"He who doesn't respect and honor his past is not worth the honor of the present, and has no right to the future."
-Marshal Jozef Pilsudski, architect of Polish independence
-Marshal Jozef Pilsudski, architect of Polish independence
Congratulations to Poland on 100 years of independence! (1918-2018)
TO ARMS - UNITED WE WILL DEFEAT THE ENEMY
Why 1939?
More so than almost any other part of World War II, the September Campaign, the first engagement of the war, is fraught with myths and misconceptions thanks to its position in the schooling of most Americans, relegated to being the engagement that started the war, or worse, a mythical example of a foolish army trying to stand against Germany propagated by former German officers.
The reality of the campaign is that it greatly shook the German military. In a fight against a military they thought inferior in every way, including racially, they suffered 50,000 casualties. 20,000 of these were killed in action or missing in action due to lack of remains, while the other 30,000 were grievously wounded, leaving them too combat-ineffective. Alongside this, Germany lost a substantial amount of equipment, with nearly 500 tanks and aircraft destroyed, and a number rivaling that damaged.
In the East, Poland also fought against the Soviet Union, who had joined Germany to destroy Poland, its defeat in the 1920 Polish-Soviet War still fresh in Stalin's mind. While Polish forces were lacking there, consisting of reserve troops, border protection troops, and even in some cases youth scouting organizations, they inflicted disproportionately heavy casualties on the Soviets, estimated around 5,000 killed and an unknown amount wounded or missing.
All of these figures and the battles that made up the September Campaign are eschewed in favor of myths of Polish cavalry charging German tanks to quickly move through the early war to get to the well-known campaigns of 1944-45. But the fighting that saw the Poles defend on two fronts can not and should not be forgotten. All our members are volunteers who strive to further the research and remembrance of Poland's struggles in 1939 in the United States, and bring the campaign into the public eye.
More so than almost any other part of World War II, the September Campaign, the first engagement of the war, is fraught with myths and misconceptions thanks to its position in the schooling of most Americans, relegated to being the engagement that started the war, or worse, a mythical example of a foolish army trying to stand against Germany propagated by former German officers.
The reality of the campaign is that it greatly shook the German military. In a fight against a military they thought inferior in every way, including racially, they suffered 50,000 casualties. 20,000 of these were killed in action or missing in action due to lack of remains, while the other 30,000 were grievously wounded, leaving them too combat-ineffective. Alongside this, Germany lost a substantial amount of equipment, with nearly 500 tanks and aircraft destroyed, and a number rivaling that damaged.
In the East, Poland also fought against the Soviet Union, who had joined Germany to destroy Poland, its defeat in the 1920 Polish-Soviet War still fresh in Stalin's mind. While Polish forces were lacking there, consisting of reserve troops, border protection troops, and even in some cases youth scouting organizations, they inflicted disproportionately heavy casualties on the Soviets, estimated around 5,000 killed and an unknown amount wounded or missing.
All of these figures and the battles that made up the September Campaign are eschewed in favor of myths of Polish cavalry charging German tanks to quickly move through the early war to get to the well-known campaigns of 1944-45. But the fighting that saw the Poles defend on two fronts can not and should not be forgotten. All our members are volunteers who strive to further the research and remembrance of Poland's struggles in 1939 in the United States, and bring the campaign into the public eye.
Where are we located?
We are mainly located on the East Coast, with the majority of our members in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. However, we also have members in the Midwest. As a note, geographical proximity is not required to be a member, as there are World War II reenactment events across the United States. While the main events for the unit are in PA, NJ, MD, and VA, attendance to these events is not mandatory, as membership is open to any reenactor across the United States willing to follow the unit's regulations and further expand awareness and honor Poland's fight for existence during 1939.
We are mainly located on the East Coast, with the majority of our members in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. However, we also have members in the Midwest. As a note, geographical proximity is not required to be a member, as there are World War II reenactment events across the United States. While the main events for the unit are in PA, NJ, MD, and VA, attendance to these events is not mandatory, as membership is open to any reenactor across the United States willing to follow the unit's regulations and further expand awareness and honor Poland's fight for existence during 1939.
Recruiting Policies
Independent Operational Group Polesie has the following membership requirements:
-Be of good moral character
-Enjoy reenacting, research, camaraderie, and are willing to help further the awareness of the September Campaign
-Polish ancestry or knowledge of the Polish language is NOT required, though new recruits will learn the meaning of basic Polish commands and military terms over time
Independent Operational Group Polesie has the following membership requirements:
-Be of good moral character
-Enjoy reenacting, research, camaraderie, and are willing to help further the awareness of the September Campaign
-Polish ancestry or knowledge of the Polish language is NOT required, though new recruits will learn the meaning of basic Polish commands and military terms over time
