POLISH-SOVIET WAR1919-1921

Introduction

-also known as Russo-Polish war,

-lasted from from February 1919

to March 1921,

-waged by Soviet Russia, which was in deep crisis and during Red Revolution,

Causes

-the main cause was the Ober-Ost area to be taken by either Polish or Soviet army

-both sides rushed immediately to conquer the land

-the victory of Soviet Russia was meant to be the beginning of the great revolution and spread of the communist idelogy in the whole Europe

-the war began on 14th of February 1919 with first encounter in Mosty, Belarus,

-first encounters, though, were very chaotic and unorganised,

The Polish-Soviet War in numbers:

-number of encounters: about 35

-number of Polish and Ukrainian, Belarussian and Russian troops: 360 thousand + 24 thousand

-number of Soviet troops: 950 thousand

-casualties: 60 thousand (Polish) and 150 thousand (Soviet)

Miracle at Vistula

-Soviet army had big adventage over Polish army since the beginning of war,

-the crucial moment for Polish forces was Battle of Warsaw, also called as Miracle at the Vistula River,

-Polish army and civilians defended Warsaw and pushed back the Soviet offensive, stopping the spread of communism on the other European countries,

The Peace of Riga

-was signed in Riga on 18th of March 1921, between Poland, Soviet Russia (acting also on behalf of Soviet Belarus) and Soviet Ukraine. -the treaty ended the Polish-Soviet War,

-it established the new Polish borders, which resembled those of The Second Partition (Nowogródczyzna, Polesie, Wołyń)

Thank you for your patience

Wacław SzymalskiJakub Nizioł