Historical calendar – anniversary of the introduction of martial law in the Polish People's Republic. This was the reaction of the communists to expanding interior and external tensions and the hazard of losing power.
Today in our calendar we will look at the geopolitical situation in the late 1970s and late 1980s, which resulted in the introduction of martial law in the Polish People's Republic.
The impasse in European competitions between NATO and the east bloc caused the russian Union to start looking for an alternate territorial improvement path. According to the 1954 locomotive report, the destabilization of the mediate East and Southeast Asia began. At the first theatre, the Soviets supported Egypt and Syria, at the second Afghanistan and communists from Vietnam and Cambodia.
The 1962 Cuban defeat further mobilized them into efforts in these areas. They were crowned with considerable successes, specified as the harsh defeat of the U.S. in Vietnam and Cambodia's conquest by the red Khmer. In vassalized Afghanistan in turn, a road network was built, essential for further invasion of the Indian Ocean. The russian power apogee fell into the mid-1970s.
Then the last buttons on the road to planet War III began to tighten. The 1979 exercises "Barrier 79" showed that the armies of the Warsaw Pact were ready to invade the West. The vigilance of NATO states was put to sleep by signed disarmament arrangements and human rights declarations. Additionally, the convergence theory, which Sakharov preached in the USSR and Brzeziński in the USA, was unofficially supported. The ambitious plans to grow the planet revolution, which was directed to be implemented in 1980 or 1981, were thwarted by 2 events.
The first was the unrest in Afghanistan, where favorably Moscow governments were first overthrown by Nur Muhammad Taraki and then Hafizullah Amin. While the fresh governments were sympathetic to the Soviets and utilizing their military advisors, they were besides open to cooperation with the US, Pakistan and China. The Kremlin could not let specified an insult, so it decided to defend its interests in this country.
On December 24, 1979, a military invasion began. At first it was a large success – the most crucial areas of the country were overrun, and dictator Amin was destroyed. The country was headed by KGB agent Babrak Karmal. Military bases were expanded and natural resources were exploited. The panic of russian troops and the attitude of the conventional muslim Afghan society caused the opposition to grow.
He was supported by terrorist organizations, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and American CIA intelligence. The partisan battles took on the character of a spiritual and full war as Mujahidin troops trained in Pakistan and US-assisted organizations specified as “Maktab Chadamat al-Mujahidun al-Arab” led by Osama bin Laden (later Al Ka’ida).
Moscow's first method advantage was neutralized, thanks to the spread to the American combat area, the hand-held Stinger anti-aircraft rocket launchers, which were utilized to drop helicopters. The prolonged fighting active a large part of the russian Union's armed forces, accelerating its economical and political crisis.
The second event to spoil the chic of russian planners was the creation of “Solidarity” in Poland. The activity of the 10th – millionth independent movement in the immediate back of the future front of planet War III was unacceptable to Moscow. There were reminders to Warsaw to destruct the enemies of the people, but it was not that simple. Although a number of agents and “advisors” from Stalin’s farming were at the forefront of the union, social and economical life was paralyzed by mass, uncontrollable activities of the opposition.
PZPR has been discredited and severely weakened by members' departures, collaboration or the open enrollment of partyaries to "Solidarity". Since the beginning of 1981, strikes and disputes between trade unionists and local authorities have intensified (e.g. on free Saturdays).
The patience of the Soviets was exhausted. As the civilian apparatus of the communist authorities was helpless, the Kremlin put it on the most faithful environment – LWP officers. In February 1981, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, a supporter of the military confrontation with "Solidarity", became Prime Minister of the Polish People's Republic. In order to lull the Union's vigilance, he called for 90 days of peace, to carry out reforms.
The Terrestrial Operations Groups of troops were directed to the workplace, which in explanation were expected to aid improve their operations. In practice, they were doing reconnaissance for future military economical governance. no of the alleged reforms came out, and the economy deteriorated. There was a shortage of not only meat, but besides milk, and any even bread.
The power variant was discussed in the KC PZPR policy office as early as August 1980, but it was abandoned under the influence of mass speeches and assurances that the strike management was taken over by safety agents. It was hoped that the signing of the August agreements and the overthrow of the Game would aid to calm the mood, and after any time reconstruct the starting state. This time the controlled crisis failed, and the provocation exceeded the provokers.
The mass of the solidarity movement for the first time since the “soldiers cursed”, has actually threatened the hegemony of communism in Poland. As a result, plans for strength solutions have been restored. Already on 12 November 1980, Jaruzelski presented a preliminary draft martial law at the gathering of the National Defence Committee. The general felt that he would not be able to pacify Poles solely by national forces. For this reason, he repeatedly asked for Moscow’s help, but she refused.
This was greatly influenced by information from American spy Ryszard Kukliński, who informed the U.S. of plans to enter Poland. fresh president Ronald Reagan took a firm course towards Moscow and threatened Brezhnev that any military intervention in the PRL would consequence in American retaliation. The Soviets decided to step back, especially as they were inactive engaged in the Afghan conflict.
It was decided that Jaruzelski had to solve the problem himself. Anatoliy Czerniaev, associate of the review committee of the PSC wrote: “If the russian Union had given them 68 years, they would have been furiously defending themselves. Poles aren't shiveki. ... According to my information, no 1 can think of a replay of Czechoslovakia.” Instead, the Cremovian decision-makers decided to cut the resounding problem in another way – to destruct Pope John Paul II, whose activities were rightly regarded as 1 of the reasons for the improvement of the Polish solidarity counter-revolution.
This mission was entrusted to Bulgarian secret services. On May 13, 1981, a group of conspirators with Mehmet Ali Ağca assassinated the Pope. He was hit by 3 bullets (including 2 fired by Ağca) but fast medical assistance saved his life.
Jaruzelski began to specify plans to fight his own people. In February 1981, he conducted a staff game, during which various options for developments were considered. Lists of objects to be covered by military protection and lists of opponents to be arrested were created. The threat of russian intervention was unrealistic, but state propaganda effectively utilized it to weaken the initiative of political opponents. Later this became the basis of propaganda saying that Jaruzelski protected Poland from invasion from the east.
Meanwhile, trade unionists organized further strikes, including hunger, conditioned by expanding supply shortages. In September, the 1st gathering of “Solidarity” was held, during which the agentura one more time carried out the election of the Wałęsa as chairman.
Preparations for martial law were completed in autumn 1981, but it was decided to hold its introduction. A convenient pretext on the part of “Solidarity” was waiting to be explained by the authorities on the global stage. Interestingly, neither the KC PZPR nor the government nor even the State Council had any thought of the plans. The full decision lay on the side of the army, which was against the law at the time; but it was in accordance with Moscow’s will.
On October 18, under the dictatorship of the Kremlin, Cania was removed and Jaruzelski became secretary of the PZPR. At the end of November, KC announced a bill on increased government powers. In response, trade unionists announced preparations for the general strike and thus triggered the trap set upon them. On 12 December, a peculiar gathering of the State Council was held at which Jaruzelski presented a draft martial law.
It was directed to implement the same day at night. Even before it was officially announced on radio and television, peculiar militia groups and ZOMO began arrests of opponents, which were then placed in specially prepared internment sites. Interestingly, not only the leaders of “Solidarity” were closed, but besides part of the erstwhile leadership of the PZPR (Gierka, Jaroszewicza and others) as a sign of the army taking over power in the country.
The military surrounded previously selected objects, e.g. radio and tv broadcasts. Hundreds of officers were sent to the government and key companies, who, according to Jaruzelski's plans, were to heal the economy by taking the military drylon. Strikes were banned, the ability to decision limited, and acting on an ad hoc basis the courts issued judgments on political opponents. extended censorship and police hr were introduced, and government propaganda leader Jerzy Urban accused the enemies of communist power of accidents.
The consequence to Solidarity was fresh strikes, but they were brutally driven. In many places, uniforms utilized firearms. Killed and wounded as during the pacification of the strike in the Katowice mine "Uncle". The introduction of martial law was no shock to the West. In fact, nothing concrete was done too the protest notes. Only the US became politically active in defending Poles, chess Moscow. In turn, countries specified as the German national Republic were even satisfied with the improvement of the situation on the Vistula River.
The Polish People's Republic was headed by a specially appointed institution – the Military National Rescue Council (WRON). Later, the Patriotic National Rebirth Movement (PRON) was established, an organization marking alleged mass public support for the martial law authorities. Unfortunately, the militarisation of the state did not heal the system. Delegated to factories and workplaces, officers had no thought of moving businesses and simply hampered their operation.
The economical collapse deepened and the card strategy was maintained. In order to save the budget, a extremist increase in food prices was introduced, which meant further impoverishment of society. There was humanitarian aid coming to the country from abroad, but it was a drop in the sea of needs. any opposition activists avoided arrests and continued their activities. Releases were re-launched that printed flyers and posters.
On the walls were written offensive slogans, as in the German occupation. Underground “Solidarity” announced a general strike for November 10, 1982.
Unfortunately, society was tired and apathetic. It didn't make any sense anymore. They placed agents within the organization, effectively quarreled with its members and discouraged further activity. The best example was here Bronisław Geremek (actually Benjamin Lewartow). This is the content of Horst Neubauer's telegram (the GDR ambassador in PRL), sent to the leadership of the East German Communist organization on 2 December 1981. This is simply a description of the ambassador's conversation with Minister for Cooperation with the trade unions Stanisław Ciosk, held the day before:
“Part of the influential advisers of “Solidarity” understood the current situation and the change of situation. They're more afraid than we think, and they're starting to save their own skin. I just had a peculiar conversation with the chief of staff of experts of “Solidarity” Geremek (close links with the social democratic international, individual contacts with Krayski and others). I didn't believe my ears. Geremek declared that further peaceful coexistence between “Solidarity” in the present form and realistic socialism impossible.
Force confrontation inevitable. Elections to national councils must be postponed. State authorities must remove the “Solidarity” camera. After a force confrontation, “Solidarity” could arise again, but as a real professional union without Our woman in a flap, without a Gdańsk program, without political character and without ambition to search power. average forces specified as Wałęsa may be preserved.
After the confrontation, the fresh state power could, on the basis of a different political situation, proceed certain processes of democratisation."Under specified conditions and with specified union elites, November's protest must have failed. This was convinced by the authorities of the effectiveness of the methods utilized so far. In January 1983, martial law was suspended. In practice, however, any of its government continued to function.
The martial law introduced on 13 December 1981 ended the period of the alleged "Solidarity Carnival". Major activists were interned and structures severely weakened. The country has plunged into an even deeper crisis and stagnation. Attempts to control the situation by posting military officers to companies have not resulted in improvement. In principle, this was like the actions of Piłsudski's post-May governments, but that the effect was even worse; after all, the sanitation tolerated a comparatively crucial share of the free marketplace in the economy.
Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.
