naervod
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Many wars have shaped Eastern Europe, such as World War II, the Crimean War, and World War I. However, there was a war, not very publicized, that led to the removal of Communism from Eastern Europe in the 1920's and 1930's. The Russo-Polish War was a war fought shortly after the bitter treaty of Brest-Litovsk, in which Russia had lost much land and power to the Germans.
Poland had been part of the Russian Empire during the 19th century, but the Treaty of Versailles created a new independent state and outlined its borders. This state was led by Marshal Pidulski, who commanded the Polish Legion on the Austro-Hungarian side during the First World War. Now that the Russians had a new frontier with Poland, in early 1920, they started to negotiate a new frontier. At this point, Russia had a weak military, and was prepared to cede territory east of the Curzon Line (frontier established by Treaty of Versailles in 1919) to Poland. However, the Poles wanted all territory that had belonged to Poland before 1772 and withdrew from the talks on April 7th.
On April 15th, the Poles attacked Russia with five armies, supplied in part by the Great War Entente, who had already unsuccessfully tried to intervene in the Russian Revolution, a few years earlier. The First and Fourth Armies were aimed at Belorussia and the Third, Second, and Sixth Armies were aimed at Ukraine, where the main attack was directed. The Poles aimed to destroy the Soviet South-West Front, the capture tje east bank of the Dnieper River, then push up and take Belorussia. The Poles would be helped by Simon Petlyura, an anti-Soviet Ukrainian leader, and Wrangels White Russian forces in the Crimea.
The Poles quickly pushed 124 miles into the Ukraine and captured Kiev on May 7th. In June, Wrangels forces broke out of the Crimea. However, the new Soviet Republic then mobilized 1.5 million men and concentrated forces on the right bank of the Dnieper. On June 12th, the Soviets recaptured Kiev and took Novograd-Volynsk on June 27th. This allowed the Soviet Western Front to attack and recapture Minsk on July 11th.
The Soviets, commanded by the 27-year old General Tukhachevskiy, then proceeded to drive on Warsaw. They reached Grodno on the 23rd of July, thereby beginning the Warsaw Operation. After being ordered to pursue the Poles without stopping, Tukhacehvskiy reached the gates of Warsaw, the Polish capital on August 13th. Tukhacevskiy almost captured Warsaw, but he was out of supplies and reserves, and had stretched his communication lines to the limit.
In the Ukraine, the Soviet South-Western Front was bogged down in the Battle of Lvov, where the Poles, aided by the French, were holding the Soviets to a standstill. The Poles then took advantage of the lack of cooperation between the Soviet Western and South-Western Fronts and were able to get between them and hit Soviet Western Front forces, whom they outnumbered almost two to one. The Soviets were pushed back to Grodno on the 25th of August and to Minsk on October 12th.
By the time the Russians were pushed back to Minsk, peace had been signed in Riga. A frontier was established 155 miles east of the Curzon Line (which the Russians would have agreed to before the war). This armistice gave the Russians time to defeat the White Russian forces deep inside their territory. Poland proceeded to control the western parts of Ukraine and Belorussia, which it would hold for 18 more years, before the Russians invaded in September 1939.
Poland had been part of the Russian Empire during the 19th century, but the Treaty of Versailles created a new independent state and outlined its borders. This state was led by Marshal Pidulski, who commanded the Polish Legion on the Austro-Hungarian side during the First World War. Now that the Russians had a new frontier with Poland, in early 1920, they started to negotiate a new frontier. At this point, Russia had a weak military, and was prepared to cede territory east of the Curzon Line (frontier established by Treaty of Versailles in 1919) to Poland. However, the Poles wanted all territory that had belonged to Poland before 1772 and withdrew from the talks on April 7th.
On April 15th, the Poles attacked Russia with five armies, supplied in part by the Great War Entente, who had already unsuccessfully tried to intervene in the Russian Revolution, a few years earlier. The First and Fourth Armies were aimed at Belorussia and the Third, Second, and Sixth Armies were aimed at Ukraine, where the main attack was directed. The Poles aimed to destroy the Soviet South-West Front, the capture tje east bank of the Dnieper River, then push up and take Belorussia. The Poles would be helped by Simon Petlyura, an anti-Soviet Ukrainian leader, and Wrangels White Russian forces in the Crimea.
The Poles quickly pushed 124 miles into the Ukraine and captured Kiev on May 7th. In June, Wrangels forces broke out of the Crimea. However, the new Soviet Republic then mobilized 1.5 million men and concentrated forces on the right bank of the Dnieper. On June 12th, the Soviets recaptured Kiev and took Novograd-Volynsk on June 27th. This allowed the Soviet Western Front to attack and recapture Minsk on July 11th.
The Soviets, commanded by the 27-year old General Tukhachevskiy, then proceeded to drive on Warsaw. They reached Grodno on the 23rd of July, thereby beginning the Warsaw Operation. After being ordered to pursue the Poles without stopping, Tukhacehvskiy reached the gates of Warsaw, the Polish capital on August 13th. Tukhacevskiy almost captured Warsaw, but he was out of supplies and reserves, and had stretched his communication lines to the limit.
In the Ukraine, the Soviet South-Western Front was bogged down in the Battle of Lvov, where the Poles, aided by the French, were holding the Soviets to a standstill. The Poles then took advantage of the lack of cooperation between the Soviet Western and South-Western Fronts and were able to get between them and hit Soviet Western Front forces, whom they outnumbered almost two to one. The Soviets were pushed back to Grodno on the 25th of August and to Minsk on October 12th.
By the time the Russians were pushed back to Minsk, peace had been signed in Riga. A frontier was established 155 miles east of the Curzon Line (which the Russians would have agreed to before the war). This armistice gave the Russians time to defeat the White Russian forces deep inside their territory. Poland proceeded to control the western parts of Ukraine and Belorussia, which it would hold for 18 more years, before the Russians invaded in September 1939.
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