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23 august 1939: germany and the soviet union sign a non-aggression pact, and also a secret clause for the partitioning of poland. 1 september: germany invades poland and world war ii commences. 17 september: the ussr delivers a ‘stab in the back&...

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1939-1941: on 17 september mass arrests and executions were already underway in poland’s eastern borderland territories. in november, these lands were annexed to the byelorussian and ukrainian soviet socialist republics. mass deportations to sibe...

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22 june 1941: germany attacks the ussr. great britain offers support to the ussr. 30 july: in london, władysław sikorski, prime minister of the republic of poland in exile, and ivan mayski, soviet ambassador, sign a mutual aid and support agreement in...

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after leaving the ussr, the polish army undertook care of the civilian refugees. a transit camp was set up for them outside teheran, and an orphanage in isfahan. the army established an intensive educational and publishing programme. the army itself un...

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december 1943 sees the start of the transfer of polish troops to italy (mainly through the port of taranto). by april 1944, the 2nd corps in italy has a strength of 48,000 troops and forms part of the british 8th army. the poles were initially assigned...

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17 june 1944: the 2nd polish corps is transferred to the adriatic coast. the italian liberation corps and the maiella brigade are placed under the command of gen. władysław anders and, together with the poles, they liberate the marche region. after cro...

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polish troops continue to fight for the liberation of italy despite the disturbing news from poland that the warsaw uprising has been quelled and that the country has been taken over by the red army. october – december 1944: while the eastern fla...

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„“the corps represents the entirety of the republic of poland. it is, as i call it «a little poland»” (gen. władysław anders). this poland in miniature reflects the plurality of pre-war poland. the 2nd corps is an army of...

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„7 may 1945: germany’s capitulation is signed in reims and on the following day in berlin. although the war had been won, poland did not find itself among the ranks of the victors. it did not become an independent state but remained in moscow’s...

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1945-1946: thousands of poles - former pows, deportees to labour camps in germany and soldiers conscripted by force into the german army - flood into italy hoping to join the 2nd corps, or seeking its shelter. once the war is over, of the 114,000 troop...