Polish Second Army
Encyclopedia
The Polish Second Army was a Polish Army unit formed in the Soviet Union
in 1944 as part of the People's Army of Poland. The organization begun in August under the command of generals Karol Świerczewski
and Stanislav Poplavsky
, and the formation under command of general Świerczewski entered active duty in January 1945. The Second Army suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Bautzen
during April 22-26, 1945. Subsequently, the Second Army was part of the final great Soviet offensive of World War II
in Europe, the drive on Prague. In August 1945 most of the formation was used to create the Poznań Military District.
, occupied by Nazi Germany for the past several years
, the Soviet high command
saw the opportunity to recruit more Poles
into the Soviet-controlled People's Army of Poland. The first plans called for formation of Polish Second Army and Polish Third Army, which were to be joined with the Polish First Army
into a Polish Front (at that time the Polish forces were part of the 1st Belorussian Front
). The early plans called for the Second Army to be ready for combat by the end of September.
However soon it became apparent that this plan was flawed, as there were not enough recruits to fill the ranks of officers. A significant number of pre-war Polish NCOs and officers either:
Thus while the recruits to the pro-Soviet Polish Committee of National Liberation
were able to fill most private
and NCO
s slots, the army had only about half of the needed number of officers; 33% of them young (under 25 years) and about 50% with no formal training (only secondary education
). Although the Soviets always tried to control such allied formations by transferring a significant numbers of Soviet officers to those units, they found themselves having to fill about 50% of the officer positions in the Second Army (for several months in 1944, the commander of the Army was in the hands of the Soviet general, Stanislav Poplavsky
). The situation of the Third Army was even more dire, which eventually led to the cancellation of plans for both the creation of the Third Army and the Polish Front.
The Second Army reached operational level in the beginning of January 1945.
, Łódź, Łask and Piotrków Trybunalski
. Near the end of February the Army moved towards Piła, Krzyż Wielkopolski
and Czarnków
to counter possible threat of German counterattack from the Poznań
area. In the first half of March the army acted as a reinforcement for the 1st Belarusian Front, and was regrouped in the area of Gorzów Wielkopolski
- Barlinek
- Pełczyce - Chłopowo
- Klasztorne
- Słonów. In the second half of March the Army was transferred to the 1st Ukrainian Front
, and regrouped north of Wrocław. With the preparations to the battle of Berlin
, the Army took positions near the Lusatian Neisse
(Nysa Łuzycka) on 10-11 April.
The Army was given the task to advance towards Dresden
and Bautzen
on 16 April. Although the Army managed to advance, it had insufficient reinforcements of its own and the planned Soviet reinforcements were delayed, which made it vulnerable to the German counterattacks. The Second Army suffered very heavy losses at the Battle of Bautzen
during April 22-26, with 18,232 dead or missing (22% of total combat personnel), and over 50% of armor. The battle was one of the most costly in terms of lives in the history of Polish military.
Subsequently, in May, the Second Army was part of the final great Soviet offensive of World War II
in Europe, the drive on Prague. By the time most Germans units have begun to surrender, the Army units have reached the town of Mělník
.
, the Second Army was regrouped in the vicinity of Wrocław. On the 17 May it was transferred from the 1st Ukrainian Front
to the High Command
of the People's Army of Poland. Until August 1945 the Army was tasked with guarding the Recovered Territories
and the new Polish-German frontier on the Oder-Neisse line
. Among other changes, the 12th Infantry Division was reformed to guard the border in the Szczecin
area. The army was disbanded in August; most of the formation was used to create the Poznań Military District.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1944 as part of the People's Army of Poland. The organization begun in August under the command of generals Karol Świerczewski
Karol Swierczewski
Karol Wacław Świerczewski was a Pole who became a Soviet military officer and a general. He served as a general in the service of the Soviet Union, Republican Spain, and the Soviet sponsored Polish Provisional Government of National Unity after World War II.- Life :Karol Świerczewski grew up in...
and Stanislav Poplavsky
Stanislav Poplavsky
Stanislav Gilyarovich Poplavsky was a general in the Soviet and Polish armies.-Biography:He was born in Imperial Russia, in the vicinity of Kiev. His family was ethnically Polish, and in his younger years he considered himself a Pole...
, and the formation under command of general Świerczewski entered active duty in January 1945. The Second Army suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Bautzen
Battle of Bautzen (1945)
The Battle of Bautzen was one of the last battles of the Eastern Front in World War II. It was fought on the extreme southern flank of the Spremberg–Torgau Offensive, seeing days of pitched street fighting between forces of the 2nd Polish Army and elements of the Soviet's 52nd Army and 5th Guards...
during April 22-26, 1945. Subsequently, the Second Army was part of the final great Soviet offensive of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe, the drive on Prague. In August 1945 most of the formation was used to create the Poznań Military District.
Formation (8 August - 31 December 1944)
In 1944, with the Soviet advance now enveloping increasing number of territories of the Second Polish RepublicSecond Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
, occupied by Nazi Germany for the past several years
Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany
At the beginning of World War II, nearly a quarter of the pre-war Polish areas were annexed by Nazi Germany and placed directly under German civil administration, while the rest of Nazi occupied Poland was named as General Government...
, the Soviet high command
High command
The phrase High command may refer to:* Command * Chain of command* Commander-in-Chief* Defence minister* Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, the WWII command structure popularly known as "German High Command"Compare:* Staff...
saw the opportunity to recruit more Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
into the Soviet-controlled People's Army of Poland. The first plans called for formation of Polish Second Army and Polish Third Army, which were to be joined with the Polish First Army
First Polish Army (1944-1945)
The Polish First Army was a Polish Army unit formed in the Soviet Union in 1944, from the previously existing Polish I Corps as part of the People's Army of Poland . The First Army fought westward, subordinated to the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, during the offensive against Germany that led to...
into a Polish Front (at that time the Polish forces were part of the 1st Belorussian Front
1st Belorussian Front
The 1st Belorussian Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during World War II...
). The early plans called for the Second Army to be ready for combat by the end of September.
However soon it became apparent that this plan was flawed, as there were not enough recruits to fill the ranks of officers. A significant number of pre-war Polish NCOs and officers either:
- were held in the Germans officer POW campsOflagAn Oflag was a prisoner of war camp for officers only, established by the German Army in both World War I and World War II in accordance with the requirements of the Geneva Convention ....
- already joined the Polish First ArmyFirst Polish Army (1944-1945)The Polish First Army was a Polish Army unit formed in the Soviet Union in 1944, from the previously existing Polish I Corps as part of the People's Army of Poland . The First Army fought westward, subordinated to the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, during the offensive against Germany that led to...
- joined Polish Army in the West
- were part of the Armia KrajowaArmia KrajowaThe Armia Krajowa , or Home Army, was the dominant Polish resistance movement in World War II German-occupied Poland. It was formed in February 1942 from the Związek Walki Zbrojnej . Over the next two years, it absorbed most other Polish underground forces...
Polish resistancePolish resistance movement in World War IIThe Polish resistance movement in World War II, with the Home Army at its forefront, was the largest underground resistance in all of Nazi-occupied Europe, covering both German and Soviet zones of occupation. The Polish defence against the Nazi occupation was an important part of the European...
, loyal to the Polish government in exilePolish government in ExileThe Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
and seen by Soviets as enemies (the 2nd Army military tribunal and police were actually actively engaged in actions against the AK elements, arresting thousands of people and sentencing hundreds to death) - or had been executed by the Soviets following their Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)The 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland was a Soviet military operation that started without a formal declaration of war on 17 September 1939, during the early stages of World War II. Sixteen days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west, the Soviet Union did so from the east...
in massacres such as the infamous Katyn massacreKatyn massacreThe Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
, when the Soviets were more concerned with breaking the Polish intelligentsiaIntelligentsiaThe intelligentsia is a social class of people engaged in complex, mental and creative labor directed to the development and dissemination of culture, encompassing intellectuals and social groups close to them...
then forming Polish allied forces
Thus while the recruits to the pro-Soviet Polish Committee of National Liberation
Polish Committee of National Liberation
The Polish Committee of National Liberation , also known as the Lublin Committee, was a provisional government of Poland, officially proclaimed 21 July 1944 in Chełm under the direction of State National Council in opposition to the Polish government in exile...
were able to fill most private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
and NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s slots, the army had only about half of the needed number of officers; 33% of them young (under 25 years) and about 50% with no formal training (only secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
). Although the Soviets always tried to control such allied formations by transferring a significant numbers of Soviet officers to those units, they found themselves having to fill about 50% of the officer positions in the Second Army (for several months in 1944, the commander of the Army was in the hands of the Soviet general, Stanislav Poplavsky
Stanislav Poplavsky
Stanislav Gilyarovich Poplavsky was a general in the Soviet and Polish armies.-Biography:He was born in Imperial Russia, in the vicinity of Kiev. His family was ethnically Polish, and in his younger years he considered himself a Pole...
). The situation of the Third Army was even more dire, which eventually led to the cancellation of plans for both the creation of the Third Army and the Polish Front.
The Second Army reached operational level in the beginning of January 1945.
Combat (January-May 1945)
While some formations of the Second Army were engaged in combat as parts of the 1st Belarusian Front in January, most of the Army was regrouped in early February near KutnoKutno
Kutno is a town in central Poland with 48,000 inhabitants and an area of 33,6 km2. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , previously in Płock Voivodeship . It is the capital of Kutno County....
, Łódź, Łask and Piotrków Trybunalski
Piotrków Trybunalski
Piotrków Trybunalski is a city in central Poland with 80,738 inhabitants . It is situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , and previously was the capital of Piotrków Voivodeship...
. Near the end of February the Army moved towards Piła, Krzyż Wielkopolski
Krzyz Wielkopolski
Krzyż Wielkopolski is a town in Poland, with 6,317 inhabitants in Czarnków-Trzcianka County, Greater Poland Voivodship. It is an important railroad junction, with two major lines crossing there - the Berlin - Bydgoszcz and Poznań - Szczecin connections...
and Czarnków
Czarnków
Czarnków is a town in Poland in Czarnków-Trzcianka County in Greater Poland Voivodeship, previously in Piła Voivodeship . It has 12,000 inhabitants.The town lies on the Noteć river...
to counter possible threat of German counterattack from the Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
area. In the first half of March the army acted as a reinforcement for the 1st Belarusian Front, and was regrouped in the area of Gorzów Wielkopolski
Gorzów Wielkopolski
Gorzów Wielkopolski is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the biggest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 125,149 inhabitants...
- Barlinek
Barlinek
Barlinek is a town in Poland, in West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in Myślibórz County. It has 14,162 inhabitants .The first written mention about the town is from 1278 . In the first half of the 15th century, the town, situated in the Neumark region, was under control of the Teutonic Knights...
- Pełczyce - Chłopowo
Chłopowo
Chłopowo may refer to the following places:*Chłopowo, Choszczno County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship *Chłopowo, Myślibórz County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship...
- Klasztorne
Klasztorne
Klasztorne may refer to the following places:*Klasztorne, Pomeranian Voivodeship *Klasztorne, Choszczno County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship *Klasztorne, Gryfino County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship...
- Słonów. In the second half of March the Army was transferred to the 1st Ukrainian Front
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
, and regrouped north of Wrocław. With the preparations to the battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
, the Army took positions near the Lusatian Neisse
Lusatian Neisse
The Lusatian Neisse is a long river in Central Europe. The river has its source in the Jizera Mountains near Nová Ves nad Nisou, Czech Republic, reaching the tripoint with Poland and Germany at Zittau after , and later forms the Polish-German border on a length of...
(Nysa Łuzycka) on 10-11 April.
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and Bautzen
Bautzen
Bautzen is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and administrative centre of the eponymous district. It is located on the Spree River. As of 2008, its population is 41,161...
on 16 April. Although the Army managed to advance, it had insufficient reinforcements of its own and the planned Soviet reinforcements were delayed, which made it vulnerable to the German counterattacks. The Second Army suffered very heavy losses at the Battle of Bautzen
Battle of Bautzen (1945)
The Battle of Bautzen was one of the last battles of the Eastern Front in World War II. It was fought on the extreme southern flank of the Spremberg–Torgau Offensive, seeing days of pitched street fighting between forces of the 2nd Polish Army and elements of the Soviet's 52nd Army and 5th Guards...
during April 22-26, with 18,232 dead or missing (22% of total combat personnel), and over 50% of armor. The battle was one of the most costly in terms of lives in the history of Polish military.
Subsequently, in May, the Second Army was part of the final great Soviet offensive of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe, the drive on Prague. By the time most Germans units have begun to surrender, the Army units have reached the town of Mělník
Melnik
-Places:Bulgaria* Melnik, Bulgaria, a town in Bulgaria* Shiroka Melnishka Losa, a Bulgarian wine grape also known as MelnikCzech Republic* Mělník, a townUnited States* Melnik, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community...
.
Post war (May-August 1945)
After the End of World War II in EuropeEnd of World War II in Europe
The final battles of the European Theatre of World War II as well as the German surrender to the Western Allies and the Soviet Union took place in late April and early May 1945.-Timeline of surrenders and deaths:...
, the Second Army was regrouped in the vicinity of Wrocław. On the 17 May it was transferred from the 1st Ukrainian Front
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
to the High Command
High command
The phrase High command may refer to:* Command * Chain of command* Commander-in-Chief* Defence minister* Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, the WWII command structure popularly known as "German High Command"Compare:* Staff...
of the People's Army of Poland. Until August 1945 the Army was tasked with guarding the Recovered Territories
Recovered Territories
Recovered or Regained Territories was an official term used by the People's Republic of Poland to describe those parts of pre-war Germany that became part of Poland after World War II...
and the new Polish-German frontier on the Oder-Neisse line
Oder-Neisse line
The Oder–Neisse line is the border between Germany and Poland which was drawn in the aftermath of World War II. The line is formed primarily by the Oder and Lusatian Neisse rivers, and meets the Baltic Sea west of the seaport cities of Szczecin and Świnoujście...
. Among other changes, the 12th Infantry Division was reformed to guard the border in the Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
area. The army was disbanded in August; most of the formation was used to create the Poznań Military District.
Order of Battle on May 1, 1945
Second Army Headquarters- 5th Infantry DivisionPolish 5th Infantry Division5th Lwów Infantry Division was a unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period, with headquarters stationed in Lwów. It was created on May 20, 1919, during the Polish-Ukrainian War in Eastern Galicia. Originally, it consisted of three infantry regiments, but later it was strengthened with...
- 7th Infantry DivisionPolish 7th Infantry DivisionThe 7th Infantry Division was the name of several units of the Polish Army.The original division was formed in 1918 and took part in shielding the Polish borders during the Polish-Ukrainian War. During the Polish-Bolshevik War it was commanded by Col. Szubert and reinforced to three brigades...
- 8th Infantry DivisionPolish 8th Infantry DivisionThe 8th Infantry Division was a tactical unit of the Polish Army. It was active in the Polish-Bolshevik War, as well as during the Invasion of Poland in 1939...
- 9th Infantry Division
- 10th Infantry Division
- 2nd Artillery Division
- 6th Light Artillery Brigade
- 7th Howitzer Artillery Brigade
- 8th Heavy Artillery Brigade
- 3rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division
- 9th Antitank Brigade
- 14th Antitank Brigade
- 3rd Mortar Regiment
- 1st Tank Corps
- 16th Tank Brigade
- 5th Heavy Tank Regiment (IS-II)
- 28th Armoured Artillery Regiment (self-propelled guns)
- 4th Sapper Brigade
Commanders
- general Karol ŚwierczewskiKarol SwierczewskiKarol Wacław Świerczewski was a Pole who became a Soviet military officer and a general. He served as a general in the service of the Soviet Union, Republican Spain, and the Soviet sponsored Polish Provisional Government of National Unity after World War II.- Life :Karol Świerczewski grew up in...
from 8 August 1944 to 24 September 1944 and from 26 December 1944 onward - general Stanisław Popławski (Stanislav Poplavsky) from 25 September 1944 to 25 December 1944
Major campaign credits
- Berlin OperationBattle of BerlinThe Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
April 4, 1945 - May 9, 1945 - Prague Operation May 7, 1945 - May 10, 1945