On August 1, 1944, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Army, Gen. Tadeusz Komorowski “Bor”, the Uprising broke out in Warsaw. Approximately 40,000-50,000 young men and women faced the unequal struggle. There was one goal – an independent Poland, free from German occupation and Soviet domination.
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The Warsaw Uprising was the largest underground military operation in German-occupied Europe. Planned for several days, it took 63 days. Its military goal was to liberate the capital from German occupation, under which it was located since September 1939.
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The uprising was supposed to last only a few days
When deciding to start the uprising, the command of the Home Army anticipated that, after a few days of fighting, Red Army soldiers would enter the left-bank Warsaw. In addition, the insurgents counted on help from the Allies. The outbreak of the uprising was also of strategic importance. When the Soviet troops entered the capital, the authorities of the Polish Underground State wanted to act as host. At stake was the independence of Poland, free from German occupation.
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The actions of Soviet propaganda were also important when deciding to start fighting in the capital. At the end of July, appeals began to appear on the streets of Warsaw informing about the escape of the Home Army Headquarters and the taking over of the command of the underground armed forces by the command of the People’s Army. On the other hand, the propaganda radio station Kościuszko, given by the Soviets to the Union of Polish Patriots, called on the inhabitants of Warsaw to immediately take up the fight. In this situation, the Home Army feared that the communist subversion could lead to uncontrolled and spontaneous armed demonstrations against the Germans, led by the communists.
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In addition, the decision to start the uprising was accelerated by the evacuation of German civilians ordered by the Nazis, as well as the low morale prevailing in the invader army due to the situation on the Western Front.
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The first fights
The order to start the Uprising was issued on July 31, 1944 by the Commander of the Home Army, General Tadeusz Komorowski “Bór”, obtaining the approval of the Government Delegate Jan S. Jankowski. The uprising was to begin the next day at 17.
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In Żoliborz, the first shots of the uprising were fired before 5 p.m. Around 1.30 p.m. on Krasińskiego Street, Home Army soldiers who were carrying their weapons to the concentration site of one of the units, encountered a German patrol. The Germans brought reinforcements from Śródmieście, and more insurgent units joined the fighting.
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Before 4 p.m. the first fights also started in Wola and Śródmieście. In the “W” hour, tens of thousands of insurgents joined the fight in the capital. Only one in four could count on starting the fight with a weapon in his hand.