Historical calendar: anniversary of the Bolsheviks' attack against Polish forces in Ukraine. It was part of a wide offensive across the full front.
Today, in our calendar, we will look at the crucibles of this operation.
The first battles with the Red Army took place in February 1919 in Bridges in Belarus. The Soviets retreated in front of Piłsudski's army, clearly playing on time to break up another opponents. By the end of the year, Poles occupied Pinsk, Novgorodek, Vilnius and Dyneburg, reaching Berezin.
The success of communists in the fight against whites caused Poles to halt fighting Ukrainians and unite forces with them against the common enemy. On April 21, 1920, a political agreement was signed under which the Polish government recognized the sovereignty of URL with the capital in Kiev, in exchange for a joint fight against Bolsheviks. It was part of the implementation of the national concept of Piłsudski.
On 25 April, a large offensive of the combined Polish-Ukrainian troops began, completed on 7 May, erstwhile troops of General Edward Śmigłego – Rydza captured Kiev. The intent of the operation was not only to reflect Ukraine, but besides to provoke the Red Army into a decisive battle. The plan succeeded, but the scale of the russian response, including the chief's skills, was not provided. Mikhail Tuchachevsky and an attack from the flank of the experienced 1st Cavalry Army of Budionny.
The Red Army's formations went on to take extended action as early as 14 May 1920 in the Lithuanian-Belarusian areas (the alleged Tuchachevsky's first offensive) and drove out the Polish troops all the way to Narocz Lake, but they were stopped and withdrew to erstwhile positions in mid-June 1920.
The second – and as it seems appropriate – hit the Red Army on 29 May 1920 in Ukraine. It was so powerful that on June 5, 1920, it led to the interruption of the Polish front by the horse army Semyon Budionny. Poles began a general retreat from Kiev. The front began to waver, which allowed Tuchachevsky to effectively resume the attack in Belarus on 4 July 1920.
At the turn of July and August 1920, troops of the Western Front (four armies and 2 operational groups) defeated Polish troops of the North-East Front under Tuchachevsky, commanded by Gen. Szeptycki (two armies), and after breaking their defence on the Bug and Narwi lines, moved over the lower Vistula River, as well as on Warsaw.
A imagination of the failure of independency just won over Poles...
Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.
