One of the most remarkable aspects of World War II is the fact that the secret war of WWII was as big - if not bigger than the conventional war itself.
A Polish flag with an "anchor" device was used as an emblem by the Polish resistance.
The Warsaw Uprising (Polish: Powstanie Warszawskie) was a struggle by the Polish Home Army (Polish: Armia Krajowa) to liberate Warsaw from Nazi German occupation during World War II. The Uprising began on 1 August 1944, as part of a nationwide rebellion, OPERATION TEMPEST. It was intended to last for only a few days until the Soviet Army reached the city. The Soviet advance stopped short, however, while Polish resistance against the German forces continued for 63 days until the last Polish forces formally surrendered on 3 October.
The Soviets allowed the Germans to decimate Polish guerrilla forces before continuing their westward advance on the Germans.
Polish insurgent weapons, including the Błyskawica submachine gun—one of very few weapons designed and mass produced covertly in occupied Europe.
Polish civilians preparing sand bags in the courtyard of townhouse at Moniuszki street. August 1944
Soldiers from Kolegium "A" of Kedyw on Stawki Street in Wola district
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Captured German armored fighting vehicle SdKfz 251 captured by the Polish insurgents, from 8-th "Krybar" Regiment, on Na Skarpie Boulevard on August 14, 1944 from 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking. In this picture taken on Tamka Street, soldier with MP-40 submachine gun is his first insurgent commander Adam Dewicz "Gray Wolf". From his nom de guerre, Polish insurgents gave the vehicle name "Gray Wolf" and used it in attack on Warsaw University.
HOW IT ENDED:
Polish civilians murdered by German SS troops in Warsaw Uprising, August 1944
What was left of Warsaw following destruction by Germans, 1944-45
Monument to the Polish insurgents in modern-day Warsaw.
Marek Edelman, the last surviving leader of the uprising died today.
ReplyDeleteRest in peace defender of freedom.
In the 70's I think, the BBC ran a weekly series showing top foreign movies like the Bicycle Thief. One I saw that really rocked my world was about the Polish Underground. It ends with the Polish fighters trapped in the sewers whilst the Germans pump gas into the sewers with the obvious consequences. Rocked my world not just for it's quality but for the realisation that war is not John Wayne walking through bullets.
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