The Polish People's Army (, ; LWP) was the second formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the East during the latter stages of the Second World War (1943–1945), and subsequently the armed forces of the Polish communist state (1945–1989), which was formalised in 1952 as the Polish People's Republic.Initially ruled by the Polish Workers' Party (1942-1948) and thereafter the Polish United Workers' Party.
The creation of communist-led Polish armed forces that were outside the command of the Polish government-in-exile was allowed and facilitated by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, following efforts made in the early 1940s by Soviet-based Polish exiles Wanda Wasilewska and Zygmunt Berling.
Initially called the Polish Army in the USSR from 1943 to 1944,Polish: Armia Polska w ZSRR. it became the Polish TroopsPolish: Wojsko Polskie and Armed Forces of the Republic of PolandPolish: Siły Zbrojne Rzeczpospolitej Polskiej. from 1944 to 1952, and thereafter the Armed Forces of the Polish People's Republic.Polish: Siły Zbrojne Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej During these restructurings, the Polish military was increasingly integrated into Soviet military and command structures, becoming comparatively more distinct and independent in 1956.
On 7 October 1950, the anniversary of the Battle of Lenino—one of the first major engagements of Polish Armed Forces in the East against Axis forces—was declared the official "Day of the Polish People's Army" by the People's Republic.
History World War II
What became the LWP was formed during World War II, in May 1943, as the 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division, which developed into the First Polish Army, unofficially known as Berling's Army. Because of the shortage of Polish officers and the policies of the Soviet Union, in March 1945 Soviet Red Army officers accounted for nearly 52% of the officer corps (15,492 out of 29,372). Around 4,600 of them remained in the LWP by July 1946.
It was not the only Polish formation that fought on the Allied side, nor the first one formed in the East. The earlier Polish force formed in the Soviet Union, known as Anders' Army, was loyal to the Polish government-in-exile and by that time had moved to Iran. The communist-led Polish forces soon grew beyond the 1st Division into two major commands – the First Polish Army (initially under Zygmunt Berling) and the Second Polish Army (commanded by Karol Świerczewski). The First Polish Army participated in the Vistula–Oder Offensive, the Battle of Kolberg and the final Battle of Berlin.
Immediate post-war years
After the war the Polish Army was reorganized into six (later seven) military districts. These were the Warsaw Military District, headquartered (HQ) in Warsaw, the Lublin Military District, HQ in Lublin, the Kraków Military District, HQ in Kraków, the Łódź Military District, HQ in Łódź, the Poznań Military District, HQ in Poznań, the Pomeranian Military District, HQ in Toruń, and the Silesian Military District, HQ in Katowice.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Polish Army was under the command of Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland and Minister of Defense of Poland Konstantin Rokossovsky. It was increasingly integrated into Soviet military structure and organisation. This process was mitigated in the aftermath of the Polish October of 1956, when Władysław Gomułka formalised aspects of Poland's military relationship with the Soviet Union.Jerzy Eisler, Siedmiu wspaniałych poczet pierwszych sekretarzy KC PZPR [The Magnificent Seven: First Secretaries of KC PZPR], Wydawnictwo Czerwone i Czarne, Warszawa 2014, , pp. 214–215 The Sovietisation of the armed forces structure was phased out altogether and thus the combat and service support structures were integrated once more into regular combat formations following the old Polish model.
Cold War
An anti-Zionist purge in the Polish Army took place in 1968 to systematically remove soldiers of Jewish origin, following the Six-Day War between Israel and Arab countries.
Characteristics Uniform In 1949, the first fundamental uniform reform after the war was made.Dziennik rozkazów MON nr 4 z 1949 roku poz.30. The "Dress Rules for the Soldiers of the Polish Army" were introduced and were to apply from January 1, 1951.
In the Polish People's Army, a soft field cap modeled on the pre-war one was introduced. After the war, the pre-war garrison caps were used again. Stiffened caps were only worn until around 1950 when they were completely replaced by round caps. In 1982, the Polish Rogatywka, modeled on the pattern from 1935, were restored in the Polish Army's Representative Company.
In the late 1950s, camouflaged field uniforms were introduced, starting with:
wz. 58 "deszczyk" – used since 1958 to 1968. wz. 68 "moro" – used since 1968 to 1989. wz. 89 "puma" – incompletely implemented in 1989.
Chaplaincy Throughout the entire period of the existence of the Polish People's Army, its officers and soldiers were provided with pastoral care. Such a service was provided by the General Dean's Office of the Polish Army.
Battle Honours For Warsaw For Battle of Berlin
Training
In the 1980s, the Polish People's Republic had 4 military academies and 11 higher officers' schools, which trained auxiliary corpsmen and corresponded in rank to higher educational institutions. In 1954, judo instructors from the Warsaw and Kraków institutes of physical culture, participated in the training program for border guards and military personnel of the airborne units of the Polish army.Влодзимеж Голембевский. Из-под Фудзиямы на Вислу // журнал «Польша», № 5 (117), май 1964. стр.52-53
Equipment +HelmetOriginTypeNotesPhotoSSh-39/SSh-40Combat helmetUsed during World War II and shortly afterHełm wz. 31/50Combat helmetPre-war polish helmet after modernisationsHełm wz. 50Combat helmetStandard helmet in 1950-1967Hełm wz. 63Paratrooper helmetUsed by airbone troops and special units.Hełm wz. 67 Hełm wz. 67/75Combat helmetStandard helmet from 1967 to 1989. +WeaponOriginTypeNotesPhotoP-64Semi-automatic pistolP-83Semi-automatic pistol P-33Semi-automatic pistolLicensed copy of TT-33.AKM AKMSAssault rifleStandard issue riflePM-84Submachine gunLimited usePM-63Submachine gunStandard submachine gun form 1963 till 19897.62 mm pm wz.41Submachine gunPolish PPSh-41 produced domestically.SWDDesignated sniper rifleStandard marksman rifle of PPAPK General purpose machinegunStandard general purpose machinegun of PPASKSSemi-automatic rifleMosin–NagantBolt-action rifleDomestically produced.SG-43 GoryunovMachine gunRPG-7Light AT weapon
Ground Forces +TankOriginVersionIn serviceNotesT-603 pcs. - 1944-1945After the war, several pieces were sent to military schools.T-7053 pcs. - 1944-1945Some of the tanks used after 1945 by the Internal Security Corps.T-341940, 1941, 1942, 1943118 pcs. - 1944-1945According to Magnuski, many different versions of the T-34 vehicle were used, both early production and modernized ones.T-34-85M1, M2328 pcs. - 1944–1945. 1083 pcs. - 1955, 1444 pcs. - 1960, 417 pcs. - 1985Domestically produced 1355 pcs. between 1952 and 1956. In 1985, the military had 417 pieces of M1, M2 versions. PT-76PT-76, PT-76B68 pcs. - 1965, 108 pcs. - 1970, 112 pcs. - 1985, 30 pcs. 1990Some of the tanks were modernized in Poland by adding a DSzK HMG above the loader's hatch.T-54A, AD, AM, AM1, AM2, T-55U1258 pcs. - 1965, 998 pcs. - 1970Between 1956 and 1964, 2,000 T-54 tanks were produced under license in Poland.T-55A, AD, AD-1, AD-2, AM, AD1M, AD2M, AMS128 pcs. - 1965, 956 pcs. - 1970, 2653 pcs., 2100 pcs. - 1990Between 1964 and 1980, 5,000 T-55s were produced. Most of it was exported.T-72M, M1317 pcs. - 1985, 700 pcs. - 1990In the years 1981–1990, Zakłady Mechaniczne Bumar-Łabędy produced approximately 1,600 T-72 tanks.IS-2M50 pcs. - 1944–1945, 180 pcs. - 1955, 75 pcs. - 1960Withdrawn from use in the 1960s.IS-32 or 3 pcs.Brought for testing purposes. They did not come into use. Two copies have been preserved in museums in Poznań and Warsaw. +TD/SPGOriginVersionIn serviceNotesSU-57SPG15 pcs. - 1944–1945, Few pcs. survived war.Withdrawn from use in the 1950s.SU-76SPG130 pcs. - 1944–1945, 206 pcs. - 1955.Withdrawn from use in the 1950s.SU-85TD70 pcs. - 1944–1945, 51 pcs. - 1955, 43 pcs. - 1960Withdrawn from use in the 1960s.SU-100TDAt least 3 pcs. - 1943-1945Withdrawn from use in the 1950s.ISU-122SSPG32 pcs. – 1944–1945, 399 pcs. (together with ISU-152) – 1955, 49 pcs. – 1960Withdrawn from use in the 1960s.SU-152SPG3 pcs. - 1944-1945ISU-152SPG10 pcs. – 1944–1945, 399 pcs. (together with ISU-122S) – 1955Withdrawn from use in the 1950s.ASU-85SPG20-30 pcs. - 1965-1975Withdrawn from use in the second half of 1970s.2S1 GoździkSPG166 pcs. - 1985, 490 pcs. - 1990Licensed production launched in the 1980s at Huta Stalowa Wola.wz.77 DANASPGThe first copies appeared in WP in the mid-1980s. +APC/IFVOriginVersionIn serviceNotesBWP-1IFV1 400BMP-2IFV62BMP-2 Pancerni.net 1 . Pancerni.abajt.pl. Retrieved 20 September 2011.Sold to Angola after communism fell in country.MT-LBAPC15TOPASWPT-TOPAS, -2AP, R-2, R-3120 pcs. - 1968, 70 pcs. - 1990Jointly developed by Poland and CzechoslovakiaSKOT -1A, -2A, S-260 Art, S-260 Inż., -WPT, -2AP, R-1, R-2, R2M, R2AM, R-3, R-3M, R-3AM, R-4, R-6548 pcs. - 1966 2 500 total production form Polish ArmyKubiaczyk C., Transporter opancerzony SKOT, A. Karaś, W. Stefanowska (red.), J. Magnuski, Seria: Typy broni i uzbrojenia, vol. 9, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, 1971Jointly developed by Poland and Czechoslovakia between 1963 and 1971.BTR-60PU-12Included with the 9K33 Osa SAM system delivered between 1980 and 1985.BRDM-1The first ones entered the army in the 1960sBRDM-29P133, 9P148, RS, 9P31800 pcs. - 1990FUGThe first ones entered the army in the 1960s
Air Force +ModelOriginTypeIn serviceNotesLim-1Fighter227Lim-2Fighter500Lim-5Fighter477MiG-19Fighter33MiG-21Fighter600MiG-23Fighter40MiG-29Fighter12Sukhoi Su-7Attack Aircraft50Su-20Attack Aircraft40Sukhoi Su-22Attack Aircraft110Ilyushin Il-28Bomber80Antonov An-2TransportN/AAntonov An-26Transport20Ilyushin Il-14Transport30Mil Mi-8Helicopter80Mil Mi-2Helicopter200Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, p. 47.Mil Mi-24Attack helicopter40
Artillery
Rocket Artillery
RM-70- 30 BM-21 Grad-250 in 1980s. 9K52 Luna-M- 40 launchers in 1980s R-11 Zemlya - 22 launchers in 1960s Scud B- 25 launchers in 1980s
Towed artillery
76 mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3) 122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30)- 715 152 mm gun-howitzer D-20-166
Selfpropelled artillery
2S1 Gvozdika-498 152 mm SpGH DANA- 111 2S7 Pion-8
Air defense
Mobile missile
2K12 Kub 2K11 Krug 9K33 Osa
Mobile self-propelled AA guns
ZSU-23-4 Shilka-150 were delivered from USSR until 1991
Towed anti-aircraft gun
ZU-23-2-252 ZU-23 and 72 ZUR-23-2 series
Artillery tractors
Mazur D-350 ATS-59 AT-T
Utility vehicles
Willys MB Gaz-67 Gaz-69 UAZ-469 FSC Lublin-51 Gaz-66 Ził-130 Ził-131 Ził-157 KrAZ-255 Star 28/29 Star 66 Star 660 Star 200 Star 244 Star 266
Engagements Battle of Lenino - 1943 Lublin–Brest offensive - 1944 Battle of Studzianki - 1944 Vistula-Oder offensive - 1945 Battle of Kolberg - 1945 Siege of Danzig - 1945 Battle of the Seelow Heights - 1945 Battle of Bautzen - 1945 Battle of Berlin - 1945 Anti-communist resistance in Poland (1944–1946) Battles for Bircza - 1945–1946 Operation Vistula - 1947 Poznań protests of 1956 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia - 1968 Polish protests of 1970 Pacification of Wujek - 1981 Martial law in Poland (13 December 1981 – 22 July 1983)
See also Air Force of the Polish Army Polish Armed Forces Polish Armed Forces (Second Polish Republic) Main Directorate of Information of the Polish Army (GZI WP) Internal Military Service (WSW) Border Protection Forces (WOP) Polish Legions (Napoleonic period) Polish Military Organisation Armia Ludowa Gwardia Ludowa