Identification of the National perspective

On 1st September about 6 o’clock in the morning the inhabitants of Warsaw were woken up by the firing of anti-aircraft artillery. At first it seems as military maneuvers, people listening to the radio can’t understand words coming out of their radio sets. “Chocolate, chocolate, comma three. It came! Alert for the city of Warsaw”. They are not aware that it’s the warning signaling the enemy’s planes. However, they quickly realize it and the first person of bombs in Grochów At 6.15 from Bruhl Place, colonel Jozef Beck gives an order to inform Polish diplomatic agencies abroad about the situation in Warsaw. Around noon the capital city survives the second bombardment and eight heinkle planes HE-111 are shot down. It’s the first success of Polish fighter planes, which will be doing miracles next days. The pilots prove that they are worthy successors of wirko and Wigura. Four squadrons of droppers DO-17Z and heinkle HE-111P take part in the air raid strengthen with a squadron of junkers JU-87B-2 and two squadrons of messerschmitzs BF-109 pind BF 110. Trying to defend Warsaw, thirty polish aircrafts managed to disperse German. Only a few planes succeeded in reaching the city and dropping bombs randomly. Luckily they failed to destroy Warsaw bridges. During the air battle lieutenant Gabszewicz was shot down. While he was trying to evacuate from a burning plane, German soldiers shot him. Such incidents of shooting parachuting pilots occurred frequently. The situation was difficult for the Polish army. The proportion of both armies was eight to one. Furthermore, Luftwaffe was equipped with highly modernized and fast planes. German bombers Junkers JU-87 (“stuka” – short name for Sturzampeluzeng) gained glory in the September campaign. Being the basic element of “blitzkrieg”, they were equipped with two sirens fixed above the landing gear and while ducking made terrifying noise which created panic and chaos on the land. The task of destroying Warsaw was given to Major General. He gave an order to destroy the gas-plant. Power-plant and waterworks and make it impossible to extinguish fires and to starve the inhabitants of Warsaw. Polish aerial fleet equipped with old-fashioned planes wasn’t able to resist the enemy. Meanwhile, the evacuation of the government and the authorities had already been decided. Bridges and roads leading to the capital city were filled with countless crowds of refugees trying to escape by using different means of transport or simply walking. They carried suitcases, baskets, bundles with food supplies, quilts and more or less valuable possessions. The capital city was an incredibly important military and strategic target. It was the main railway junction, the home to the government and the historical symbols of unbroken national spirit. It’s quick surrender would have been a finish for the polish nation. Condemning further military operations to defeat. Undoubtedly, the defense of Warsaw was a priority. On the night of 6th September colonel Umiatowski calls all fit men to dig up the trenches and erect barricades on the outskirts of the city. The president of Warsaw, starting calls up medical teams and tries to take control over the evacuation. New military divisions are formed. Military authorities are astonished by the nation’s patriotic impulse. Within a few days defense forces triple increasing the city garrison to 17 battalions of infantry, 64 cannons and 36 tanks. The air raids don’t stop even for a moment. The third of September brings 17 of them. They cause vast destructions in the city central and Praga district. The artillery attack is so strong that only during the night the bodies of casualties can be cleared away. On the 12th September the transfiguration hospital is on fire. More than thousand people die. The fire spreads to the gas-plant as well, therefore city authorities decide to cut off the gas. It’s getting harder and harder to get food. Sanitary conditions worsen as well, as waterworks are destroyed. Incendiary bombs are thrown off the roofs by scouts. Younger scouts carry orders and cigarettes to distant military posts. Under constant fire streets and houses are being rebuilt. Each of the inhabitants of Warsaw wants to take an active part in the defense of the of the capital. People don’t even think of surrender. They’d rather fight till the end, till the last bullet. They want to save the “heart” of the state, which gained it’s independence recently . Meanwhile, heavy air raids increased since 24th September. Luftwaffe’s attack reached it’s peak the following day with 400 aircrafts taking part in the battle. This bombardment caused intensive fires, which couldn’t be put out as waterworks had been destroyed earlier. 25th September brings luftwaffe’s heaviest attack with more than a hundred dornier planes DO-172 and 30 transport planes – Junkers JU-52. Constant air raids continue till capitulation. Churches, historic sites, hospitals and houses – everything is burning. Telephones don’t work, the power is cut off there’s no running water. The city is covered with crosses and debris. The first divisions of Wermaht, marches through destroyed streets of Warsaw on 29th September. Before their entry, one of the Polish burns it’s flags at the Citadel yard to avoid being taken over by the German. 120 thousand soldiers and 16 thousand wounded are taken prisoners. However, a few divisions manage to flee to form guerilla army in the nearby forests. Underground movement is born