Chapter 3: The first offensive
September 5th, 10:00 PM, Krakow Headquarters
Lewandowski finished his dinner and left back on the way to his office. He was thinking over the developments till date. This war went so fast! How was that possible? Wars should last months, without fighting! But this time just on the 5th day of the war the Polish front has been hit hard. He ordered the events from the last days once again in his mind:
On 2nd september, just after general Dab-Biernacki left for that strange and useless offensive to Slovakia, they received the message of the first German aircraft attack. The Pomorze-army of general Czarnkowski was attacked and auffered a lot of sacrifices - including the general personally. General Romml replaced him as well as other official appointments for general-position of the various armies were made. Rydz-Smigly, the current Chief of Staff and defacto Minister of War, himself led the 5 infantery-divisions of the Lodz-Army. Kutrzeba was assigned to the 4 infantery-divisions in the Poznan-Army, Romml to the 5 divisions in Pomorze, Bortnowski to the 6 divisions of Prusy and Przedzmirski commanded a 2-division army of Modlin.
Then on 4 september the Hungarians finally fell for the German pressure and joined the axis in the war. Now was Poland from 3 sides surrendered by enemy, not to mention the Bolsheviks in the east: what were their intentions?
Today the Poles reacted by sending the aircraft to bombard Elbing. Obviously the pilots lost the way as the attack had absolutely no effect. Lewandowski started to swear: why the hell didn`t they bought more aircraft? The Luftwaffe is shooting us out - a few more days and the whole defense-line will be gone and the germans can just come in. And we can`t do anything because our planes are worthless and we have only so few! And the tanks will be finished in 6 months! My god, do we have 6 months?
The Colonel entered the hall where his office was. Underway he encountered his clerk, sergeant Hajto:
"Sir, I have very important messages for you"
Lewandowski sighed. I can`t take more bad news today:
"I`m affraid you won`t like the messages." - the sergeant clearly noticed the mood of Lewandowski.
"Well, whatever I like or not doesn`t matter much now. What are those messages?
"Sir, we received messages that USSR declared war on the 3 baltic-republics 3 hours ago" - the man began.
So, thus Josef made his first move. What is it all about? Why just now? Pure coincidence or...?
"Just within an hour thereafter Japan declared war on the Netherlands."
"Hmm, interesting. Had London or Paris reacted already?" - Lewandowski asked.
"No sir. As far as we know this new conflict has nothing to do with the European one. We know for longer that Japan is out on domination of Asia and the Dutch are just a weak party there, but Indonesia is rich"
Yes, that could be the cause, Lewandowski considered, Oil and Rubber from Indonesia was surely the cause. Japanese surely would like to have it... But till now it has nothing to do with Poland...
"well, that was it sire...ah no, one more. German movements near the Polish borders. Doesn`t look to dangerous it seems... haven`t heard much else about that... it was 1 hour ago..."
"Let go to the communications-room and see if we got any other messages. It could be the first serious German move"
It took 40 minutes before they gained further information and when it finally arrives it was obviously not good, considering the looks in the eyes of the receiver...
"Well? " - Lewandowski asked - "what do they say? Speak up man! We need information."
The clerk turned to Lewandowski, his face pale.:
"Sir, I have reports of german attack near Bydgoszcz. But also in Poznan."
Lewandowski sat quiet for a moment. Then he murmured:
"Well, then we have finally the german invasion there I guess...."
The orders followed. One clerk was appointed to elighten the Major-general Boruta-Spiechowicz of the Headquarters in Krakow about the invasion, another clerk had to inform the lower divisins of the southern network, again another was send to contact general Dab-Biernacki about the recent developments. The rest had to wait for other messages and instructions.
20 minutes later another message arrived.
"We lost Czestochowa which was undefended. Till now further instructions, the Germans are regrouping" - the clerk-sergeant recited the message to Lewandowski.
"And the battles in Poznan and Bydgoszcz?" - The colonel asked.
"Still going on sir.".
Not for long though. With midnight they received the information that Romml had to retreat and withdraw in the direction of Stettin. Bydgoszcz was lost as well.
At 2:00 o`clock in the morning of the 6th September the aircraft reacted with offensive to aid Kutrzeba near Poznan but it was intercepted and defeated by the Luftwaffe 6 hours later and had to retreat to Warsaw. Kutrzeba without aid from the air surrendered and retreated from Poznan at 6 o`clock in the evening the same day. Two hours later Cieszyn and Danzig had surrendered to germans.
Lewandowski haven`t had slept for more than 40 hours now. the messages kept coming on and virtually no good ones were received. the Poles were paralyzed. the whole defensive line in the north-west fell as a cardhouse. The divisions sent to Slovakia occupied Ruzomberok in the Carpathen but what succes was that? We have to fact that we are losing badly - he thought.
Major Kobylanski sent him to get some sleep half an hour later and he took over. The Colonel was tired but he could not sleep. He thought about the longa chain of events which led to the inevitable. He didn`t want to think abou that but had to face it. Also they were surrendered. The germans occupied all the provinces on 3 sides of Krakow. And they had no reinforcements here. He thought about his family - his wife and children were in Canada on "vacations", at least far away from this war. If he was not in the army he could have join them...what a thought, it is Poland we are fighting for! What would be our live without it? - he thought. But the calmness of a far-away country... Finally he fell asleep.
The western-polish front after the first german offensive
