On 14 February 1919, a division of the Polish Army defeated Red Army soldiers in the area of the Bridges over Germany. any historians with Norman Davies at the head of this conflict consider the start of the Polish-Bolshevik War. Others believe that it began more than a period earlier in the fighting under Vilnius.
Soldiers of the 8th Ulan Regiment. Cast of Schwarzlose dense device gun, dated 07/12. 28 November 1920.
Polish-bolshevik War According to Norman Davies, it broke out for respective reasons and "was not related to the Russian civilian war which was at the same time on another fronts", and Poles did not fight "in the framework of the intervention of allied states in Russia". In his book “God’s Games, ” the historian besides acknowledged that “it cannot be described as the ‘ 3rd run of the entent. ’ ” "For the Piłsudski government, who preferred the Bolsheviks to the whites in Russia, it was a war to keep the independency of non-Russian areas of the erstwhile Czarski empire. In the eyes of Lenin's government, it was fought to rebuild the empire in a socialist disguise and extend the revolution to developed Western European capitalist countries. It was primarily caused by the withdrawal of Germans from the Polish business zone, Ober-Ost (Oberbefehlshaber Ost – Chief Commander of the East; under his leadership there were respective 100 1000 soldiers from the regular army – for example, cars), in February 1919; it continued without interruption until 12 October 1920" – specified a genesis and specified a word of the Polish-Soviet war was given by Davies.
In his book “God's Games” about the beginning of the war, Davies simply wrote that “it began with the first unplanned clash that took place under Kartuska Bereza in Belarus on 14 February 1919.” In his dissertation entitled “Europe” Davies mentioned that “the first start took place in Belarus on 14 February at 6 a.m. erstwhile the patrol of Polish cavalry disrupted breakfast in the Bolshevik camp.” The main origin of the conflict between Poles and Soviets was the intention announced by the Bolsheviks to "link their revolution in Russia to the expected revolution in Germany, and thus besides the march by Poland". He besides mentioned that “the Bolsheviks first thought about moving to Germany in the winter of 1918 and 1919. They gave the red order to penetrate the Polish border. The request for civilian war, however, was so large that it was only after 1 year that a million troops were able to assemble to form strike troops."
Chief of State Józef Piłsudski among soldiers on the Galician Front. 1919. Photo: NAC
The first skirmishes of Polish soldiers with Bolsheviks occurred on February 14 both under the Kartuska Bereza and under the town of Bridges, located about 50 km from Grodn. Both clashes were victorious for Poles. Under Bereza Kartuska, Captain Piotr Mienicki, at the head of a more than 60-man division, broke up a group of “dwarfs”. But Polish divisions faced Bolsheviks as early as January 1919 under Vilnius. Many historians consider these clashes to be the actual beginning of the Polish-Bolshevik War.
Under Vilnius, the National Self-defense of Lithuania and Belarus took part in the fight against Bolsheviks. According to Major Bolesław Waligóra, the bachelor of the Order of Virtuti Militari and the creator of the Polish military archive, in the book “Fight about Vilnius: the business of Lithuania and Belarus in 1918-1919 by Russia”, this formation was formed from a group of officers of the erstwhile First east Corps, who initially gathered in the Military-Poles Union of the city of Vilnius. At the end of October 1918, Gen. Tadeusz Rozwadowski appointed General Władysław Wejtek “the leader of all formal self-defense in Lithuania and Belarus”.
However, General Wejtka failed to make a self-defense formation in Belarus. The conditions were unwise and he ran out of time. It was easier for him in Lithuania, due to the fact that he had the support of the Polish Committee representing the aspirations of Poles in the lands of Lithuania and Belarus, where many officers were active. In December 1918, the self-defense of Lithuania (Vileńska) divided into 2 groups that formed a brigade of self-defense. It was besides good to organize the self-defense of Grodzieńska. Both of these formations were ready to defend against the Bolshevik invasion. On December 29, 1918, self-defense organizations were dissolved and a "Military territory of Lithuania and Belarus" was established. From the troops that gathered in Vilnius, the 1st Vilnius Ulan Regiment and 4 battalions were formed. The Nadetat officers were incorporated into the 2nd Battalion, forming the Officer Legion.
Since November 1918, Józef Piłsudski was besides commissioned to make Lithuanian-Belarusian Division. On December 31, 1918, in connection with the approach to the Vilnius Red Army, a mobilization order was issued by General Entrance and Captain Sigismund Klinger. On that day, Poles took over part of Vilnius. A demarcation line was established between German and Polish branches, which both parties undertook not to exceed. On January 2, 1919, Poles seized the full city and counted on the anticipation of fighting under Vilnius with the approaching Red Army troops. The first skirmish occurred on 3 January under fresh Wilejka. Part of the soldiers from the 1st Vilnius Ulan Regiment, the 3rd Battalion and the Officer's Legion fought on the Polish side. The Polish troops failed to capture the 1st and 4th regiments of the Polish division of Nowo Wilejka, but the plan to halt the main forces of the enemy was successful. On 4 January, due to deficiency of ammunition, it was decided to retreat the Polish troops from Vilnius. On 6 January, by 3 o'clock, all Polish troops reached Biała Waki.
Under the command of Captain Dąbrowski
"Polish troops, having not seen the intended rescue, persisted to the last and, having no ammunition, and incapable to fight in the city, had to leave Vilnius. On the night of the 5th to 6th January, the chief of staff, Captain Klinger, changed his erstwhile plans and, having encountered the German branch in Wace Tyszkiewiczowska, concluded a deal with the commander of that group, under which the Germans agreed to decision the troops of self-defense by rail to Poland (without the weapons which the participants of self-defense were to make). At that time, the I., II., and IV. battalions were dissolved, which drove off to the conflict (a full of 154 officers and 1035 private officers arrived in the Lithuanian-Belarusian division). However, any troops did not agree to surrender their weapons (the 1st Regiment of Vilnius Orders, the 3rd Baon and the Officers' Legion) and formed a division under the command of rt. Jerzy Dąbrowski, having taken the intention to enter the country on its own, marching according to the previously mentioned route". “Wali Góra wrote.
Polish soldiers in trenches at bridgehead in Dynenburg (Dyneburg) Photo: NAC
Dąbrowski's squad arrived in Ejęszek on 9 January, where he was joined by the local self-defense squad and the horse squad. On January 12, troops commanded by the captain arrived at the Lakes, where they stayed for 2 days. The Chief Command decided to usage Dąbrowski's troops and gave him an order "to halt the force of the Bolshevik troops and to shield Grodno and the bridges on Niemno until the Polish troops arrived and to keep in contact with the Grodno self-defense". The captain's squad grew overnight. On January 15, he was joined by the self-defense of Lidzka and Szczuczyńska. The branch was strong adequate that the Germans did not effort to disarm it, and after the negotiations with Dąbrowski on 17 January, they signed an agreement requiring both parties to exceed the demarcation line of Lakes – Ostrina – Bridges. On January 26, the captain's ward began “a celebrated march along the front of the troops of the Russian Western division. The Niemen under the Orla were crossed, and on that day, a division of the western division was met in Lake District, which was broken up, taking 70 prisoners and 2 device guns. It was the first success that raised the temper in the ranks. On 28 January Mieżewicze was reached and a Russian company was taken prisoner at Ozimovich. On January 29, the city was moved to Rozana and occupied, taking 30 captives and quite a few handguns. Finally, on that day, they moved to Pruzana, which was occupied on 30 January, disarming the Ukrainian militia there. These actions amazed Russian command, which could not know in time. In this way, Dabrowski's squad interrupted the enemy's further march and caused him considerable losses."
On 14 February, the first divisions of the Lithuanian-Belarusian Division, formed from the end volunteers and self-defense, established communication with the Dąbrowski Branch. The division planted the Niemno line (from Bridges), Zelwianki and Różanki. Thus the Polish anti-Soviet front was created. On 16 February, Poles captured Bereza Kartuska, a tiny town in the Polesia Voivodeship, located about a 100 kilometres (about 100 km) north-east of Brest (now the town of Biaroza in the Brest region of Belarus).
The last large battle
In turn The last large conflict in the Polish-Bolshevik War was fought over Germany in September 1920.. After the large defeat of the Red Army in the conflict of Warsaw The Bolsheviks suffered immense losses in fighting, among others, about Forge and Grodno. The failure in the conflict of Germany had a major impact on the peace negotiations in Riga and the provisions of the Treaty of Riga, which ended the Polish-bolshevik war. Treaty, signed on 18 March 1921, he restored Poland to the lands belonging to the Republic before the IIIrd and Part II partitions, and since the spring of 1919 occupied by the Polish Army. Russia and Ukraine waived claims to east Galicia.
Bibliography:
Norman Davies, “God’s Olympics”, Kraków 2023
Norman Davies, “Europe. Discourse of historian with history”, Kraków 2023
Bolesław Waligóra, "Fight for Vilnius: business of Lithuania and Belarus in 1918-1919 by russian Russia", Vilnius 1938.
