And one more important thing. We - some Polish fans of Civ - are planning to send some kind of petition to Sid, where we ask to have Poland in Civ4 expansion pack. We know that probably it would not change anything but however we have some hope.
The petition is like below. There are many reasons and historical facts in there telling You why there should be Poland in Civ.
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Hi!
I'd like to say something about Sid Meier's Civilization IV. And about Civilization series at all.
I was very dissapointed, when I looked on new Civilization's tribes list and I didn't find Poland. Again... I know that my country doesn't have well promotion in the world. I know that polish nation have many opinions abroad - both good and bad. But, looking back at history and looking at present times, I think Poland deserve to be honored in Civilization's expansion pack.
You will ask: why Poland? There are many reasons, why Poland should be added to civilization's list. I send you just few...
1. HISTORY
- 10th century roots of first Polish Kingdom;
- XVI century - Poland both with Great Dutchery of Lithuania; (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) was at this time one of Europe's most powerful countries;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish-Lithuanian_Commonwealth
- revolutionary heliocentric theory of the solar system developed by great Polish astronomer and mathematician, Nicolaus Copernicus;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copernicus
- Poland was a country of religious liberty and tolerance, "country without burning stakes";
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Confederation
- Polish troops were the only conquerors of Kremlin, Moscow;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_of_Troubles
- heavy cavalry - Polish Winged Hussar - was one of the most dangerous mounted unit of its time - even against gunpowder units such as musketman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Husarz.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kirchholm.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hetman_Zolkiewski_z_husaria.jpg
More (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussar )
- Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Kazimierz Pulaski - both Polish and American heroes of independence wars (American Revolutionary War and Polish Kosciuszko Uprising):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosciuszko
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazimierz_Pulaski
Phrase "For your freedom and ours" is commonly shown on polish military banners
- Constitution of May 3, 1791 - second, after American, modern constitution in the world and first in Europe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_third_May
- November 11, 1918 - Poland regained independence after 123 years of foreign (Germany, Austria, Russia) occupation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jozef_Pilsudski
- October 1920 - Battle of Warsaw called "18th most decisive battle in
world's history" (expression of lord d’Abernon, prominent military
historician) - culmination of Polish-Soviet War and great victory of Polish soldiers - they stoped invasion of Soviet Red Army to the Western Europe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish-Soviet_War
- 1932 - polish cryptologists broke Enigma's code, Nazi german portable cipher machine used to encrypt and decrypt secret messages - it is belived that breaking of Enigma's code shortened World War II by
12 months
http://www.enigmahistory.org/text.html
- September, 1 - October, 2 1939 - World War II - Poland fought against Nazi Germany and Soviet invasions and fell - Polish government moved to France and later to England - Poland never surrender and never collaborate with occupying authorities (the only exception in Europe). The Poles formed Home Army - one of the largest underground resistance movement during World War II largest underground army in Europe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Army
- World War II: 600,000 Polish soldiers fought on Allied side
- 1978 - Archbishop of Cracow, Karol Wojtyla, elected pope - John Paul II, one of the most beloved and influential Head of the Roman Catholic Church, begins to dismantling comunism in Europe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karol_Wojtyla
- August 1980 - Polish trade union federation rised conducted by Lech Walesa - "Solidarity" era begun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidarity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lech_Wałęsa
- June 4, 1989 - first democratic elections in Warsaw Pact - peaceful revolution in Poland starts chain reaction in Central and Eastern Europe - Cold War begun to end
2. PRESENT TIMES
POLAND
Population: 38,635,144 (above 58,000,000 with Polish diaspora)
Area: 312,685 km2
Member:
- NATO
- OECD
- European Union
More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland
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These are FACTS, it is not my interpretation. In the end Copernicus' Observatory - Great Wonder in EVERY part of Civilisation series (except 4th part) - something mean - creation of Polish Side in Civilization would be a great final for all Polish fans of Sid Meier's Civilization.
If you are interested in common Polish and American history relations, I recommend you a book wrote by American authors Lynne Olson and Stanley Cloud: "A Question of Honor: the Kosciuszko Squadron in World War II" - briliant work!
http://www.questionofhonor.com/
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