106 years ago Polish forces defeated the Red Army in the Battle of Warsaw. British diplomat, Lord Edgar Vincent D'Abernon, noted in his works that "it is probable that the Battle of Warsaw saved Central and part of Western Europe from fanatical Soviet tyranny". He included the Battle of Warsaw among the 18 battles that determined the fate of the world.
The Battle of Warsaw marked a turning point in the war of aggression initiated by Soviet Russia, which sought to conquer European states and transform them into subject republics. The invasion began in February 1919 (although some sources say January), ended with an armistice in October 1920, and ultimately with the signing of the Treaty of Riga on March 18, 1921.
The Battle of Warsaw was a major military operation, lasting nearly two weeks. On August 13th, the final group of Polish forces moved out to face the approaching Russian invaders, and a day later, heavy fighting began near Radzymin and for the village of Ossów on the outskirts of Warsaw.
The battle was fought according to the operational plan, and its turning point was a daring counterattack led by Commander-in-Chief Józef Piłsudski - outflanking the Red Army, whose main forces were tied up on the outskirts of the capital, and striking its rear. Thanks to this audacious maneuver, the Poles caused panic in the enemy lines, which resulted in the Bolsheviks' chaotic retreat. This led to Poland's victory over the overwhelming invaders' forces - which is why the Battle of Warsaw is also known as the "Miracle on the banks of the Vistula River".
The daring maneuver was not all that contributed to the Polish victory, though. The competence and abilities of the staff, as well as the heroism of officers and soldiers on the battlefield played a vital part. Another thing that significantly contributed to the victory were the successes of Polish radio intelligence. The counteroffensive was a resounding success in large part because as early as September 1919, Polish Lieutenant Jan Kowalewski had cracked the Red Army's ciphers. This allowed the Polish command to skillfully exploit the knowledge of Russian invaders' plans and orders.
The Battle of Warsaw sealed the victorious conclusion of Poland's defensive war against Bolshevik Russia's aggression - but besides political and territorial benefits, it also had enormous moral significance. It was the first victory of the Polish army since the end of the First Polish Republic in 1795 - and it was a triumph over the army of a state that had been one of three powers which partitioned Poland and wiped it off the map for 123 years (from 1795 to 1918). Throughout this period Russian occupiers used various forms of repressions against Poles, trying hard to strip them of their language and national identity. Russia also bloodily crushed several Polish independence insurgencies - most notably the 1863 January Uprising.
To commemorate the 1920 Battle of Warsaw victory, the Polish Armed Forces Day has been celebrated on August 15th since 1923. After World War II, communist propaganda played down the significance of the Battle of Warsaw, and in the late 1940s, removed August 15th from the national holidays' list. Only after 1989, when Poland freed itself from the post-war Moscow's zone of influence, was the crucial victory's proper importance restored. Since 1992, Polish Armed Forces Day has been celebrated again - with a large-scale military parade and numerous other events across the country.
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Source: IAR, polskieradio.pl