What followed was no ordinary war. It was a concerted and sustained effort by Germany and Russia to destroy not only the Polish state, but the Polish nation itself. And although full-blown military operations would end in 1945, it would not be over for Poland until September 1989, almost exactly fifty years after it began.
Poland: A History by Adam Zamoyski
I know it’s just a game, and I’ll keep that in mind if Germany steamrolls my army and I’m tempted to reload, but I would like to dedicate this AAR to Poland, the country that, in my humble opinion, was the true loser of the Second World War.
INTRO: On 22 March 1939 Germany delivered an ultimatum to Poland demanding Danzig, which was refused. Great Britain offered Poland an unconditional guarantee of its current territory on 31 March. At the behest of its new allies, Britain and France, Poland delayed mobilisation in an effort to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis, leaving it totally unprepared for what was to come. This AAR is going to take the alternate route that Poland had mobilized. How might the Second World War have gone if when the German blitz arrived at Poland’s doorstep, the Poles had been waiting for them?
1936 start TFH 4.02
House Rules: No cheating, no reloading, and no abusing game mechanics as I see fit. AI willing, everything will go historically as possible until the first shots are fired. Afterwards I’ll try to keep things within what I deem the realm of possibility.
Józef Piłsudski and Edward Rydz-Śmigły
Edward Rydz-Śmigły inherited the paternity of Poland on 12 May 1935, the day of Józef Piłsudski’s death. The Poland of 1935 was not yet 20 years old. On its Eastern border lay the Soviet Union led by Stalin, who had his eye on the Russian Empire’s old industrial center and was still smarting after having failed to export communism through Poland in 1920. In the West lay a Germany in turmoil led by the ambitious Adolf Hitler at the head of a dangerous fascist party.
The Polish state itself was grinding gears in the Sejm with various German, Ukrainian, and Jewish minorities blocking legislature. Economically there was no clear solution to be found for the polar opposite needs of peasant farmers and factory workers. In early January 1936 the Sejm managed to vote with a consensus and passed a set of economic regulations in favor of a laissez faire policy hoping the problems would solve themselves.
Rydz-Śmigły acted immediately marching on Warsaw with the entirety of the Polish army. He called the Sejm to convene and spoke plainly. These were his points:
*Economic policy must serve the state.
*The state’s sovereignty is under a dire threat.
*In 1920 The Allied powers proved they would do nothing for Polish sovereignty, going so far as to call them warmongers.
*From here on out, we are on our own.
Some would say it was Rydz-Śmigły’s silver tongue, and others that it was the mass of uniformed soldiers roaming the streets, but from that day onward the Sejm would pass any reform in favor of a stronger military industry.
With internal affairs sorted, Rydz-Śmigły went to work reforming the military. The glorious cavalry divisions that were responsible for Piłsudski’ miracle victory over the Soviets in 1920 had to be disbanded in order to support more modern infantry divisions. Despite an obvious lack of manpower Rydz-Śmigły commissioned 22 new infantry divisions and further strained the Polish industry by ordering the construction of fortifications along the Vistula.
Polish infantry divisions were reorganized for a theoretical war. Piłsudski’s war in 1920 was characterized by unit mobility and flanking maneuvers primarily carried out by cavalry. Because of this Rydz-Śmigły knew the future of warfare was in unit mobility, but he envisioned it on a smaller scale. On the battlefield, rather than the strategic map. He invested in newer small arms to give Polish squads the firepower of a platoon. Smaller dispersed units would maneuver more fluidly and be less susceptible to concentrated artillery. Newer radios would allow for better coordination. Light artillery would support front line units to cut off avenues of attack and funnel the enemy into infantry cross-fire.
The energy with which Rydz-Śmigły went about military reforms was infectious among the leadership, but foreign affairs were frankly a hopeless matter. Lithuania was wary of Poland’s intentions thanks to Piłsudski’s Ukrainian campaign led by Rydz-Śmigły in 1920. Romania was partial towards Poland, being under the same threat from the Soviet Union, but an alliance was unlikely as neither had anything to offer the other.
In 1934 Hitler and Piłsudski had signed a 10 year non-aggression pact, but Germany’s Anschluss of Austria in March 1938 made Rydz-Śmigły worried about the fidelity of this agreement. Germany wanted Danzig, and many German citizens of Danzig wanted to be a part of Germany. To make matters worse only France had guaranteed Germany’s eastern border with Poland, so while Great Britain showed concern in the treaty of Munich, Rydz-Śmigły was uncertain if the British would leave Poland to its fate as it had left the Czechs to theirs.
As a show of force, Rydz-Śmigły ordered the occupation of Cesky Testen while Germany marched into the Sudetenland.
What followed were six months of uneasy waiting until Hitler dropped his pretenses, annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia and issued a demand for Danzig. Great Britain countered Hitler with an alliance offer, which Rydz-Śmigły accepted.
Meanwhile Italy, Japan, and Hungary joined the Axis. 16 June 1939 Poland mobilized and Rydz-Śmigły prepared for war with Germany. Knowing he couldn't count on his allies, but would be unable to survive without them, he devised a plan which depended on holding Warsaw, the port of Danzig, and capturing Prussia. Much of Poland would be occupied, but Polish sovereignty must be defended at all costs.
Rydz-Śmigły was unsurprised to learn that Stalin had signed a nonaggression treaty with Hitler, sanctioning his expansion. On September 1, 1939 Germany declared war.
Poland: A History by Adam Zamoyski
I know it’s just a game, and I’ll keep that in mind if Germany steamrolls my army and I’m tempted to reload, but I would like to dedicate this AAR to Poland, the country that, in my humble opinion, was the true loser of the Second World War.
INTRO: On 22 March 1939 Germany delivered an ultimatum to Poland demanding Danzig, which was refused. Great Britain offered Poland an unconditional guarantee of its current territory on 31 March. At the behest of its new allies, Britain and France, Poland delayed mobilisation in an effort to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis, leaving it totally unprepared for what was to come. This AAR is going to take the alternate route that Poland had mobilized. How might the Second World War have gone if when the German blitz arrived at Poland’s doorstep, the Poles had been waiting for them?
1936 start TFH 4.02
House Rules: No cheating, no reloading, and no abusing game mechanics as I see fit. AI willing, everything will go historically as possible until the first shots are fired. Afterwards I’ll try to keep things within what I deem the realm of possibility.
Józef Piłsudski and Edward Rydz-Śmigły
Edward Rydz-Śmigły inherited the paternity of Poland on 12 May 1935, the day of Józef Piłsudski’s death. The Poland of 1935 was not yet 20 years old. On its Eastern border lay the Soviet Union led by Stalin, who had his eye on the Russian Empire’s old industrial center and was still smarting after having failed to export communism through Poland in 1920. In the West lay a Germany in turmoil led by the ambitious Adolf Hitler at the head of a dangerous fascist party.
The Polish state itself was grinding gears in the Sejm with various German, Ukrainian, and Jewish minorities blocking legislature. Economically there was no clear solution to be found for the polar opposite needs of peasant farmers and factory workers. In early January 1936 the Sejm managed to vote with a consensus and passed a set of economic regulations in favor of a laissez faire policy hoping the problems would solve themselves.
Rydz-Śmigły acted immediately marching on Warsaw with the entirety of the Polish army. He called the Sejm to convene and spoke plainly. These were his points:
*Economic policy must serve the state.
*The state’s sovereignty is under a dire threat.
*In 1920 The Allied powers proved they would do nothing for Polish sovereignty, going so far as to call them warmongers.
*From here on out, we are on our own.
Some would say it was Rydz-Śmigły’s silver tongue, and others that it was the mass of uniformed soldiers roaming the streets, but from that day onward the Sejm would pass any reform in favor of a stronger military industry.
With internal affairs sorted, Rydz-Śmigły went to work reforming the military. The glorious cavalry divisions that were responsible for Piłsudski’ miracle victory over the Soviets in 1920 had to be disbanded in order to support more modern infantry divisions. Despite an obvious lack of manpower Rydz-Śmigły commissioned 22 new infantry divisions and further strained the Polish industry by ordering the construction of fortifications along the Vistula.
Polish infantry divisions were reorganized for a theoretical war. Piłsudski’s war in 1920 was characterized by unit mobility and flanking maneuvers primarily carried out by cavalry. Because of this Rydz-Śmigły knew the future of warfare was in unit mobility, but he envisioned it on a smaller scale. On the battlefield, rather than the strategic map. He invested in newer small arms to give Polish squads the firepower of a platoon. Smaller dispersed units would maneuver more fluidly and be less susceptible to concentrated artillery. Newer radios would allow for better coordination. Light artillery would support front line units to cut off avenues of attack and funnel the enemy into infantry cross-fire.
The energy with which Rydz-Śmigły went about military reforms was infectious among the leadership, but foreign affairs were frankly a hopeless matter. Lithuania was wary of Poland’s intentions thanks to Piłsudski’s Ukrainian campaign led by Rydz-Śmigły in 1920. Romania was partial towards Poland, being under the same threat from the Soviet Union, but an alliance was unlikely as neither had anything to offer the other.
In 1934 Hitler and Piłsudski had signed a 10 year non-aggression pact, but Germany’s Anschluss of Austria in March 1938 made Rydz-Śmigły worried about the fidelity of this agreement. Germany wanted Danzig, and many German citizens of Danzig wanted to be a part of Germany. To make matters worse only France had guaranteed Germany’s eastern border with Poland, so while Great Britain showed concern in the treaty of Munich, Rydz-Śmigły was uncertain if the British would leave Poland to its fate as it had left the Czechs to theirs.
As a show of force, Rydz-Śmigły ordered the occupation of Cesky Testen while Germany marched into the Sudetenland.
What followed were six months of uneasy waiting until Hitler dropped his pretenses, annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia and issued a demand for Danzig. Great Britain countered Hitler with an alliance offer, which Rydz-Śmigły accepted.
Meanwhile Italy, Japan, and Hungary joined the Axis. 16 June 1939 Poland mobilized and Rydz-Śmigły prepared for war with Germany. Knowing he couldn't count on his allies, but would be unable to survive without them, he devised a plan which depended on holding Warsaw, the port of Danzig, and capturing Prussia. Much of Poland would be occupied, but Polish sovereignty must be defended at all costs.
Rydz-Śmigły was unsurprised to learn that Stalin had signed a nonaggression treaty with Hitler, sanctioning his expansion. On September 1, 1939 Germany declared war.
Last edited:
