Since September 17, 1939, Moscow did not consider that Poland, and even more so its government, existed. The situation was changed by the beginning of the war with the Third Reich. With the mediation of the British, negotiations began between Moscow and the government of Vladislav Sikorsky. At the same time, Moscow's view of Poland's future is beginning to change.

July 3 Soviet People's Commissariat Foreign Affairs (NKID) sent a telegram to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Soviet Union in England, Ivan Maisky, in which Soviet government expressed its readiness to start negotiations on concluding a mutual assistance treaty with the Polish government. The telegram noted that the USSR stands for the creation of an independent Polish state within the borders of national Poland, which may include some cities and regions that were ceded to the USSR in September 1939. Moreover, Moscow considered the question of the nature of the state regime of the Polish state internal affairs the Poles themselves.

Signing an agreement

Negotiations were held from July 5 to 30, 1941 in the capital of England, the British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden acted as an intermediary. The Poles were primarily concerned with the issue of the border. According to Sikorsky, they had to correspond to the borders on August 31, 1939, the day before the start of the aggression against the country by the Reich and 18 days before Soviet invasion to Poland.

Signing of the agreement, London 30 July 1941. From left to right: Sikorsky, Eden, Churchill and Maisky

The USSR did not particularly want to deal with border issues during heavy fighting, offering to focus on the formation of the Polish corps. The British, in turn, realizing that an alliance with the USSR is beneficial in terms of at least during the war, put pressure on the Poles.

There was even a dispute in the Polish government about this - three ministers resigned (including Foreign Minister August Zaleski), was against an agreement with the Soviet Union and Polish President Rachkevich in exile. But in the end the treaty was signed on July 30, 1941.

The treaty declared the agreements between the USSR and the Reich of 1939 on the partition of Poland to be invalid. It was also said about the restoration diplomatic relations between the Soviet and Polish governments; about mutual assistance in the war with the Third Reich; about the creation of Soviet territory Polish army under Polish command appointed by the London government. The Polish army was supposed to be operationally subordinate to Moscow. In addition, the Polish government stated that Poland was not bound by any agreement with any third party directed against the USSR. And Moscow granted amnesty to everyone Polish citizens who were imprisoned on Soviet territory as prisoners of war or on other important grounds.

From left to right: V. Anders, V. Sikorsky, J. V. Stalin, translator (possibly), 1941.

On August 12, 1941, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union issued a decree on amnesty. On August 14, a military agreement was concluded, supplementing the agreement of July 30. The agreement provided for the creation in the shortest possible time on Soviet territory of the Polish army, which legally was part of the armed forces of sovereign Poland. The Polish army was to lead fighting against Germany together with the troops of the USSR and other allied powers. And at the end of the war had to return to Polish state, becoming the basis for the Polish armed forces. It was clarified that the Polish units would be transferred to the front only when they reached full combat readiness. On August 6, General Vladislav Anders was appointed its commander.

Who is this Anders?

Vladislav Anders came from a family of small gentry of German roots. He wanted to become an engineer: he graduated from a real school in Warsaw, then polytechnic school in Riga. In 1913 he was called to royal army and graduated from the officer cavalry school. He took part in the First World War: he began his service with the rank of lieutenant in dragoon regiment, distinguished in battles good abilities, courage, commanded a squadron. During the war he was wounded three times, had several awards (including the Order of St. George IV degree).

General W. Andersin English uniform

As an excellent officer, he was sent to study at the Petrograd Academy of the General Staff, where he passed crash course learning. In mid-February 1917, just before the crash Russian Empire received the rank of captain of the General Staff and a diploma from the hands of Emperor Nicholas II. After February Revolution participated in the formation of the national Polish corps, Major General Jozef Dovbor-Musnitsky (it was formed by the Provisional Government). He was chief of staff of an infantry division. After Brest-Litovsk Treaty the Polish units were disbanded, Anders, together with Dovbor-Musnitsky, returned to Poland. When a revolution took place in Germany and the empire collapsed, Anders participates in the creation of the Greater Poland Army, as a regiment commander he fights with the Red Army during the war of 1919-1921.

Then he continued to study - he received a higher military education in Paris ("Higher military school”) and Warsaw, from 1925 the military commandant of Warsaw, with the rank of colonel. For a number of reasons: firstly, he was an opponent of General Pilsudski during the May 1926 mutiny, and secondly, according to his adjutant E. Klimkovsky, he was distinguished by monetary uncleanliness, which caused a number of scandals - Anders stopped in career growth. And he remained until the Second World War the commander of a cavalry brigade.

Badge of the 2nd Polish Corps

On September 1, 1939, when the Wehrmacht attacked Poland, Anders commanded the Novogrudov Cavalry Brigade. His brigade was part of the Polish northern front. Anders received the rank of general, his brigade and parts of several other cavalry brigades (Mazovetska, Volhynia, Pogranichnaya) were merged into the Operational Cavalry Group. The remnants of the group after the defeat near Warsaw retreated to Lvov, Anders planned to break through to Hungary in order to get to France from there and continue the fight against the Germans there. On September 27-28, his group was defeated by Soviet troops, and Anders himself was wounded and captured the next day. Vladislav Anders underwent a course of treatment at the Polish military hospital in Lvov, then until August 1941 he was kept in the internal prison of the NKVD in Lubyanka.

In the Totsk camps, the 6th infantry division of the "Army of Anders"

On August 4, 1941, Beria personally informed Anders that the Polish government in London appointed him commander of the Polish army in the USSR (he received the rank of divisional general). He was appointed to this post for several reasons: firstly, he had experience in commanding a group of troops; secondly, his political past - non-participation in Pilsudski's entourage; thirdly, he knew Russian well and had a reputation as a specialist in Russia, which should have helped him in his interaction with Moscow. It should be noted that Anders had an extremely negative attitude towards the Stalinist regime, considered him an executioner and jailer of the Polish people, and categorically did not want to fight under the banner of the USSR. This was one of the reasons for the failure of the idea of ​​​​using the "Army of Anders" in the war with Germany.

Army formation

At the suggestion of Anders and Szyszko-Bogush (head of the Polish military mission in the Union), the corps began to be formed on a forced and voluntary basis. First of all, it is necessary to form 2 light infantry divisions (7-8 thousand people each) and a reserve unit in a “short time frame”. These units must be brought into battle in a "short time". And the time of their readiness depends on the speed of receipt of weapons, uniforms and other stocks of logistics. According to the Poles, they expected to receive weapons and ammunition from the Soviet side, and uniforms and other equipment from the British and Americans.

Polish prisoners of war, 1941 - the backbone of the Anders Army

Since September 12, Anders has been asking Moscow to create several new divisions in Uzbekistan. Soviet side at first, it prevented an increase in the size of the Polish army, limiting it to a figure of 30 thousand people. In September, Polish Prime Minister Sikorski asked the British Prime Minister for new armament divisions, the absence of which, in his opinion, was the main obstacle to the creation of a 100,000-strong Polish army. It should be noted that at a conference in Moscow, the United States and Britain refused special supplies for the Polish army.

Soviet commanders and Polish officers during exercises (winter 1941). Polish soldiers wearing English steel helmets Brodie helmet. Seated on the right in an officer's cap - General V. Anders

But despite this, Anders managed to push through the idea of ​​​​creating new divisions. In October, he again asked for this, and already in December Sikorsky's negotiations with Stalin began. As a result, agree on the formation of seven Polish divisions in the USSR and on the possibility of withdrawing to Persia the Poles who are not involved in these military units.

Turkestan was determined as the location of the new Polish divisions. December 25, 1941 State Committee Defense (GKO) adopted a special resolution "On the Polish army on the territory of the USSR", according to which the number of the Polish army was determined at 96 thousand people, with deployment in the Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Kazakh SSR.

From the beginning of 1942, Moscow raised the question of the timing of sending Polish formations to Soviet-German front. Sikorsky, during a visit to the places of deployment of Polish units, said that the army would be ready for battle against German troops by June 15th. Anders, following him, named the date June 1, 1942, and also rejected the possibility of bringing one separate Polish division into battle.

Anders' Army before leaving Russia to help the British, RSFSR, 1942

In the second half of 1942, Anders, Sikorski and Churchill again proposed to withdraw the Polish army to Persia. In Moscow, they realized that there would be no sense from the Poles and agreed. Moreover, every day the appetites of the British and Poles grew: both of them demanded more divisions for the Poles. Anders' army, by the way, also managed to fight in Italy.

However, not all Poles went to Persia. Zygmunt Henrik Berling, commander of the headquarters of the 5th Infantry Division. With the participation of the Union of Polish Patriots, new Polish armed forces were created, which were subordinate to the Soviet command, they were reinforced by dozens Soviet commanders. Berling became commander of the 1st Polish Infantry Division. Tadeusz Kosciuszko, and then the Polish corps and the Polish army. Under Soviet command, the Poles took part in the liberation of their homeland from the Nazis, in the battle for Germany and the storming of Berlin. By June 1945, the Polish Army numbered approximately 400 thousand people. The Polish army was the most powerful regular military force that fought alongside the Soviet troops.

We all know what the Polish Army is. History lessons were hardly in vain. However, much is forgotten. In the article, we will recall the history of the Polish Army in order to better have information and understand the course of some historical events. This topic will be of great interest not only to historians, but also to anyone interested in the chronology of the events of the war.

What is the Polish Army?

It is a combined arms formation or army. The history of the Polish Army begins in the USSR in 1944. The army consisted mainly of Poles. There were also many ordinary military personnel of the USSR Armed Forces different nationalities. In official documents and orders it is called "1st Polish army».

The army was involved in the Great Patriotic war, and specifically in the following operations:

• Lublin-Brest.
• Warsaw-Poznan.
• East Pomeranian.
• Berlin.

The beginning of the story

The military formation was created in the spring of 1944 by the number of soldiers who served in the Polish corps. It was created a year before. Infantry division them. T. Kosciuszko served as the basis for the formation of the corps. Not only Poles could join the army. It was also open to Soviet citizens with Polish roots. Soviet Union took this military formation seriously and provided it with decent military support. Sigmund Berling became the commander of the army.

In the spring of the same year, the Polish Army received new soldiers. 52 thousand people arrived. Unfortunately, there were no more than 300 officers among them. There were even fewer cadets, and they served only in the pre-war Polish army. All this significantly exacerbated the already present problem of the lack of competent officers.

Already in the summer, the Polish Army could boast: cavalry, armored, anti-aircraft artillery brigades, 2 air regiments and 4 infantry brigades. By 1944 personnel was 90 thousand people.

Start of hostilities

In the summer of 1944, hostilities began. It’s worth saying right away that the Polish Army in the Second World War played important role. Military operations were carried out under the operational leadership of the 1st Belorussian Front. At the end of the month, part of the army crossed. As a result, the army entered the territory of Poland. In July of the same year, the 1st Army of the Polish Army merged with the People's Army (partisan army). Only after this event, the army began to be called the united Polish Army, but the first name still continued to appear in the documents.

By that time, there were already 100 thousand military personnel in the army. At the same time, about 2,500 young soldiers were trained as officers, and about 600 as pilots. The army owned approximately 60,000 machine guns and rifles, had at its disposal about 4,000 machine guns, 779 radio stations, 170 motorcycles, and 66 aircraft.

Replenishment of forces

In July 1944, the 1st Polish tank corps, commanded by Colonel Yan Rupasov. At this time, the Polish army managed to get to the eastern bank of the Vistula, which served as the beginning of the fighting to conquer the left-bank territory. A little later, the army fought on the Magnushevsky bridgehead. It is also worth noting that the armored brigade already known to us fought on the western bank of the river for the Studzyansky bridgehead.

In August 1944, the Polish Committee of National Liberation issued a mobilization decree, which provided for the conscription of young men born in 1921-1924 into the army. All military specialists, officers and sub-officers fit for service were also called up. As a result of this order, in just a few months, the armed forces of Poland were replenished with several dozen newly arrived soldiers. Approximately 100 thousand people were called up from the liberated territory of Poland, the rest from the USSR. At the end of autumn 1944, there were about 11,500 servicemen from the USSR in the Polish Army.

An interesting fact is that the army had deputy commanders for work with political agencies and chaplains. At the same time, the deputy commander of the army, Piotr Yaroshevich, became the prime minister of Poland in the future.

Liberation of Warsaw

In 1944, in the fall, the Polish armed forces were able to liberate Prague. After that, an ill-conceived attempt was made to force the Vistula, which failed. In the winter of 1945, the army took an active part in the defense of the Polish Army in World War II in this operation, it acted as follows:

• the main forces of the army crossed the Vistula;
• The 2nd Infantry Division was engaged in forcing the Vistula, it was she who launched the operation to attack Warsaw from the north;
• The Soviet 31st special division of armored trains and the 6th infantry division of the Polish Army crossed the Vistula in the Prague region.

A little later, the Polish Army liberated Bydgoszcz, carrying out an operation to break through central part Poland. After some time, the main forces were concentrated on the assault on Kolberg. At the same time, the First Polish Armored Brigade attacked Gdansk as part of the East Pomeranian operation. The army stopped in Stettin to count the losses. They amounted to about 3,000 missing and 5,400 killed.

By 1945, the size of the army was 200,000 people. This number is 10th of total strength soldiers who participated in Berlin operation. During its implementation, the Polish army lost about 7,000 killed and 4,000 missing.

Help from the USSR

It is impossible to ignore the fact that the Soviet Union has invested huge material and personnel resources in the creation of the army. During 1944, the Soviet Union handed over to the Polish military units about 200,000 carbines and rifles, as well as great amount anti-aircraft, light and machine guns, anti-tank rifles, submachine guns, mortars, tanks, armored vehicles and aircraft. And this is if you do not take into account the captured and training weapons. For the second half of 1944, the Soviet educational establishments trained more than 5,000 Polish troops.

Reaction

At the same time, in the UK, the Polish government in exile, as well as those who supported it in Poland (the Craiova Army), reacted very negatively to the fact that Polish armed formations were being created on the territory of the USSR. They spoke extremely negatively about such activities in the USSR. The reaction was covered in the press, where there were statements of the sort that Beurling's army was not a Polish army, and also that the Polish Army was a detachment of mercenaries in Soviet service.

Summing up the article, let's say that this army had a worthy history. She has taken part in a number of critical operations. At the same time, it was the Soviet Union that played the key role in creating and maintaining the army. The army has become an example of how forces can join forces when needed. Our people had conflicts with the Poles, but still it is worth recognizing that we are kindred close peoples.

Poland is one of the safest countries in Europe for both locals and tourists. And the very security in it is provided by the local police, always ready to help people, as well as the military forces.

Let's look at them in more detail in order to have an idea of ​​why Poland is considered one of the most defensive countries in Europe, and to know where you can turn in this state in case of an emergency.

Polish police - information for tourists

The police in this state began its formation in 1989, replacing the previous structure, recognized by the Polish authorities as ineffective. At that time, the police forces enjoyed a rather low confidence of the people, and could not perform qualitatively all the functions imposed on it.

After a series of transformations in 1990, the police received modern structure and began to work according to new standards. Naturally, all transformations in the police system were carried out at the legislative level.

Today, the police are completely separate from other security structures in this country, including the army. Also, each police officer is protected from the influence of any political forces. The infusion of representatives of the old formation into the new police ranks was also limited.

It was these principles of police formation that made it possible to carry out reforms in it in as soon as possible and most efficiently.

Over the entire period of the formation of the new police structure, more than 100 thousand employees were replaced, and already at the beginning of the transformation, up to 40% of the main staff, who had not undergone retraining in due time, were fired.

Also, such main features of the work of this system as publicity, openness to the press and to local governments were developed.

Actions were taken to reveal the level of trust of local residents in such structures, numerous surveys, as well as police visits to schools and other institutions to get the public acquainted with representatives of law and order.

The modern police was able to realize all the tasks assigned to it, including efficient work with citizens, entrepreneurs, local authorities, as well as increasing the overall confidence in this structure, which in last years increased by 70%.

The Polish police are always open to cooperation with both local residents as well as with tourists. Anyone in need can contact her personally by finding a policeman on the street or in the station. Also, tourists in Poland can contact the police at hotline to call a team to a specific address or report problems.

The police force consists of three major major divisions. These are patrol, criminal and anti-terror. Patrol formations are the most open to cooperation with private individuals, unlike criminal ones, they can provide their data publicly, therefore it is worth contacting them if you need emergency assistance in this country.

Upon accession to the EU, the police forces received numerous subsidies. Thanks to them, cars, motorcycles, and ambulances were purchased in Poland for such formations, similar to those that are already in service with other police units in all countries of the Eurozone.

Some of them do not have identification marks, but are also listed on the balance sheet of certain structures, and thanks to them, the policeman can do his job effectively.

Currently, you can contact the Polish police on one common number 997 if you are calling from a landline number. If you call the police from your mobile, you need to dial common room 112, where you can contact both the police and the ambulance, if necessary.

The structure of the police is, of course, a powerful unit that protects internal order Poland, however, it is in no way inferior to the armed forces of the state. Back in the 50s, it was the second largest after the Soviet one.

However, unlike many Baltic and even European armies, after the collapse of the Union itself, it actually did not lose its own combat capability and continues to build up its own power at the present time.

The defense forces of Poland today are fully staffed and represented by all branches of the armed forces. There is also a fleet, and tank army, ground air defense, aviation, represented by airplanes and helicopters, artillery and armored cavalry. All parts form local forces without involving partners from other countries, unlike other states.

In 1999, Poland became a member of NATO, having rebuilt its own defense system to the standards of this bloc. Very quickly, the state also expanded own army, thanks to which in just a few years it has become one of the largest in this alliance, second in number only to the American and Turkish ones.

At present, the Polish army has completely switched from the draft principle of recruiting its own staff to the contract one. The size of the Polish contingent was somewhat reduced in comparison with 1998 (which, in general, was observed in all troops belonging to the NATO structure), and some of the weapons were also modernized.

In particular, German Leopard tanks were received (deliveries of which are ongoing), modern aircraft were purchased, which are among the newest in the world in this country. Air defense installations have also been upgraded.

The most powerful units of the Polish army are considered to be ground, namely tank (in terms of scale they bypass even German formations), ground air defense. AT good condition aviation. The crisis is to some extent experienced only by the fleet of this state, which, nevertheless, remains in service with submarines, in particular machines of the Norwegian Kobben type.

In recent years, as part of the modernization of its own Baltic Fleet the Poles tried to create their own updated missile corvettes. However, this idea, due to the low funding of the industry, was not successful: only one corvette was created, while it did not receive missiles, and is currently used exclusively as a patrol vessel.

There is an opinion that all the reforms of the Polish army carried out in recent years, as well as the replacement of part of the weapons, somewhat reduced the defense capability of the state.

However, in reality this is not the case. In recent years, it has been possible to significantly strengthen the forces of Poland and make them one of the most powerful, at least in Western Europe.

Poland today is one of the few countries in Europe, on the territory of which there are no foreign troops. All units located on its territory have not changed their configuration since Warsaw Pact, and they are deployed either on western border state, or in the center of the country.

The situation with the armament of the Polish army is also quite ambiguous. Some of its parts are undergoing modernization unevenly, therefore they are on various levels development. However, almost all types of troops have their own characteristics of weapons, in particular:

• Poland has the most old fleet in the Baltic, which is equipped with guns of the 50s and 60s. In the coming years, they should be decommissioned, but there is currently no replacement for them, as well as developed strategies that would help bring the fleet to new level.
• The Polish Air Force is the only one in the world in which two main F-16 and MiG-29 vehicles are in service at once. And this is not counting helicopters, which also have a significant weight in the structure of this particular type of troops.
• The fleet of tanks of this particular country is the fourth largest in Europe. Moreover, it is currently the only army in which the development of a new tank is currently underway. And it should be a futuristic small-sized Andersen.

It is also interesting that Poland today is the only NATO member country that continues to expand its troops and constantly modernizes them. As a result, the army given state in a few years it will be able to become one of the largest in Europe, especially against the background of a noticeably shrinking contingent of other states.

And this despite the fact that in fact the budget of this industry in Poland is seriously limited. Despite a fairly wide contingent of units, the Polish army is not in the mood for expansion. It is completely focused on the defense of the state and does not count on assistance in military operations from other representatives of the NATO bloc.

Armed forces of the countries of the world

Polish Armed Forces

It was in the capital of Poland in 1955 that an agreement was signed on the creation of a military bloc of socialist countries, which, accordingly, was called the Warsaw Pact Organization. And it was from the Polish events of the early 80s. the collapse of the socialist camp began. By the time of the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, the Polish army was second in it in terms of its combat potential after Soviet army. The Polish Army was armed with 2850 tanks, 2377 AFVs, 2300 artillery systems, 551 combat aircraft.

In 1999, Poland, along with the Czech Republic and Hungary, entered the "first wave" of NATO expansion. Over the past years, it has been affected by all the tendencies characteristic of this bloc - a significant reduction in the Armed Forces, the transition from conscription to a hired recruitment principle with a characteristic change in motivation from patriotic to financial. However, having common border with Russia and Belarus and suffering from a strong form of Russophobia, Poland, unlike almost all other countries of the alliance, retained elements of a defense consciousness. Thanks to this, the Polish Army is gradually becoming the most strong army in NATO (naturally, after the USA and Turkey and without taking into account the nuclear potentials of Great Britain and France).

Ground troops Poland have the following organizational structure.

Headquarters of the 2nd mechanized corps.

11th armored cavalry division(it includes the 10th, 34th armored cavalry, 17th mechanized brigades, 23rd artillery regiment, 4th Air Defense Regiment).

12th mechanized division"Shetsin" (2nd "Legionnaire" and 12th mechanized, 7th "Pomeranian" coastal defense brigades, 5th artillery regiment, 8th air defense regiment).

16th Pomeranian Mechanized Division(1st armored, 9th armored cavalry, 15th and 20th mechanized brigades, 11th artillery regiment, 15th air defense regiment).

18th mechanized division(1st Armored, 21st Podhale Riflemen Brigade).

In addition to these four divisions, uniting 11 brigades, there are separate 1st aviation, 6th airborne, 9th support, 25th airborne cavalry, 1st and 10th transport brigades, 1st, 2nd th, 5th engineering, 4th, 5th RKhBZ, 2nd, 9th, 18th reconnaissance regiments.

The tank fleet is the fourth in NATO (after the USA, Turkey and Greece), while it includes only tanks of the third generation: 247 German Leopard-2 (142 A4, 105 A5), 232 own RT-91, 260 Soviet T-72 ( 175 more in storage). Developed own tank PL-01 "Anders".

There are from 343 to 485 BRDM-2, up to 38 BWR-1 (BRM-1), up to 1265 BWP-1 (BMP-1), up to 352 MTLB, at least 359 armored personnel carriers AMV "Wolverine" (there are also 7 KShM, more 40 auxiliary vehicles based on it and approximately 330 chassis of the same armored personnel carrier for the production of other auxiliary vehicles), 40 American Cougar armored vehicles, 45 M-ATV Oshkosh and 29 MaxxPro. The Wolverine armored personnel carriers are produced in Poland under a Finnish license and are gradually replacing the decommissioned BWP-1, which were also produced in Poland, but under a Soviet license.

Self-propelled artillery includes 24 self-propelled guns "Crab" own production(155 mm), 395 Soviet self-propelled guns 2S1 (122 mm), 111 Czech wheeled self-propelled guns "Dana" (152 mm). Soviet self-propelled guns are withdrawn from the composition ground forces, they are being replaced by self-propelled guns "Crab". The towed artillery is represented by 24 Soviet D-44 guns (85 mm), which will be decommissioned in the near future. Mortars - 268 LM-60 (60 mm), 18 2B9M (82 mm), 99 M98 (98 mm), 146 M-43 and 15 2S12, 8 self-propelled "Cancer" (on the chassis of the armored personnel carrier "Wolverine", there are also 4 artillery KShM on the same chassis) (120 mm) (LM-60, M98, "Cancer" - own production, the rest - Soviet). MLRS - 93 Soviet BM-21, 30 Czech RM-70, 75 own WR-40 Langusta (122 mm). BM-21s are partly decommissioned, partly converted into WR-40s.

There are 291 Israeli Spike-LR anti-tank systems (including 18 self-propelled on the Hammer and 27 on the Wolverine), 132 Soviet Malyutka, 77 Fagot, 18 self-propelled Konkurs (on the BRDM).

Military air defense is made up of 64 Soviet Osa-AK and 60 Strela-10 air defense systems, 91 Soviet Strela-2 MANPADS and 400 Grom own MANPADS, from 28 to 86 Soviet ZSU-23-4 Shilka and 404 anti-aircraft guns ZU-23 (23 mm).

In addition, several hundred T-55 tanks, up to 80 BMP-1, from 70 to 100 self-propelled guns 2S1 and up to 4 2S7, up to 350 M-30 guns, up to 166 D-20, up to 395 mortars, up to 40 BM-21. This technique is withdrawn from the aircraft and is intended for export or is used as a source of spare parts.

Army aviation includes 80 combat helicopters - 24 Mi-24 (11 D, 13 V) (up to 7 D, up to 2 V in storage), 19 Mi-2URP (up to 16 more in storage), 2 Mi-2URN (up to 12 in storage), 29 W-3W (including 14 WA). The Mi-2 and the Polish W-3s created on their basis can only be considered combat, so in fact only the Mi-24s are combat.

There are also up to 72 multi-purpose and transport helicopters - 15 W-3 (3 A, 2 AE, 1 ARM, 3 RR, 6 PL), 4 Mi-17, 25 Mi-8 (7 MT, 17 T, 1 P; more up to 10 T, 1 P in storage), 27 Mi-2 (7 Ch, 4 T, 6 D, 1 M, 4 P, 4 R, 1 RM; up to 5 Ch, ​​up to 13 T, up to 4 D, up to 4 M, up to 3 P, up to 10 R, up to 8 RM in storage).

POLISH ARMY

Of the 200,000 Polish soldiers taken prisoner by the Red Army in 1939, about 70,000 left with Anders. Among them was the vast majority of the surviving officers. However, many of those who remained were pro-Soviet: they either believed that Poland should come to terms with the loss of part of the territory and to some extent sovereignty, receiving compensation in the form of German territories, or were staunch communists and adherents of Stalin's ideas. The rest of the Polish officers urged Stalin to form a pro-Soviet Polish army. At first he was not inclined to do so, but the break with the Sikorsky government after the Katyn scandal changed the situation. As a result, the formation of an alternative pro-Soviet government began on the basis of a group of Polish communists - the Union of Polish Patriots ( ZPP), which operated in Moscow since 1941. In parallel, the formation of the army - the Polish People's Army ( Ludowe Wojsko Polskie, lwp), Training Center which was located south of Moscow. The first regular units of the Polish Army were the 1st Infantry Division. Tadeusz Kosciuszko (commander General Sigmund Berling) and the 1st Polish armored brigade. These units were recruited from Polish prisoners of war, Soviet soldiers Polish nationality and volunteers. Many Poles made a natural choice between the prospect of returning to a concentration camp and fighting for the liberation of their homeland, regardless of the political orientation of the Polish Army. However, due to the purges carried out by the NKVD and the departure of most of the officers from Anders, the Polish Army experienced a severe shortage of commanders, which could not be filled until the very end of the war. On the vacant positions often had to appoint Soviet officers. Some of them were ethnic Poles, but many were Ukrainians or Belarusians. In general, about 40% of the officers and non-commissioned officers in the Polish Army were Soviet military personnel of non-Polish nationality, and in the technical branches of the military, such as aviation, artillery, communications services, this percentage was much higher.

The crew of the SU-85 of the 14th self-propelled artillery regiment of the Polish Army. Soviet black tank helmets made of canvas. The soldier on the left is wearing a khaki padded jacket, the other two are uniforms of the Polish Army. There is a Polish eagle on board the SU-85.

In October 1943, the 1st Infantry Division entered the battle near Smolensk in the Lenino region. A fierce battle took place from 12 to 14 October. The losses of the division reached 25% of the personnel, and it was taken to the Smolensk region. As we progress Soviet troops to the west, the number of Polish volunteers grew, so the Polish Army was deployed into the 1st Polish Army, which was headed by the same Berling. The army (roughly the size of a British or American corps) consisted of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Infantry Divisions and auxiliaries. By the summer of 1944, its number reached 90,000 people. Later, the formation of the 2nd and 3rd Polish armies began, but soon the latter was disbanded, and its personnel were transferred to the 2nd. From the idea of ​​creation Polish front abandoned due to lack of command staff.

In July 1944, the 1st Polish Army began hostilities. Operationally, she was subordinate to the 8th Soviet Guards Army of the 1st Belorussian Front and participated in the crossing of the Bug. The army became the first Polish unit to cross the borders of Poland. Further, the army participated in the liberation of Deblin and Pulaw in late July - early August. The 1st Polish armored brigade participated in the defense of the Studzyansky bridgehead on the western bank of the Vistula south of Warsaw. In September, Berling's army was transferred to the suburbs of Warsaw - Prague. On September 16, attempts began to cross the Vistula in order to connect with units of the Home Army. It was possible to cling to several bridgeheads, but the Poles could not build on the success, and on September 23 the troops were withdrawn. By the end of the summer offensive, the 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions, pushing back German troops from the banks of the Vistula north of Warsaw, again taken to west coast rivers.

Insignia of the Polish Army: 1) marshal; 2) full general; 3) lieutenant general; 4) lieutenant general; 5) colonel; 6) lieutenant colonel; 7) major; 8) captain; 9) lieutenant; 10) second lieutenant; 11) choirboy; 12) staff sergeant; 13) sergeant; 14) platoon; 15) corporal; 16) senior private. Rank insignia embroidered with silver thread, 11–16 with narrow red edging. Shoulder straps according to the color of the uniform, buttons on the uniform of 1939 are oxidized, silver.

The Polish 1st Army remained focused on Prague throughout the winter, and in January participated in the liberation of Warsaw. Berling's troops participated in the breakthrough through central Poland, liberating Bydgoszcz on January 28. Then the 1st Polish Army was transferred north, and she took part in the battles, moving along the Baltic coast. The main forces of the army participated in the assault on Kolobrzeg (Kolberg), and the 1st Polish armored brigade advanced on Gdansk. In winter battles, the 1st Polish Army lost 20,000 people. In Szczecin, the 1st Polish Army stopped to regroup before the last push on Berlin.

By the beginning of the spring offensive in 1945, the 2nd Polish Army of General Karol Svezhchevsky was also ready for battle. The army consisted of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th infantry divisions and the 1st Polish armored corps. The 2nd Polish Army was part of the 1st Ukrainian front and operated north of the Czechoslovak border. In 1945, the role of the Polish army increased markedly, as the number of Polish formations reached 200,000 people, accounting for approximately 10% of the total strength of Zhukov and Konev's forces that stormed Berlin. The 1st Polish Army crossed the Oder and the Hohenzollern Canal. March 1, 1945 The 1st separate Warsaw cavalry brigade carried out the last Polish cavalry attack in World War II and captured German positions in the Schoenfeld area. AT last days war 1st Infantry Division. T. Kosciuszko participated in street fighting in Berlin, including operating in the Reichstag area and the Imperial Chancellery. The 2nd Polish Army advanced in southbound and went to the outskirts of the capital of Czechoslovakia. Participation in these last battles cost the Polish Army the loss of 32,000 people.

Polish divisional emblems:

a) 1st armored division- a stylized helmet of the Polish "winged hussars" of the 17th century: the drawing is black, the center of the circle is orange;

b) 2nd armored division - a silver or gray plate hand on a khaki field;

c) 3rd Carpathian rifle division- green spruce on a white-red square;

d) 5th Kresovskaya Infantry Division - a brown bison on a pale yellow field with a brown edging.

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