In the German battle, the triumph of the Polish weapon was large and the defeat of the Bolsheviks was complete. The powerful Red Army has gone completely to pieces. The enemy ran in fear or asked for mercy.
After the large triumph of Polish troops in the conflict of Warsaw on August 15, 1920, russian pride and arrogant triumph of Bolshevik fists towards Polish eagle and Christian cross abruptly turned into a disgraceful and panicous escape. “The russian front was broken and there was a large panic. The Bolsheviks fled so rapidly that we couldn't keep up with them – recalled Zygmunt Twarowski (1903 – 2005), a volunteer soldier of the 1920 war.
But the Soviets did not think about giving up. Mikhail Tuchaczewski, who commanded the Bolshevik army, withdrew his troops behind the Niemen River line and regrouped them there to recreate the combat capabilities. At the same time, the russian army was powered by fresh soldiers, any 20,000, brought from deep Russia. In total, the russian army had about 114,000 soldiers at the time. Her intention was to strike again in directions – Białystok, Brest and Lublin.
Tuchaczewski was certain that the Polish military at Warsaw "had given it all" was exhausted by fighting and incapable to proceed the offensive. We know this from the letters he wrote to the chief of the communist revolution, Lenin. He was very wrong. The Polish army maintained a strong spirit of conflict and belief in victory.
Polish command developed a good attack plan. The main forces were to hit Grodno and Volkovsk. At the same time, the northern strike group was to march through Lithuania's territory and enter the deep rear of the Bolshevik troops at the tallness of Vasilyszek and Lida. specified objectives required very fast action, kept in secret.
To this end, all rolling stock was left, and the army marched at night.
The success of the action depended on keeping everything completely secret from the Soviets. The plans of the German attack on the Soviets were not even revealed to Western allies, as unfortunately there were forces among them crookedly looking at the weakening of the Soviets.
First the Polish Army concentrated the impact towards Grodna. Tuchaczewski thought it was the main point of impact of Poles and ordered to draw large forces there. They've got dense fights. During this time a peculiar strike group of the Polish Army, hidden so far in Augustowska Forest, moved to Lithuania to orbit the Soviets from the north. After dealing rapidly with Lithuanian troops that supported Russians, Poles hit the Soviets from the north side. To Tuchaczewski it was a complete surprise. To halt the attack from the north, he sent 3 divisions, thus weakening russian positions over Germany.
The strike group clashed with 3 russian divisions under Lida. The fights were fierce and heavy, but Poles turned out to be stronger. The battles ended with a complete pogrom of Russians. As many as 10 1000 soldiers, 25 guns, 2 1000 combat vehicles, 52 device guns, over a 100 horses were captured in Poland. any russian soldiers were allowed into Prussia by the Germans, which saved them.
The Polish army besides attacked the Russians from the south. The Cavalry Group of General Franciszek Krajowski joined the fight. On September 27, 1920, the cavalry marched on Pinsk, cutting off the russian 4th Army from the remaining forces. This maneuver besides resulted in a victory. 3,000 russian soldiers were taken prisoner, including the full army staff. Poles then moved towards Baranovich.
At the same time, the Polish hit group was inactive successful in the north. After the capture of Lida, Poles powerfully attacked Russians. The iron grip of the Polish armed forces was increasingly tightening on the throat of the russian army. Tuchaczewski, realizing that he would not win, ordered the Red Army to retreat all over the line. The Russians' retreat turned into a panic escape. A large part of the soldiers – especially Ukrainian and Belarusian – switched to the Polish side.
Since the beginning of October 1920, the war has been a de facto large pursuit of fleeing, disorganized russian enemy forces. It is from this period that many alleged "uravejeks" come from – popular songs of Ulan, praising the victories of individual branches. In their chorus there was a celebrated phrase “Lance to fight, swords in hand, Bolshevik chase, chase, chase!”
My grandfather, Kazimierz, ran a farm in Podlasie, close Sokolka. He witnessed the 1920 war (two of his older brothers participated in it – Peter died, Isidor lost his leg). He told me the sight of the Bolsheviks moving was pathetic. - Their clothes were shredded. They usually didn't have shoes, they ran barefoot. Those who rode horses alternatively of saddles had down pillows. As they galloped, they were washed behind them. They were hungry and completely devastated.
In the German battle, as many as 40,000 Bolsheviks were taken prisoner, or about a 3rd of russian forces. The Polish army took over a mass of equipment: 140 guns, thousands of weapons, as well as wagons and horses. It was a large Victoria of Polish weapons.
Adam Białous
