Today is the 65th Anniversary of the Warsaw Rising. It lasted 63 days - August to 2 October with the Soviets standing on the eastern side of the Vistula not far from Warsaw and waiting for the Polish Home Army to bleed to death.At the end of July of 1944, Poland is in its fifth year of German occupation. On the eastern front, German armies are in full retreat suffering from the Red Army's spring offensive which is approaching Warsaw's eastern suburbs. The liberation of Poland's capital seems to be within reach.
General 'Bor' Komorowski, commander of the Polish Underground Home Army (Armia Krajowa, AK), sets the beginning of the uprising in Warsaw against the German occupying forces at 'W-hour'; 5:00 p.m. on August 1, 1944. The uprising is expected to last about a week and have the character of mopping up and disarming operation. The insurgents, however, are unaware that the Germans have decided to defend 'fortress' Warsaw and to counter-attack Red Army forces to the east of the city.
Warsaw's insurgents an estimated 40,000 soldiers, including 4,000 women, have only enough weapons for 2,500 fighters. They are facing a 15,000-strong German garrison which will grow to a force of 30,000, armed with tanks, planes, and artillery.
Hats off to the people that stood up against the Nazi occupation and made their best effort to free their city from enemy's hands and many of whom made the biggest sacrifice.
the extractsa above come from Warsaw Rising website. If you want to know the events that took place in Warsaw in summer of 1944 day by day - visit this website.
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