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70 anniversary of Soviet invasion of Poland |
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cavalry4ever 
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Joined: 17-Nov-2004 Location: Virginia Online Status: Offline Posts: 433 |
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 Topic: 70 anniversary of Soviet invasion of PolandPosted: 17-Sep-2009 at 09:38 |
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This is 70 anniversary of Soviet Invasion of Poland (17 September, 1939) and start of NKVD (predecessor of KGB) genocide of Poles. This invasion, also called "the stab in the back" sealed the fate of Poland in the II WW.
Any comments?
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Cryptic
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Joined: 05-Jul-2006 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 1021 |
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Posted: 17-Sep-2009 at 15:36 |
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Though the NKVD commited many atrocities in Poland, the term "genocide" is too strong. The goal of the NKVD was to kill or imprison all real and imagined socio-political opponents of the USSR. This led to a large number of deaths. No attempt, however, was made to kill the Poles as an entire ethnic group.
That aside, Poland offered heroic resistance in WWII to both the NAZIS and the Bolshevicks. Not only did Poland continue to field entire divisions after Poland fell, the Polish Home Army was probably the msot efficient resistance movement in the war. After WWII ended, armed Polish resistance to the Bolshevicks continued for several years. Edited by Cryptic - 17-Sep-2009 at 15:41 |
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cavalry4ever
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Joined: 17-Nov-2004 Location: Virginia Online Status: Offline Posts: 433 |
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Posted: 18-Sep-2009 at 14:44 |
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Maybe it is too strong word and I think that if you look at literal meaning of the word genocide, you are right. However Soviets were well determined to exterminate all intellectuals, leaders and state functionaries. If one exterminates the top of society, what is left are docile masses of followers without too much of identity left. It is more of a cultural and identity extermination. Good place to see its results is in Eastern Ukraine or Russia itself. Eastern Ukrainians feel more Russian than Russians themselves. Russians are still enamored of strong man telling them what to do. This is cultural and identity obliteration which maybe worse than genocide. It is true that it did not work in Poland, Hungary or Soviet Baltic Republics.
To put things in perspective, as a result of this invasion 1.2 million Poles ended in various NKVD facilities. This includes women and children. Very few came back. 25,000 of army officers and border guards were simply murdered. Edited by cavalry4ever - 18-Sep-2009 at 15:10 |
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Cryptic
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Joined: 05-Jul-2006 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 1021 |
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Posted: 19-Sep-2009 at 10:59 |
Very good point. Perhaps "genoicide" should be broadened to include attempts at the total destruction of a culture or national identity that are accompanied by a large number of actual deaths.
Using this definition, the Stalinist actions against Poland were a genocide as were the Maoist actions against Chinese culture (accompanied by the actual deaths of millions of Chinese) during the cultural revolution.
Edited by Cryptic - 19-Sep-2009 at 11:00 |
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