle

Read more here: » Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade: Encyclopedia II - Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - History

Stanisław Sosabowski - Early years. Stanisław Sosabowski was born on May 8, 1892, in Stanisławów, in a railway workers' family. He graduated from a local gymnasium and in 1910 he was accepted as a student of the faculty of economy of the University of Kraków. However, the death of his father and poor economical situation of his family forced him to abandon the studies and return to Stanisławów. There he became a member of Drużyny Strzeleckie, a semi-clandestine Polish national scouting organisation. He was soon promoted to the head of all Polish scouting groups in the area. See also:

Stanisław Sosabowski, Stanisław Sosabowski - Biography, Stanisław Sosabowski - Early years, Stanisław Sosabowski - World War I, Stanisław Sosabowski - Inter-war years, Stanisław Sosabowski - Polish Defence War, Stanisław Sosabowski - France, Stanisław Sosabowski - Great Britain, Stanisław Sosabowski - Warsaw Uprising, Stanisław Sosabowski - Battle of Arnhem, Stanisław Sosabowski - After the war, Stanisław Sosabowski - Awards, Stanisław Sosabowski - External link

Read more here: » Stanisław Sosabowski: Encyclopedia II - Stanisław Sosabowski - Biography

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

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

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

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 ...

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 - Relations with Jews

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 ...

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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 - Origins

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

Polish paratroopers in positions on the southern bank of Rhine (Arnhem). Gen. Sosabowski during Operation Market Garden Training at Monkey Grove Largo House. Polish anti-tank artillery in training ...

See also:

Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - History, Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - Operation Market Garden, Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - Brigade Order of Battle

Read more here: » Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade: Encyclopedia II - Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade - Brigade Order of Battle

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

Sten guns were produced in several basic marks, although the fourth was never issued and nearly half of the total produced were of the Mark II. All combined, approximately 4.5 million Stens were produced during the war. Sten - Mark I. This rare weapon had a conical flash hider and finest finish of the bunch. It had a wooden foregrip and forward handle, as well for a section of the stock. The stock was a small tube outline, rather like the Mark II Canadian. One unique feature was that the front pistol grip ...

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Sten, Sten - History, Sten - Design, Sten - Variants, Sten - Mark I, Sten - Mark I*, Sten - Mark II, Sten - Mark II Canadian, Sten - Mark III, Sten - Mark IV, Sten - Mark V, Sten - Mark VI, Sten - Silenced models, Sten - Foreign built copies and derivatives, Sten - Service

Read more here: » Sten: Encyclopedia II - Sten - Variants

Władysław Sikorski - Early life and World War I. Sikorski was born May 20, 1881, in Tuszów Narodowy, Polish Galicia, then a territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His father was Tomasz Sikorski, of impoverished Polish gentry (coat of arms Kopaszyna); his mother was Emilia Habrowska. Young Sikorski studied engineering at the Lwów Polytechnic, specializing in road and bridge construction. After graduation he worked for the Galician administration in the petroleum industry. In 1906 Sikorski volunteered for a ...

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Władysław Sikorski, Władysław Sikorski - Biography, Władysław Sikorski - Early life and World War I, Władysław Sikorski - Polish-Soviet War, Władysław Sikorski - In government and in opposition, Władysław Sikorski - Prime Minister in Exile, Władysław Sikorski - Katyn, Władysław Sikorski - Death, Władysław Sikorski - Aftermath, Władysław Sikorski - Controversy surrounding Sikorski's death, Władysław Sikorski - Further reading and other media

Read more here: » Władysław Sikorski: Encyclopedia II - Władysław Sikorski - Biography

Prior to the Warsaw Uprising, most of the Kedyw units in the Warsaw area were moved into the city and grouped into infantry battalions. Notable among them were "Zośka", "Parasol" and "Miotła". After fighting broke out, most of the Kedyw forces joined the Radosław group. Kedyw units were among the most successful in the Uprising. The boy scouts not only had more experience than many regular soldiers, they had also m ...

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Kedyw, Kedyw - Warsaw Uprising, Kedyw - Commanders

Read more here: » Kedyw: Encyclopedia II - Kedyw - Warsaw Uprising

SOE operated several "stations" located in country houses and elsewhere. These were given numbers, such as: Station VI - Bride Hall, the weapons acquisition section. Station IX - The Frythe estate near Welwyn Garden City, which began as a wireless research unit (Special Signals), then became a weapons development & production centre, then a research and development station. Now a factory belonging to Smithkline Beecham. [2] Station X - Bletchley Park, a radio station, now more famous for its subsequent use ...

See also:

Special Operations Executive, Special Operations Executive - Agents, Special Operations Executive - Numbered stations, Special Operations Executive - Bibliography and filmography, Special Operations Executive - Miscellany/trivia

Read more here: » Special Operations Executive: Encyclopedia II - Special Operations Executive - Numbered stations

GROM - Early history. In the 1970s and 1980s there were several special forces formations, but were either trained in typically military tasks (sabotage, disruption of communications and such) or in anti-terrorist actions. After the Polish embassy in Bern was captured by terrorists in 1982, General Edwin Rozłubirski proposed that a military unit specialised in fast response to all possible threats be created. However, the ...

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GROM, GROM - History, GROM - Early history, GROM - Commanders, GROM - Organisation, GROM - Training, GROM - Known operations

Read more here: » GROM: Encyclopedia II - GROM - History

In 1943 a British Court of Inquiry investigated the crash of Sikorski's B-24 Liberator but was unable to determine the probable cause, finding only that the "aircraft [became] uncontrollable for reasons which cannot be established". Despite this finding, the political context of the event, coupled with a variety of curious circumstances, immediately gave rise to speculation that Sikorski's death had been no accident, and may in ...

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Władysław Sikorski, Władysław Sikorski - Biography, Władysław Sikorski - Early life and World War I, Władysław Sikorski - Polish-Soviet War, Władysław Sikorski - In government and in opposition, Władysław Sikorski - Prime Minister in Exile, Władysław Sikorski - Katyn, Władysław Sikorski - Death, Władysław Sikorski - Aftermath, Władysław Sikorski - Controversy surrounding Sikorski's death, Władysław Sikorski - Further reading and other media

Read more here: » Władysław Sikorski: Encyclopedia II - Władysław Sikorski - Controversy surrounding Sikorski's death