The Story of Poland's Armed Forces in Exile - WW2 Documentary Special

Comments · 1.1K

• WO

  @WorldWarTwo · 3 years ago (edited) · pinned

  Poland is actually the Allied nation that has been fighting this war the longest. They've been in it since day one, at least from a European perspective.

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• CH

  @chaptermasterpedrokantor1623 · 3 years ago

  Here in the Netherlands we remember and honor our Polish liberators of the 1st Polish Armored division and 1st Polish Airborne brigade. In the cities and villages they liberated they are still heroes.

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• XN

  @xne1592 · 3 years ago

  My father fought throughout WW2, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and the Greek communists, 4th Indian Div I think.<br>He said he met the Poles at Monte Cassino, there had been a lot of fighting and dying in the hills around the monastery. He said he and his pals learnt to drive down hills in the dark without using brakes when they volunteered to ferry wounded Gurkhas off the hills to the aid station. The roads were all under observation and any vehicles seen would meet a hail of MG42 fire.<br>He said by that stage in the war it was becoming apparent Germany would lose so no one wanted to stick their neck out. <br>When the Poles arrived they were absolutely different, they wanted to get to the Germans and kill them all, every last one. The Poles led the assault which took the Monastry, my father was in it as well. He said he had never seen anything like it, brave, foolhardy absolute determination irrespective of the price. The Poles were held in the greatest respect by my father second only to the Gurkhas.

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• SL

  @slick4401 · 3 years ago (edited)

  Many, many years ago in a farm north of Oxford, I talked with a British farmer who, as a young enlisted man, had interacted extensively with Polish soldiers during the war. He described them as the toughest, most resilient people he had ever met. &quot;Tough as nails, tough as nails,&quot; he kept repeating, his head shaking in amazement at the memories of seeing the Poles endure without hesitation the ugliest weathers, the harshest conditions, the most hopeless missions and above all, the perpetual disillusionment with their allies and their own fate. Poland is a martyred country that lives on because of its people. It is not a country made exclusively of earth and water, but of the flesh, the blood and the strength of mind and soul of its people. God bless them and keep them all. Long live Poland.

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• TH

  @thedutchman01 · 3 years ago (edited)

  My hometown of Breda, in the Netherlands, was liberated by Polish soldiers in 1944. And we never forgot the heroes who helped free my town and other parts of our country.<br>In 2009 my local football club played against Polonia Warszawa for European football qualifiers.<br>As a way to honour the sacrifice of these brave men, before the match we had a banner made to thank the Poles for their sacrifices.<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya2eYVasBeI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya2eYVasBeI&amp;ab_channel=KSPOiolosse</a> (It&apos;s not very good quality and the sound is terrible.) <br>Beyond that, there&apos;s an honory military graveyard to the Polish soldiers, &nbsp;(including the general Maczek who is buried there,) many of whom ended up deciding to live in my hometown after the war.<br><br>I lack the words to truly express how gratefull I am to these heroes. &nbsp;But thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your sacrifice.

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• AL

  @Alobo075 · 3 years ago

  Important note, while in Iran, the II Corp adopts a brown bear cub and names him Wotjek. He will be enlisted as a private in the company.

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• HG

  @HG_NL · 3 years ago (edited)

  The Poles, one of my favorite allies forces. Fought everywhere, for everyone. Helped liberate nations but lost their own. As a Dutch citizin, we are gratefull for what the Poles did for our country, especially the 1st Polish armour brigade under gen. Stanisław Maczek and the Polish 1st independent parachute brigade under my favorite Polisch general Stanisław Sosabowski. The story of the Poles and Poland is one of the most tragic stories of WW2. Great that you made a video about these forgotten heroes of WW2! Dziękuję

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• XS

  @xSirDudex · 3 years ago (edited)

  Poland is my favorite country in WW2. Attacked on two sides my much bigger powers, their people thrown into ghettos, their country wrecked or chopped up between Germany and Russia....and yet...They refused to yield. The everyday citizens themselves, from children to elders, rose up against their aggressors without hesitation. At every turn, all over Europe and it&apos;s waters, they fought tooth and nail. They would have fought to the last man if needed. Poland earned their independence for all time in that war.

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• CY

  @Cybonator · 3 years ago

  Across Scotland there are loads of memorials to Polish soldiers

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• TH

  @ThealmightyMatt · 3 years ago

  Fun fact: When the Polish Government in Exile declared war on the Empire of Japan, Japan declined the declaration citing that they saw the declaration as result of strong arming by the British government and thus not legitimate. The Empire of Japan and Poland were actually on friendly terms before the onset of war due to their shared disdain of the Soviet Union

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• GU

  @gunman47 · 3 years ago

  This was one of the Special episodes that many of us probably have been waiting for. It is impressive how the Polish Home Army and army in exile managed to keep on fighting for so long despite having suffered repeated setbacks time and time again. Thank you Indy &amp; team as always.

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• NY

  @nygothuey6607 · 3 years ago

  Poland truly has a tortured history and it has shaped them in to some.of.the.most resilient and fiercely independent people on the planet. I guess you don&apos;t realize what freedom and independence really means to you until you have it forcefully taken from you on multiple occasions. Warmest regards to Poland and all of her inhabitants from the USA.

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