• Journal title: Wschodni Rocznik Humanistyczny
• ISSN: 1731-982X (print)
• Publisher: Towarzystwo Nauki i Kultury "Libra"
• Country of publisher: poland
• Date added to EuroPub: 2019/Sep/27

• LCC Subject Category: Social Sciences, Sociology, Humanities
• Publisher's keywords: 9th Infantry Division, Polish-Soviet war, state security, defense, Polish Army
• Language of fulltext: polish, english, russian, ukrainian
• Full-text formats available: PDF
• Time From Submission to Publication:

Paweł Borek

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The article discusses the preparation and process of the military operation in the area of Rzeczyca in the spring of 1920 and participation in it the 9th Infantry Division. This military unit was the main striking force of the Grupa Poleska under the command of general Antoni Listowski (and then colonel Władysław Sikorski), forming the Poleski Front. After the battle with Germans under the village of Kobylany 6 February and the capture of Brześć on 9 February 1919, Grupa Poleska was moving further to the east fighting in meantime with the Red Army. After the capture of Pinsk (5 March) and Łuniniec (10 July 1919), the 9th Infantry Division resumed warfare in March 1920, captured a very important transport junction in Polesie – the Mozyrz and Kalenkowicze town (5-6 March 1920). The 9 Infantry Division directly threatened to the Rzeczyca area, and its captured was threatened the Bolsheviks by cutting off the Dnieper river line and cutting off the Dnieper flotilla. In connection with the Polish offensive on Ukraine started on April 25, 1920, the 9th Infantry Division was ordered to disarm the Soviet forces between Berezina, Dnieper and Pripyat rivers and reach the Dnepr river. After hard fighting with the enemy, on May 8, 1920, the city of Rzeczyca and the railway bridge on the Dnieper river were captured by the Poles, and this day was chosen for festival of the 34th Infantry Regiment. So the Dniepr river was the furthest extent of Polish armor in the Polish-Soviet war of 1919-1920, and the achievement of the bridgehead on the eastern riverside of the Dnieper had a symbolic dimension to many Polish soldiers.