Polish contribution to World War II (original) (raw)

Army

After the defeat in the 1939 campaign, the Polish government in-exile immediately organised a new army In France. Until 1940 two divisions took part in the defense of France. Another division took part in the Battle of Narvik. A large part of personnel was either interned in Switzerland or died during the fighting; nevertheless Władysław Sikorski was able to evacuate many Polish soldiers to England. In 1941 after an agreement with Stalin, the Soviets released many former Polish citizens, from which a 75,000-strong army was formed in the Middle East under General Anders (the so-called Anders' Army).

At the end of WWII, the Polish army in the west numbered 225,000 soldiers. The Communist government organised its own army, the Polish People's army, which at the end of the war numbered close to 500,000 soldiers. In addition, the Home Army (Armia Krajowa), the Polish resistance forces in Poland itself, at their peak numbered around 200,000 regular soldiers and many more conspirators and sympathizers.

Polish Air forces fought in the Battle of France (133 pilots - they achieved 55 victories and lost 15 men). Later Polish pilots fought in the Battle of Britain; the Polish Air Force fought also in Tunisia (Skalski circus), during raids on Germany, and in China. At the end at the war there were about 12,000 Polish airmen in the RAF and USAAF.

Big chunk of Polish Navy has been destroyed during the September campaign. However, the majority of big ships Polish Navy continued to fight in alliance with British Fleet. At different stages of war It consisted of 2 cruisers and great number of smaller ships, including 3 destroyers and 2 submarines, that escaped from the Baltic Sea in 1939.

And several other minor ships, transport ships, merchant marine auxiliary vessels and recce boats.

The Polish navy fought alongside the allied navies, including fighting against the Bismarck.

Intelligence

Polish cryptographs were able to decrypt early version of Enigma and gave results of their work to British.

AK intelligence was vital to destroying factory at Peenemunde, and finding info about V-1 and V-2 rockets, including delivery of a complete V-2 rocket by an air bridge from occupied Poland.

Polish intelligence services cooperated with the Allies in every european country and the intelligence net in Nazi Germany was one of the biggest.

Underground

Polish Underground state (Armia Krajowa aka AK), sabotages

See also: History of Poland (1939-1945)

Battles

Famous battles and campaigns at which fought Polish regular soldiers:

Technical inventions