Shadow of History

If the German line bursts (see above), Russia may well relive the bloody and spectacular 1920 March on Warsaw.

In 1919, Poland's Strong Man Josef Pilsudski sent a motley army into agonized Russia. By spring of 1920, the Poles watered their horses in the Dnieper. That May the Reds struck back.

In White Russia the young, ragged Red Army's prodigy, 28-year-old Mikhail Tukhachevsky, met the Poles. In the Ukraine, Semion Budenny's Cossacks counterattacked. By August, the Red horsemen were at Lwow's gates, Tukhachevsky at Warsaw's.

But worried France helped Pilsudski, an expected Polish revolution did not come off, the Red generals blundered. Shrewd Pilsudski struck between the two Red armies, cut off Tukhachevsky, defeated Budenny, finally forced the weak Soviet Union to give up its provinces which were in dispute last week (see p. 18).*

Last week Russia again heard the cry: "Forward to Warsaw." It was shouted by a Polish officer, sending a second Soviet-organized Polish division into action. The cry echoed Moscow's thoughts. For the Red command today is sure it can escape Tukhachevsky's blunders in traveling Tukhachevsky's path west.

*Tukhachevsky later became Vice Commissar of Defense, was shot as a traitor in the purge of 1937. Budenny was made Marshal, today trains reserves.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.