~Koschei~
The Soviet invasion of Poland, 1939
On September 17th, 1939, the Soviet Union began its invasion of Poland, 16 days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Both powers agreed in the "secret protocol" of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that Poland should be divided into "spheres of influence." In reality it meant that Poland would be partitioned between the two powers. The Soviets justified this by stating that they were reclaiming lands lost in the Polish Soviet War and to "liberate" fellow eastern Slavs such as the Ukrainians and Belarusians from Polish tyranny. By October 6th, 52% of Polish territory was annexed by the Soviet Union.
The Soviet invasion was swift and brutal as the force numbering 800,000 men overwhelmed the 470,000 Polish defenders. The Polish government led by Edward Rydz-Smigly ordered Polish troops to not engage unless absolutely necessary. Many Poles also believed that if they surrendered to the Soviets, they would have a better chance of survival compared to their compatriots in the west. As a result, a total of 320,000 Polish troops would be taken prisoner. However, this was misguided as the Soviets immediately began their campaign of mass persecution in the occupied area. Many POWs were deported to gulags in the Soviet Union, with Polish officers being summarily executed by the NKVD. The most famous of these massacres took place in the Katyn forest in April 1940 where 21,000 Polish officers were executed. Members of the Polish intelligentsia were also targeted such as priests, professors, artists, and government officials. In an ironic twist, Polish communists and socialists, who welcomed the Soviet invasion, were also targeted as they were seen as a threat by Stalin. Another 500,000 Poles were also imprisoned, 90% of which were men, and another 150,000 Poles were executed.
Credit to Arm for the BT-7 design.
The Soviet invasion of Poland, 1939
On September 17th, 1939, the Soviet Union began its invasion of Poland, 16 days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Both powers agreed in the "secret protocol" of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that Poland should be divided into "spheres of influence." In reality it meant that Poland would be partitioned between the two powers. The Soviets justified this by stating that they were reclaiming lands lost in the Polish Soviet War and to "liberate" fellow eastern Slavs such as the Ukrainians and Belarusians from Polish tyranny. By October 6th, 52% of Polish territory was annexed by the Soviet Union.
The Soviet invasion was swift and brutal as the force numbering 800,000 men overwhelmed the 470,000 Polish defenders. The Polish government led by Edward Rydz-Smigly ordered Polish troops to not engage unless absolutely necessary. Many Poles also believed that if they surrendered to the Soviets, they would have a better chance of survival compared to their compatriots in the west. As a result, a total of 320,000 Polish troops would be taken prisoner. However, this was misguided as the Soviets immediately began their campaign of mass persecution in the occupied area. Many POWs were deported to gulags in the Soviet Union, with Polish officers being summarily executed by the NKVD. The most famous of these massacres took place in the Katyn forest in April 1940 where 21,000 Polish officers were executed. Members of the Polish intelligentsia were also targeted such as priests, professors, artists, and government officials. In an ironic twist, Polish communists and socialists, who welcomed the Soviet invasion, were also targeted as they were seen as a threat by Stalin. Another 500,000 Poles were also imprisoned, 90% of which were men, and another 150,000 Poles were executed.
Credit to Arm for the BT-7 design.