(1/5) Timewatch Battle for Warsaw World War II

[mrk1lla]

just pawns in a game.. as almost all of us..

[myth1032]

I feel sorry for the poles, so many of them died in concentration camps, but many people forget about them

[TheDavidedmond]

nazi and soviets invaded poland

[werkzeug0]

@TheDavidedmond poland invaded Russia

[PolishWingedHussar10]

@werkzeug0 Yes in 1610 and Polish-Lithuanian captured Moscow and abolished russian autonomy and were preparing their plans to establish new polish catholic king Sigismund III Vaza king of all of russias

[CountGrishnaak]

For interested parties I recommend the authoritative "Between Nazis and Soviets: occupation politics in Poland", 1939-1947 By Marek Chodakiewicz & " I saw Poland Betrayed" by American ambassador Arthur Bliss Lane.

[MrAapenkind]

Stalin whas a devil

[thcsr]

When I heard "It's better to die fighting than on your knees" the tears by themselves appear on my checks.

Check movie on yt "City of ruins" - World first digital reconstruction of destroyed city. Of course it is Warszawa :(

[markpyruz]

This is hype.

According to eminent military historian Col. David M. Glanz, the Russian military deployments at the time precluded an offensive against the German army at the Warsaw front at that time. And if the Russians had rearranged their deployments and hastily put forth an offensive into the Warsaw front, the German's possessed the military strength to defeat it.

BBC documentaries have gone downhill.

[justhutt272]

i love my country

i'm from poland

p.s in warsaw is a museum about it. there is much more true than this clip

[patrickbonne]

The history of the (warsaw) poles is truely one of heroes, genuine heroes...both the betrayals of the sovjets and the british are things i see as war crimes...

[gonziaczek1]

NARRATOR: Michael Praed.

I love his voice :)

[licicaviki]

In June 1945 in Moscow started Trial of the Sixteen of 16 leaders of the Polish Underground State arested by NKVD. Soviets accused Them of "collaboration with Nazi Germany". Veterans of antinazi resistance created "Cursed soldiers" mouvement continued the struggle against the pro-Soviet government of Poland well into the 1950s. The last cursed soldier Józef Franczak was killed in an ambush with pistol in his hand as late as 1963, almost 20 years after the Soviet take-over of Poland.

[OneWorldHistory]

As Churchill said before World War One ..."the terrible Ifs accumulate."

Don't play the 'if' game much myself, makes for bad history, but it is a frightening thing to consider where we would be if the Western Allies attacked the Eastern Allies in 1945 to keep half of Europe 'soviet-free'. It would have taken years, and with years to build them, there would almost certainly be a lot more nuke-sites than Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Not a pretty prospect.

[honour123]

Churchill and FDR sold the Poles out to the Russian. But what else were they to do? Go to war with the Soviets?

Patton sure would have liked that.

Churchill was not a coward. Remember he went to war with Germany for Poland in the first place.

[ronin599]

@honour123 well said my good man. a fact some people commenting on this page appear to have forgotten. i am an englishman and feel i must express my admiration for the polish as good, proud people.

[tdyduch13]

@honour123 patton did want that... and yes i dont blame britain for not helping us ,,,they were not mobilized at time and in honesty had no army... churchill said "thank god for the french army" i think it was in 1938 it just pisses me off that france is considered a major ally... really ... for what? they marched 17kms into bavaria and when they saw no german troops they returned to maggiot line... their tank division surrendered to german kitchen unit.. france had among worst leaders in ww2

[tdyduch13]

@honour123 and i agree with you Churchill was not a coward,,,, just still i hope you can understand us Polish,,, we to this day feel betrayed,,, not by the British, American , and all allied soldiers of close to 40 nations across the world,,, although some didnt fight,,, who fought the same war with us,,, but more by politics,,, and politicians who deemed us dispensible and gave us away,

[monkeykilling13]

The Germans and Russians attacked Poland, the Russians attacked later to look less aggressive. Poland "was allies with France and Britain" but if you look at the situation would an ally wait a week before any counter attack? (Initiative plays a key role in war play) ..."Blitzkreig" ? lol.

[beetle2014]

The kaminski and Dirlewanger brigades, will be remembered like the worst criminals in the battle for Warsaw in the WWII

[zentrallondon]

Poles are the best! Forgotten by ww2 elites, afraid of Stalin. Warsaw Uprising, , Irena Sendler, Stanislaw Mitsuda, Jan Korczak, Stanislaw Skalski ''Spitafire Ace'' I mean Hollywood is making some sci-fiction Inglorious Bastards and i think polish underground fighting against the Nazis could be enough for thousands of brilliant scripts in order to make fantastic movies, research Stanislaw Mitsuda, capturing German tanks and using then to liberate Jews in a death camp in Warsaw.

[olseneudezet]

@zentrallondon Exactly my thoughts, I would kill for a good, well budgeted film or even TV serie about Polish resistance, there's a great book about it, named "Kolumbowie" in Polish (by Radosław Bratny), dunno if there's an English translation, but If you would find it I bet you'd love it.

[crapcake101]

nazi and jap bastards...

[elrjames777]

It seems political correctness in BBC history production has spoiled this "Time Watch" from the start with their use of "inevitable". The assertion is that Britain going to war with Germany on 3rd Sept 1939 (over the issue of troops crossing the border) was "inevitable" because she was an ally of Poland. However, Britain was still an ally of Poland when she chose not to go to war with Russia (on the same issue of troops crossing the border) after 17th Sept 1939 !!!

[HK379]

Thats pure lies ... The USSR liberated Warsaw .....

Britain talk to people who claim to be "The Polish Government " in London .

The question is what A POLISH GOVERNMENT is doing IN LONDON .

true Poles fought as partisans and regular troops on the Soviet side . in their motherland .

[hipcat13]

@HK379 OK, what kind of a retard are you? My father was almost EXECUTED by the Russians after they INVADED Poland in '39. My Uncle was in the rising and was captured by the Germans. They tell me what really happened. You saying that Russia liberated Warsaw is like saying that the Muslim extemists tried to prevent those planes hitting the World Trade Center. Read a history book that wasn't written by the Soviet Government for a change. How stupid are you?

[HK379]

@hipcat13

Your fother was probably a Nazi colabolator .

your Uncle was on the Soviet side .

not Russia .. the USSR liberated Poland ... they neededPoland on the Soviet Side ...

because it was a battle ground state . they could not let it in nazi hands .

they did it for the Polish workers .

You need to read something thats not ritten by western propaganda ...

I actually have relatives in former Yugoslavia .. and told me how western propaganda worked and still works ..

[hipcat13]

@HK379 Thats the same BS that's been going around for 70 years. Your rhetoric betrays your ignorance and it's plain to see the Soviets have their thumb up your ass. I have read literature from both sources you speak of and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the Soviets are lying. Anyway, we're talking about POLAND here, not Yougoslavia. Did your Yugoslavian relatives fight for Poland during the war? Were they in the rising? Obviously not, so who are you to say what happened? Retard

[HK379]

@hipcat13

this is not "BS" is the truth . the Soviets are coreckt , they are against the fashists - dogs of capitalists.

Do not use curse words . thats decadent to society , anmd it leads to social decay it serves to distract our revolutionary vigilance , by creating decomposing sub-cultures within the proletariat .

Politicaly it was the same every where . Westerners Alies were trying to undermind soviet victories so they can claim biger resposibimlity defeating the nazi.

[hipcat13]

@HK379 I am not going to waste anymore time on a person who obviously has only propaganda as his scource of information on this subject. Sure, the Western Allies have their own propaganda, and that's why I read ALL information on the subject and then develop my own conclusions. I not only read on the subject, I also have family members who were THERE! You obviously can't say the same, and therefore my evidence is more credible than yours by a Long shot. I see no further point in debating w/you.

[hipcat13]

@HK379 And what about Katyn? The Soviets denied it for years, and only recently confessed to the fact that the Soviets murdered all those Polish officers......and don't say it didn't happen because my Father was there, they took him up to Archangel to execute him but the Nazis invaded just in time. He told me about the Gulags and the "reeducation" camps. I even have a book they gave him depicting the evils of Capitalisim, do you know what it was? Oliver Twist! That was outdated even in the '40's

[hipcat13]

@HK379 So you think my Dad is a Nazi collaborator because he wouldn't fight with the Red Army? With the people who tried to murder him? And my Uncle, he saw it all during the rising. The Soviets urging them to rise up and fight just to sit 15km away and let the Nazis do their dirty work for them. It's no secret that Stalin coveted Poland for himself. Sure, I probably shouldn't have called you stupid and retarded, just your sense of history. I feel sorry for you, seriously. I'm done dealing w/you

[elrjames777]

@hipcat13 In light of your remark "it's no secret that Stalin coveted Poland", do you think she would have done better to renew her non aggression pact with Germany and not rejected Hitler's proposal for a solution to the question of Danzig (Gdansk).

[buildingeverything]

@HK379 There's a big different between western propaganda, soviet propaganda, and the truth, you seem to fail to see the difference.

[jollyzz]

Even Churchill said that the aboandonment of the Poles weighed heavily on his mind.During the uprising we (the British) did drop supplies to the Home Army,but were losing 4 Lancasters for every ton of supplies dropped,at the same time the Red Army was stopped 15 km from Warsaw sat on thier hands and waited for the Germans to beat the Home Army.Many Poles then fought the Russians. So you have fighters who fought the Germans,then fought the Germans again and then fought the Russians! We owe them!!

[buildingeverything]

@jollyzz Churchill was a good man for Poland, I even read that he was probably the only man that talked to Stalin about making an Independent Poland during the war that was based on the Polish Government in London. Plus Churchill also cut off his trade with Russia after he heard what the Russians did to the Poles in Katyn.

[ProthSteriel]

We poles are not angry for britain for "sold" most of us are jus question why France just do anything. We must remember that leader Piłsudski before 1935 want to prempetive strike on Germany witch France

[dirtywt]

What if, could if, you can’t rewrite history, only winners can do that. The FACT IS the POLOCKS owe the YUGOS for their country, if the YUGOS didn’t put up such a great fight against the WHOPS, to then have the KRAUTS come in to conquer, Operation Barbarossa would have taken place much earlier, and the COMMIE winter would not have stopped the GERRY’s advance before Moscow, POLOCKS and LIMIES should be thankful to Edward R. Murrow

[licicaviki]

"Within the framework of the entire enemy intelligence operations directed against Germany, the intelligence service of the Polish resistance movement assumed major signifiance. The scope and importance of the operations of the Polish resistance movement, which was ramfied down to the smallest splinter group and brilliantly organized, have been in (various sources) discclosed in connection with carrying out of major police security operations"" - Heinrich Himmler, 31 December 1942

[owrobel]

The Berlin Radio report:

"This is a dreary and merciless fight, which is beyonding the imagination even the hardests of the German solidiers - compared only with Stalingrad. The champions of the Polish Underground are infatuated with fanaticism and they're waging creazy fight . If the German sapers hadn't used absolutely every kind of weapon from their arsenal - fight would be hopeless."

In spite of in my opinion the Uprising was shot just right in the head - those heroes have to be remember.

[fdsdh1]

the USSR was polands enemy

[Polish1Dre]

o Britain sold us out. thats why they wouldnt go into Warsaw? children fought in the war. POLSKA.

[technoSUXbadly]

As a Pole I can say that we had no choice. Try to imagine to choose 1 of 2 guys who want to beat your ass. Other poles say that rooskies did good for us, but they was just waiting on the east side of Vistula till Warsaw will be totally destroyed. At least they provided us freedom under communist manners.

[PolishAmericanDC]

to patsyd80 what do You mean? if Poland will not help You will be a part of Germany now

Polish Armi in IK and the all over the world and the polish undegraund armi in poland

[Kelthuzad126]

the nazis and the ussr attack poland at the same time, the pols fought bravely til the bitter end. anyone has to respect them for that.

[licicaviki]

On the west You don`t know so many facts. For example it`s completly not known facts about so called "Polish operation" a part of Great Purge inside prewar Soviet Russia. Between 1933-1938 was arrested 150 000 of Poles as potentially spy`s and 40-50 proc. - something about 75 000 of Them was killed. Survivors was held in NKWD camps. What You defend? Stalinist system who killed 22 mln people in Russia including Poles? We should be happy be part of it?

[kikusiakikusia]

First the Soviets could have helped the Uprising even if they were exhausted after a long advance the battle lasted over 2 months, after a month they could have opened a new offensive, that was more than enough rest to advance a further couple kilometers. Second i don't like it how everything is blamed on Russians, excuse me but i think it was Germans who killed 200,000 civilians, raped women, killed kids smashed they heads with rifles, destroyed 90% of Warsaw, wanted to exterminate us, Krauts!!

[MaKiPOLSKA]

To dobrze że robią o nas filmy :) Nie tylko my pamiętamy...

[easthussar1]

they must make a movie about this fight !!!!!

[Indul1]

The myth that the Soviets did not help the Polish uprising is well established but its a myth...the Poles started the uprising when the Soviets were not in a position to help...German forces had well defended Warsaw. The Poles have never overcome their Soviet phobia.

[easthussar1]

what the fuck were are you come from Soviet Radio Broadcast sent messeges to the Uprisers to fight because the "victorios Soviet Red army is comming" you retard learn something about real history not propaganda.... Stalin let shoot down polish officers of Red Army who try to help the uprisers... and he not aloud to start the US bombers again from his sphere... you stupid retard really !!!!

[ThouHastEnabled]

Myth my ass. Look at the facts, not your communist brainwashed bull shit.

[xnouveauxx]

quite ironic that heydrich had jewish blood...I would suggest doing some research heydrich10 before commenting with such arrogance.

[Lakecik]

Polish Power!

[DamnControl2]

Damn Stalin! Damn him!

[Felton321]

@DamnControl2 Y U SAY THAT IT WAS STALIN THE ONE THAT STOP HITLER

[jlastre]

@Felton321 ummm. Think DamnControl2 says that because Stalin encouraged the Poles to fight then back-stabbed them by not doing anything. Also didn't know that it was Stalin alone that stopped Hilter. Thought it was the Allies. Silly me.

[uwertur]

flute4hire - in the 30s, Poland gave shelter to tens of thousands Jews, escaping from the Soviet Union and Third Reich. For centuries, Poland was the only country were Jews had really big previlleges (like setting their own buisness, having their own districts, building their temples everywhere). That was the country where Jews always seeked for help during pogroms. Many Jews called it "Paradisus Judaeorum".

[uwertur]

flut4hire - Poles saved much more Jews than any nation in Europe, despite nazi repressions against it were biggest in occupied Poland (killing not only the rescuer, but also his family). Even many authorities, before the war regarded as anti-semitic, helped their old neighbours in need. What you're saying is just a bunch of lies - read "Holocaust Industry" and you'll understand.

[uwertur]

flut4hire - there were tho battle organisations in the Warsaw Ghetto. The stronger one, ŻZW, was created by the pre-war polish officers who armed it and made it part of the Polish Underground. There was also zionist ŻOB, which collaborated with the Soviet Union and was against the idea of free Poland (since 1920s). Even though those extremist jews hated Poland, Polish uderground decided to arm them too.

[uwertur]

flute4hire - Poles didn't help the Ghetto Uprising?! Every single gun the Jewish fighters possessed was given them by the Polish Undergound. Learn some facts before you post a comment. By the way, the Uprising was not calculated to be won, as Jews stated - they just decided to die fighting instead in the concentration camps.

[heydrich10]

I did have some sympathy for Poland, but after they rushed to Iraq in 2003. I understood what the Commies and the Nazis were putting up with.

[ferdovit]

and what with Your sympathy to United Kingdom - 45,000 soldiers in Irak, Australia: 2,000, Spain: 1,300, Denmark: 500?

You understood it very well as a Nazi isn`t it?

[heydrich10]

I will repeat what the great Mussolini said" I know they will win but I hope they will lose lot of their feathers"

[flute4hire]

the russians and the germans are the aggressors not the British. we did nothing wrong, the poles diddnt exactly do much to help the Jews.

[ferdovit]

It`s not true. There are 6,135 Polish men and women recognized as Righteous Among The Nations. We are first on the list. Over 700 Poles received their medals of honor posthumously, being murdered by the Germans for aiding or sheltering their Jewish neighbors. Polish Council for Aid to Jews Żegota saved from Ghetto 2,500 Jewish children. It is estimated that about half of the Jews who survived the war (thus over 50,000) were aided in some shape or form by Żegota.

[flute4hire]

That by the by Poland was and still is a anti Semetic country. All country's have there righteous and Poland more than most but the general population was antisemetic.

Why did the Polish resistance not help the Gheto uprising?

[ferdovit]

I heal You from ignorance ok? Participation of the Polish underground in the uprising was confirmed by a report of the German commander Jürgen Stroop, who reported in Stroop report: "When we invaded the Ghetto for the first time, the Jews and the Polish bandits succeeded in repelling the participating units, including tanks and armored cars, by a well-prepared concentration of fire. (...)

[ferdovit]

2."The main Jewish battle group, mixed with Polish bandits, had already retired during the first and second day to the so-called Muranowski Square. There, it was reinforced by a considerable number of Polish bandits. Its plan was to hold the Ghetto by every means in order to prevent us from invading it."... Time and again Polish bandits found refuge in the Ghetto and remained there undisturbed, since we had no forces at our disposal to comb out this maze. (...)

[ferdovit]

"One such battle group succeeded in mounting a truck by ascending from a sewer in the so-called Prosta [Street], and in escaping with it (about 30 to 35 bandits). The bandits and Jews - there were Polish bandits among these gangs armed with carbines, small arms, and in one case a light machine gun - mounted the truck and drove away in an unknown direction."

[patsyd80]

i hate the way the pols say england sold them out. we risked EVERYTHING for them. what was the b.e.f  gonna march through france over the rhine throgh berlin beat the wehmach and releave warsaw with 5 divisons? come on have some respect for rthe dead.

[2bn442RCT]

Polish people are very emotional when commenting regarding WW2. I guess I see why. The British were pretty much fed up with the USSR stone walling their efforts to re-install a pro-western government. Churchill finally had to play games to make a best deal. This is perceived as a sell-out

[4lm4pN]

@2bn442RCT We don't "perceive" anything - we are stating facts, read about Churchills decisions during the Yalta conference. Churchill has promised Poland to Stalin to keep him in play and he kept quiet about it to the polish government in exile to keep them in play - for the whole eastern block Churchill is nothing but an ungrateful egoistic alcoholic hypocrit. We bled for you and you didn't even allow Poland in the London victory parade. I'm lost for words for great injustices like this.

[CaptainCook1778]

@2bn442RCT The truth is that we the allies betrayed Warsaw just as we betrayed the Czechs over the Sudatenland. Politics requires strange bed fellows.We wanted an end to war and Poland was the price Churchil and Trueman were prepeared to pay, just as Chamberlin was prepared to sell out Czech Sudaten land for peace.World Peace wasnt achieved by Chamberlin,nor was it achieved by Churchill and Trueman.What a brunch of Mugs all these leaders were.They DID sell lots of people out,they are all evil.

[2bn442RCT]

@CaptainCook1778 What else could they have done.

[PrUnEJuIcEtHeThIrD]

@CaptainCook1778 There is no such thing as full "moral good" in war. This is true simply by nature of what war is. Let me put it this way. If I had to share a room with Stalin & Hitler vs. Churchill & Truman, I'm picking Churchill & Truman. In my opinion, even if they're all bad, I'd much prefer the later two as my roommates.

Everything is relative, my friend.

[ferdovit]

Patsyd80... We has 3 stages of English-Polish conections in WWII. First before war to 1939: We signed military pact of cooperation. We fought against Blitzkrieg (and the Soviets) and You with French sit in Sitzkrieg.

Second stage: After fall of Poland We defended France and Britain against Germans in early 40-ties. And That was sucessful cooperation because it Was Your country not Our. But when US and Brits signed pact with Soviets Churchil said to Sikorski "We don`t need You anymore".

[ferdovit]

and now Patsy come the 3 stage:

When You know that You win and the Soviet take His part of middle European cake with Poland as a plum You even not invited the Polish forces to Victory parade in London.

Togo Island forces marching on this parade but Poles not. Because Roosevelt and You made deal with Stalin Poland wasn`t cool anymore... and Poles die in Poland killed in forests and jails by Soviets to 60-ties.

[ferdovit]

but I realize that England wasn`t leader of this deal... Rosevelt and Stalin was real leaders... but Brits silent agree with that from practise reasons... And Polish pretensions to You comes from that "We really believe You. We admire You. You was authotity to Us. We respected You for Honour and Straight in 2 world war... and You used Us as tool and We payed 2 times in 1939 and 1945.... Last AK soldier die with pistol in His hand in 1963 - Józef Franczak killed by communists.

[licicaviki]

@patsyd80 It`s easy to understand this. For You war end in 1945. For Us in 1945 started next occupation. Many soldiers of Home Army who fought with German nazis was killed by Russian and Polish communists. So We fought in IIWW for be occupied second time... and nobody protested. Polish soldiers who fought on the British side can`t even march on Victory parade in London after war. Churchil don`t need Them anymore.

[patsyd80]

@licicaviki but you cant blame england for this. what could england do to soviet union in 1945? land at gnansk and get wiped out? the uk lost everything in ww2 the only winners of the war was russia and america. we only just paid america back a couple of years ago. and to say that churchill just used the pols is wrong. the english think alot of the pols who was in the home army and still talk very highly of their bravery and skill in the battle of britain.

[Indul1]

@licicaviki You think the Soviets fought the bloodbath of the Eastern Front simply to allow the Poles (who opposed all security agreements) a free hand?....No....if the Poles had made a collective agreement with the Soviets in the 1930's the likelhood is that the Soviets would have withdrawn from Poland at the end of 1945 like they did Finland and no Katyn Massacre. Poland was legally independent, yes the regime was a controlled by the West but the country existed as a sovereign nation.

[Indul1]

@Indul1 I meant the country was controllled by the Soviets............

[licicaviki]

@Indul1 You really don`t know what You say. Your canapé politic is really impressive but it not works in reality. You don`t know what means totalitarian system at all - both national or international socialism. You want answer from me which system was best? I answer You. For what disease You want to die - cholera or leprosy? Be smart now. It`s Your freedom of choice.

[Indul1]

@licicaviki Hobson's choice heh....How many hundreds of thousands of Poles were killed or sent to death camp between 1945-89 by the Soviet Union?....if you can't see the difference between Stalin and Hitler ask a Polish Jew would he prefered to have lived in the Soviet or Nazi part of Poland....That's the problem of the Poles...they said there was no difference.... Churchill and Roosevelt saw one that's why they supported the Red Army.

[licicaviki]

@Indul1 Some facts: Soviets In 1940 and the first half of 1941 in four mass deportations expelled more than 1,200,000 Poles. They was send to Gulags or executed in places like Katyn (there was few places like that). Not many peoples back to homes. After war. 60,000 soldiers of the AK was arrested (acussed of fascism sic!)-50,000 of them were deported to gulags. In the period of 194456, approximately 2 million were arrested, and over 20,000 was executed without court.

[Indul1]

@licicaviki That is not a fact, its a series of figures that has been widely discredited for decades....The Polish Institue of national remebrance itself puts the figure at 300,000 people into the Soviet Union......We know that because Beria (head of special police) sent a memo to Stalin telling him the number of Poles being held in Soviet camps and other places.

[licicaviki]

@Indul1 Your data`s are not complete. After 1939 was 250,000 of Polish POW`s only. The first deportation of civilians took place February 10, 1940, with more than 220,000 sent to northern European Russia. Second on April 13, 1940, sending 320,000 primarily to Kazakhstan. Third in June-July 1940 totaled more than 240,000. In June, 1941, was deported 300,000. Number of Poles in camps it`s not all number because many of Them was just send to Siberia. Only part was in Gulags.

[Indul1]

@licicaviki .Part 2...In 1989 the communist regime fell but Poland existed as a country..this would not have been the case if the Nazis had won the war...Why can't Poles accept this?

[readynow12345]

Not so england declared war on germany but did nothing to help until they where attacked & still only defended her self, I do understand that germany was far superior but declaring war & not do anything is upsurd I guess it was politics.

[Talib17stce]

@patsyd80

They did nothing for Poland in 1939, they did nothing for Poland in 1944, and they leave Poland alone after the war. How you can call that? I have only one word - betrayal.

[patsyd80]

@Talib17stce so what you want England to do in 39? march through europe alone all the way through Germany and beat the nazis? or in 44 you want us to beat the soviet union by ourselfs? 2 million v 20 million? have some respect for the english who died TRYING to help.

[Talib17stce]

@patsyd80

In '39 they could destroy all german factories, if they want to. Almost all german army was in Poland.

[patsyd80]

@Talib17stce My freind you are greatly over estimating the British army. Thank you for that but the british army was nothing compared to the German army. We had the best navy but that would be no help on the mainland of mittle europa. English people have alot of repect for the things the pols went through up untill the 90s but you have to be realistic the British army could have done nothing to help poland except declare war. I know you guys went through hell but you cant blame the uk. we tried.

[Talib17stce]

@patsyd80

Hitler said, that he wouldnt win with Poland, GB, and France fighting together. 12 .09.1939(begining of 'battle of Bzura') germans weren't even sure, that they manage with Polish army.

[WARSAWLONDON]

@patsyd80 . Hindsight is a wonderful thing, if the allies attacked the Germans in the first few days of September 1939 the war would have been over very quickly. There were hardly any German troops near the French border as they were all in Poland. Also, if this would have happened I believe the Russians wouldn't have invaded Poland. If anyone, it was the French that should have acted immediately, with the B.E.F as their reserves!! two fronts in 1939, no chance!!

[patsyd80]

@WARSAWLONDON u make some good points but I still think the germans would have rolled England and France back of any ground taken in 1939 but who knows.

[strongman325]

@patsyd80 HAHAHA, risked everything? Like in 1939? BULLSHIT!!

[buildingeverything]

@patsyd80 Not to offend you but Britain did exactly rush the BEF in and got them ready right away, they "took their time" as I read it before, they never (with the French) even planned to attack Germany, when the Germans didn't even have one tank in the west.

[simonn19811]

england betrayed poland in Jalta,sold us to captivity for another 50 years,english goverment declared that after the 2nd world war poland will become independent country,it never happened,english and american goverment were so afraid of stalin that they even did not allow polish soldiers to take part in victory parade in london in 1946,poland lost 6 million people during the second world war and yes we are emotional about it

[patsyd80]

@simonn19811 So aybe youwant England and the USA to have a nuclear war wth the USSR for the sake of Poland? maybe you want the cold ar to turn into ww3 and have a nuclear holocast across much of western and northern Europa and nothing but dust over most of the eastern stepes just because some little right wing jingoistic, pope loving slavic country like Poo land?.

[zentrallondon]

@patsyd80 just shut up in the name of the people that died! Our polish RAF pilots fought in Batlle of Brittain as soon as they got the chance, so what are you talking about some sci-fiction about ww3 because of Poland? I mean come on....

[xqtr74]

@patsyd80 Watch "World War II - Behind Closed Doors"

[konman001]

@patsyd80

Well . . . British did not fight Nazis until they themselves got threatened by them. Also. . .Churchill did not tell the Polish president about their decision at Yalta to hand Poland over to Stalin at the end of the war (if he knew that then he would not have given a green light for the Warsaw uprising).

But to give you some credit, at the start of the war a certain idiot named Chamberlain was in charge of England - Churchill was much better despite some of his mistakes.

[4lm4pN]

@patsyd80 Wait, you can't fucking be serious ? When Germany hit Poland full-force in 1939, only a small fraction remained defending the western german border, along with allied french army you guys could have done quite a lot, which would change the course of the entire war most probably. Do yourself a favour and read the "Phoney war" article on Wikipedia for example. On the other hand thanks for using RAF to drop leaflets asking germans to "stop the military action" - that helped a lot.

[gizmofsu]

@patsyd80 There's many people on Youtube that are historians apparently :-? The roll of the all the Allies (except France) is extraordinary. If you have a slight understanding of logistics, you would never expect Britain to singlehandedly rescue Poland from the Nazi's.

[RonidLanis]

@patsyd80 Everything? Any examples? Have you helped Polish Paratrooper Division to get to Warsaw during the uprising? No! And we don't blame you for that. That was Soviet's fault. Truth is though that France and England could've change the war in 1939. It's true that you Brits had very few divisions, French on the other side could easily march into German territory, when most of Nazi divisions were butchering Poles. Also we have respect for the dead!

[gre3w]

@patsyd80 In 1939 for the first time. We had a pact, but when the Germans and Russians attacked you did nothing. Later during the battle for Britain the Polish played a major role in defending London. (division 303). Second betrayal was 1944 when the British and Americans sold out Poland to Stalin as his prize to install a communist goverment here. The truth is, if the British and French werent such cowards we wouldnt have this war in Europe.

[CaptainCook1778]

@patsyd80 We should have respect for the dead and that includes the dead of Warsaw. Our politicians just allowed Stalin do what he wanted in the name of preserving the peace. They DID sell out Poland and warsaw in the final wash up. The Soviet troops should of gone in and assisted the warsaw uprising but didnt. We ceeded half of Europe to Stalin so that we wouldnt have to fight another war. The Allies sold Poland out. War is the domain of murderers not saints Politics the relm of THE CORRUPT.

[SillyGrandpa]

To the brave Polish people, you are not forgotten in the new modern era !!!

[Jakmaster1]

I hate how so many docs and other movies forget about Poland, yes sure omaha was brutal and kursk etc. but for such a small country and such a horrible army trying to hold back the ginormous nazi war machine was brave and americans and russians never mention them its always bout them.

[krakowia88]

Their were also some Slovakian volunteers who helped Poles in the Warsaw Uprising.

[ferdovit]

In this so called Slovakian volunteers was also Hungarians.... and Hungarian troops refused to fight against Poles in Warsaw Uprising. Six of hungarian Honveds fell, fighting on the Polish side...

[krakowia88]

Oh yes. I should have mentioned Hungarians helped too. I knew they helped I just forgot to mention them. Thanks for reminding me. I am glad that people like Hungarians stood up to Germans unlike Vichey French who were to scared to fight against them so they joined them.

[undergroundresistor]

Last but not least, from Poland's perspective everything is much clearer: Poland had to defend itself alone against Hitler with no or less support from outside. Russia could have helped, but they waited until the Nazis did all the dirty work, so it would be easier for the Soviets to invade Poland and turn it into a communist government. That's an undeniable fact.

[2bn442RCT]

Everything that happened in Poland has to make a civilized person sick. It had to be the most abused nation in World War II. Stuck between two bullies that did what ever they wanted. Twenty percent of the Polish population perished during World War II. And all the brave actions by it's Allied soldiers accomplished little for their homeland.

[WonkNRoll]

Then the US and UK sold Poland out at Yalta. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Putin ever invaded Poland. Hopefully that won't happen, but if it ever does (at the risk of paraphrasing GWB), the US better damn not forget about Poland role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[licicaviki]

@2bn442RCT And after war it wasn`t end. Many Home Army soldiers fought after 1945 with Soviets and Polish communists. "Cursed soldiers" continued to oppose the Soviets long after the war. The last cursed soldier - member of the militant anti-communist resistance in Poland was Józef Franczak who was killed with pistol in his hand by ZOMO in 1963.

[ferdovit]

Battle Of Warsaw was the first event of cold war infact who started after ending of 2 world war. This is the reason that Poles never do armed uprising against Soviets like Hungarians (1956) or Czech (1968) did...We know first two things. First: What are the really Soviet intentions under His false "peace smile"... and on second place We know that West do nothing to help,

[fdsdh1]

@undergroundresistor Satlin and Hitler agreed to split poland in half between them (1939)

[undergroundresistor]

Generally speaking, be always careful when watching documentaries about real history events. Research anything yourself to validate if it's true or propaganda, because every nation tells it from its own perspective. And as far as I can see, this documentary film is a british one. It's quite obvious then that everything which is told here is said in a way which makes England look good and Russia look bad. If this was a russian documentary it would be the other way.

[undergroundresistor]

See folks, just as I told you. The NWO and Obama want to suppress free speech and delete previous comments of mine. How childish.

[WonkNRoll]

If it were a Russian documentary, it would make both England and Poland look bad. It took me a long time to understand an old family saying, "never trust a Russian." My great-grandfather was saying that long before the Home Army was even established. He was enslaved by Czarist Russia to work on the trans-Siberian railroad. The history of Poland during WWII is one of the saddest and most shameful legacies of mankind. DJP49 got it right.

[STBF1337]

nice documentary thx 4 upping ! 5 *****

Lets hope such things never happen again.

[colong88]

The narration is provided by English actor Michael Praed.

[MBeniowski]

Robin of Sherwood originally...

[Indul1]

@MBeniowski It's a good point but if you want to be convinced that the Soviets were in no position to help read this ' The Soviet-German War 19411945: Myths and Realities: A Survey Essay' by David Glantz

[MBeniowski]

Well, I can see you still want to believe in soldiers of freedom fairytale, mate... They could help, they had means to do it but there was no will. A bit of aerial harrasing, blowing a few bridges on the other side, a fe weapons and ammo drops and Germans would be finished. Like In Paris where Bradley's 4th Division didn't even had to interfere as Gernmans knew there was no chance to defend Paris.

In Warsaw the scenario could be the same but than you are dealing with Soviets not Yanks...

[MBeniowski]

I suggest you read Norman Davies 'Rising '44' instead as David Glantz is a typical military (American) historian with very little knoweledge of Soviet wartime reality and political aspects of military decisions are beyond his understanding...

Time to go outside and distribute a few 'Socialist Worker' papers, I believe...

[Indul1]

@MBeniowski Sorry, just plain wrong. The same Yanks who took four years to open the second front.......If the Soviets had done what you had said the risk of an all out bloodbath to take the city was massive...The Soviets did everything they could..The Poles started the uprising with no coordination the red Army..do research and overcome your Soviet Phobia.....

[MBeniowski]

'Socialist Worker' everyone, Socialist worker!!!

Sure, risk of bloodbath, so many Soviets would die if they allowed Allied planes to land behind Vistula line, sure... and if they shelled german positions from time to time...and if they bombed Ziu mortar at least once so it would be out of action. That's obviously too risky... No direct involvement of Red Army was needed at all especially that 1st Polish Army was only too eager to go. Nothing was done...

Sure soviet phobia, yeah...

[MBeniowski]

What I pointed out was just a bit od strafing, shelling and supplying which can be done with a minimal effort. Instead of that the maximum of blockades were created so supplies had to come from Italy instead of 20 miles away. No one wanted Red Army attacks, just regular allied logisitc support.

I am not gonna go for another ridiculously long talk with you, mate. Just one request - don't insult the memory of all those who died with your Soviet brainwash, please. They haven't die for that.

[Indul1]

@MBeniowski I understand the point, but you underestimate how well the Germans had defended Warsaw...sorry a 'bit of strafing, shelling and supplying' would not have done the job even in conjunction with the Polish 1st Army.

[easthussar]

what for shit you talk about ??

[hhhoooaaaxxx]

maybe u should give me ur address and i should go to u and beat the shit out of u couse that commen u son af a bitch.was ur father a fuckin nazi that ur government helped after ww2 ?

[385423]

man i saw an 1800 century cannon that the polish were using, no wonder the Germans took over Poland first

[massi730]

I wonder you know nothing about war in Poland in 1939. Germany attacked Poland first because we had military alliance with France and Great Britain. Hitler was sure that if he had attacked France first, Poland would have fullfilled its obligations and polish troops would have attacked Germany from the east. He was also sure that French would not attack Germany if they attacked Poland. That's it.

[easthussar]

poland defend for fiveweeks before russia came from other site and fucking england and france betrayed poland "!!!!!

[85trebuh]

1800 century cannon ? LOL it must to be send from the future .That explain why Hitler wanted it so much ...

[azz578]

I want the initial battle for Warsaw.

[halerothery]

your videos are all great!!!

im a huge world war two buff and your videos have given me so much more information.

thanks!!!

[drdeos]

Nice series. post more please! Thnx man!

[DJP49]

Abandoned by all - friend or foe, the Pole's showed remarkable bravery througout the war.

[OrlopRat42]

Another good one. Very interesting, Thanks!

[alanheath]

The comment about the start time : 17:00 - was very common knowledge. It is hard to believe that the occupiers were taken by surprise.

[alanheath]

I have not seen this yet - but am looking forward to watching it!!!

[flammingdart]

The videos you upload are simply so informative and interesting to watch! Please keep it up!