Customer Reviews

No Greater Ally: The Untold Story of Poland's Forces in World War II (General Military)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Too few books in the Second World War genre are really new and novel in historical content; fortunately Kenneth K. Koskodan's "No Greater Ally: The Untold Story of Poland's Forces in World War II (General Military)" doesn't fall into this category. Koskodan has produced a first class piece of historiography that is both new and novel, and simultaneously engaging and extremely enjoyable to read. Even if you think you know something about Poland during the war you'll certainly find something to merit your time spent with this book!

Each of the ten chapters in Koskodan's 250 pp of formal prose is essentially dedicated to a single story, whether a discussion of a single time period or group of Poles engaged in fighting the Nazis. Some of the stories are not unknown, while others have been only vaguely covered in the past, and still others are quite new. Simply what Koskodan has done is to put all major the pieces of the Polish puzzle into one book, something never done previously at this level. Appropriately, if somewhat predictably, Koskodan bookends his prose with appropriate discussions of political and military environments associated with Poland and her `allies' and `potential adversaries' at the beginning (Chapt 1 and 2) and end of the war (Chapt 10), respectively. Buttressing these `bookends' from either inside edges are stories of the Polish underground. In Chapter 3 Koskodan does a wonderful job setting up the overall story of the Polish underground and Home Army (AK), which were arguably the most organized and effective resistance groups of the the Second World War. There is much to learn in this chapter as Koskodan has certainly done his research. In Chapter 9 the story of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising is told. Certainly this is not `new' ground to be covered, but Koskodan does an admirable job providing a concise and gripping story; especially as related to the idleness of the Red Army it sat across the River Vistula just East of Warsaw for nearly a month waiting for the Germans to rid Warsaw of its life. The middle five chapters (4-8) discuss actions of particular Polish military components as they fought from the fall of Poland in 1939 to the Red Army entering Warsaw after the Germans squashed the uprising [military actions at the end of the war are covered in the final chapter]. Each of the chapters tells a separate story: Chapter 4 discusses the heroic service of the Polish airmen during the Battle for Britian. Chapter 5 deals largely with the majority of the Polish ground troops to fight with the Western Allies, starting with the North Africa actions of the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade/1 Samodzielna Brygada Strzelcow Karpackich formed from troops who escaped Poland in 1939, and ending with the actions of General Wladyslaw Anders' Polish 2nd Corps in Italy especially as part of the sharp end at Cassino. Splitting these two stories is the story of the massacre of the ~20,000 Poles that occurred in Katyn Forest. Koskodan's discussion of Katyn is not long or particularly detailed but it gets the point across loudly - a mass murder laid at the feet of the Nazi's until 1993 when, after the fall of the Soviet Union, it was revealed that the murders were in fact committed by the Soviets, a fact the Germans told the world in 1943! Chapter 6 details the actions of the Polish 1st Armored Division, with special focus on their role in closing of the Falaise Gap in mid-to-late August 1944. Chapter 7 tells the story of the General Stanislaw Sosabowski's 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade and their role in Operation Market-Garden. While much of the material in this chapter is not particularly new Koskodan tells the story aptly, and it certainly belongs in a book like this. Chapter 8 chronicles the oft forgotten Polish troops who fought for the other portion of the Allied team, the Red Army. This portion of Koskodan's book as really riveting and provides a context of discussion just not told anywhere else.

In total "No Greater Ally: The Untold Story of Poland's Forces in World War II (General Military)" is a wonderful book and historiography that should provide every reader with something worthy of their time. While this reviewer could be a little `primed' toward a positive review because of his Polish heritage, one does not need to have a single drop of Polish blood to enjoy and appreciate this seminal piece of work. Let's all hope that Koskodan continues his research and writing. 5 solid stars all the way around.

This is a good "look" at the contributions of Polish citizens to the defeat of Germany in WW II. It is interesting that Poland's contribution to victory in WW II has been so slighted. What is very interesting was the way Poland was treated by the West as Roosevelt snuggled up to "Uncle Joe". What a travesty of justice. Interesting to consider the reasons why none of this was covered in my 147 hours of undergraduate and graduate history and political science.

The truth always surfaces in the end. The truth in this true book about how the Poles fought and died on every front, and then to be handed to the terrors of Stalin's world for an even worse 50 year occupation.

Book club started with: I Saw Poland Betrayed: An American ambassador reports to the American people (The Americanist library). Arthur Bliss Lane's book will open your eyes to see how Poland was abandoned and lied to by Roosevelt and Stalin. A must read to acknowledge all the suffering that Poland has been through. Book will make your blood boil,i.e., how Roosevelt, cowardly, betrayed and sold Poland out.

Also read: Forgotten Holocaust: The Poles Under German Occupation 1939-1944
Between Nazis and Soviets: Occupation Politics in Poland, 1939-1947
Zegota: The rescue of Jews in wartime Poland
Your Life Is Worth Mine: How Polish Nuns Saved Hundreds of Jewish Children in German- Occupied Poland, 1939-1945
The Polish Way: A Thousand-Year History of the Poles and Their Culture Worth it chapter 21 alone!
KATYN - 2 discs Set [NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Poland] (works fine on U.S.A
systems too)

Yes, the truth always does surface in the end. This book and the others we've recommended finally give Poland and the Poles respect for all they have contributed to world peace through their great sacrifices and sufferings.

This book, and all these books, should be in every school and library: a course of study in itself.

We thank you Poland for all you have done for world peace!

P.S. American Revolution/Polish interest readers: a must read, about Thaddeus Kosciuszko (#1 in 3 categories on amazon!) you will read in one sitting:The Peasant Prince: and the Age of Revolution. Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous book!!!

Never have a people been as overlooked in history books, particularly in the history books covering WW11, as the Polish people. My father served in the Free Polish Forces and books such as this make his sacrifice worthwhile. The Poles after bloody battles were occupied in 1939 by both the Germans and the Soviets, but never surrendered as their Government went into exile. They fought on as partisans, resistance fighters, Warsaw insurgents (1943 Ghetto Uprising and 1944 Warsaw Uprising). They fought as soldiers, paratroopers, amoured personnel, bombers, spys, pilots and sailors alongside their British allies in all Western theatres against Germany. Since 1943 they fought alongside the Soviets, and participated in the defeat of Berlin. They saw bitter defeat in France (1940) and Narvik (1940), but saw victories in North Africa, Italy (they took Monte Cassino) and Normandy (they beat the German panzers in Falaise). They gave the allies the Enigma Machine codes, which seriously undermined the German war effort. In return their country was handed over to the communists. The Poles were dismissed in history as easybeats and sickenly portrayed as collaborators that hunted down Jews. A complex history has been simplified and usually in favour of the negative. During the recent Normandy landing ceremony the ignorant French President failed to invite the Polish President and, thereby, insulted the Polish veterans who attended. This was one of several slights to those who, like my late father, fought for the freedom of others to ensure their own freedom. Books like this are very few and overdue for publication in English. I am of part Polish extraction and am very in interested in Polish history. I wish more people knew about the Poles and their contribution to WW11 rather than continue to make stupid and negative comments based on ignorance.

The story needs to be told and the author has produced a well-researched book with three major, and very distracting, flaws.
First, the positive. The Poles were and are a great people, served with the Allies both graciously and gallantly during World War II, and suffered horribly during and before the war. Visiting Poland is a dream that will hopefully be fulfilled so their great history can be shared and their nation honored.
Now the flaws.
The book is poorly written, with frequent mistakes, repetition, and other problems that any even slightly competent proofreader and editor should have caught.
The detail that should have been included is missing and the book should have been much longer (perhaps a blessing since the writing made reading so painful). Rick Atkinson covers the Polish contribution at Cassino far better than this author and I suspect that similar missing pieces would have made descriptions of the Battle of Britain and Market-Garden much more meaningful.
The author spends far too many words praising the Polish contributions, repeatedly, rather than letting the facts speak for themselves. In a way, the author engages in a form of "thou doest protest too much" that diminishes the Poles rather than credibly bestow deserved praise.
That said, the book is still recommended. Recognizing the greatness of the Poles is long overdue.

The title of this book says everything: the U.S., Britain, and France had no greater ally than Poland during WWII and yet the story of the Poles' fierce loyalty to the Allie cause during that war has been, up till now, almost completely untold.

Why is that? Why do history books always paint a pathetic picture of Poland's mounted cavalry defense against the blitzkrieg, inferring by that image that the invasion was over in a matter of days because the Polish defense was apparently laughable? Why does no one ever mention that nearly 20 percent of the RAF airmen were Poles? Why does no one seem to know that Polish servicemen supported the Allies in nearly every major conflict during WWII?

It is very possible that stories of the major Polish contributions to the Allied cause were swept under the rug out of sheer embarrassment. If the stories got out, the obvious question would be, "why then did the Allies hand over Poland to the Soviet Union at the end of the war? Why didn't we fight for their freedom as they had fought for ours?"

As one reads through the extremely well-written, well-researched, and well-organized text of Kenneth Koskodan's book, that heartbreaking question, though not actually posed by the author, comes to mind again and again.

Koskodan's narrative - which focuses on military specifics while remaining immensely readable - generally follows the timeline of the war and clearly delineates the contributions of the Polish armed services along that timeline. For instance, in chapter two -- "French Misfortunes -- Koskodan reveals how Polish troops, having escaped to France during the invasion of Poland, and waiting through the "Drole de Guerre," were shocked at the naïvety of the French military leaders (who ignored the Poles' hard-earned advice regarding the nature of the new German lightening war) and at the slack unpreparedness of the French troops.

Nevertheless, Polish troops assisted in the French during the Battle of France -- incredulous at the quick French surrender -- and after the evacuation at Dunkirk, many of them ended up in Britain. In chapter four - "On Wings of Eagles: The Polish Air Force" - Koskodan gives details regarding air war between the German Luftwaffe and the Polish air force during the Polish invasion. He relates how Britain recruited hundreds of already-trained Polish airmen to fly with the RAF where the air-borne Poles gained almost celebrity status because of their incredible courage in the air.

Some military Poles remained in Poland and fought in the "Armia Krajowa" (Home Army, or AK). Chapter three - "Everything was in Secret" - discusses in detail, the organization and military activities of this impressively large and well-organized underground army which worked against Poland's enemies, both Germans and the Soviets.

But in the end, the real enemies of Poland turned out to be their supposed friends, the Allies who had accepted and benefited greatly from their help but then in the end, betrayed them into the hands of the Soviets, which act Koskodan points out very simply but eloquently at the end of chapter nine, "Glory and Heartbreak: The Warsaw Uprising, 1944": "This time, the invasion had come with the consent of the rest of the free world. There was no hope of an ally coming to Poland's aid, and there was not even talk of the Polish Army returning to free its countrymen. This time, the AK harbored no illusion of harassing the enemy while biding its time until it could fight for liberation. This time, the invaders, with their mighty army and their mightier politics, had won. The world would not fight for Poland."

Koskodan spent years researching his subject, which included many hours of interviews with Polish veterans, and his immensely readable book is a giant leap towards an increased understanding of the incredible and heartbreaking story of the Polish contributions to the Allied cause during WWII.

This is one of the most comprehensive works on this subject. It includes not only excellent descriptions of relatively well-known events (September 1939, the Battle of Britain, Monte Cassino, and Warsaw Uprising) but also lesser-known ones such as Poles fighting a large-scale guerilla war at home (1939-1945), fighting as fliers in the anti-German Allied air war (1940-1945), and fighting as regular soldiers in 1940 western Europe, in 1942-1943 Africa, in post-1941 Soviet Union, in 1943-1945 Italy, and in 1944-1945 post-D-Day western Europe.

In writing this book, the author uses a combination of previously-published sources (including little-known memoirs), interviews with aging participants, and unpublished information. For instance, his excellent, detailed chapter on the Polish Underground incorporates information from the AK (Armia Krajowa: Polish Home Army) archives located at Orchard Lake, Michigan, USA. Koskodan includes discussion of the Cichociemni (the silent and unseen), who were specially-trained Poles parachuted-in into German-occupied Poland.

Details are included about the multitudes of Poles deported into the Soviet Union to die slow deaths, and the crème of Polish society destroyed via direct genocide in the Katyn massacre. The author is clear about the unspeakable cruelties faced by the Poles in the hands of the German and Soviet invaders. He adds: "Desperate, starving civilians might betray an underground member for a reward of money or increased rations." (p. 71). [How many instances of Poles denouncing fugitive Jews were the results of the extreme circumstances rather than anti-Semitism?]

Koskodan summarizes the pivotal Polish involvement in the Battle of Britain as follows: "By revised accounts, 12 percent of all confirmed aircraft shot down was achieved by Polish pilots....At some of the most desperate points in the battle, the RAF had only 350 fighter pilots to scramble, of which nearly 100 were Poles. In conclusion, the Polish pilots downed over 200 enemy aircraft and lost only about 25 of their own. The British kill-to-loss ratio was about half of the Polish fliers." (p. 96).

Various interesting items of information are included. For instance, Polish engineers developed a 100-foot jump tower for parachutist training. "The tower design and training methods were so effective that they became the standard among Allied forces." (p. 155).

The Dutch in and near Arnhem remembered, and still honor, the Poles who gave their lives in the liberation of Holland. (p. 176). Sometimes, the German enemy showed greater respect for the fighting Poles than did the Allies. For instance, German ace Adolf Galland is quoted as praising the Polish fliers and instructing German fliers to learn from Polish ones. (p. 100). After the fall of the Soviet-betrayed Warsaw Uprising, a Waffen-SS officer saluted the surrendering Polish fighters. (p. 220).

In the Grand Victory Parade in London (June 1946), all the Allied nations (even nominal participants) were invited--except Poland. (p. 246-247). Even then, with the war long over, the British were more interested in not offending the Soviets than doing justice to Poland. Koskodan elaborates on the Teheran-Yalta betrayals of Poland and the Soviet-installed Communist puppet state. He suggests that Poles were naïve to believe in the goodwill of others [I agree], as evidenced by the "For Your Freedom and Ours" slogan. Apropos to the latter, and with evident reference to Britain's freedoms, Koskodan concludes: "Ours was achieved. Theirs was stolen from them in shameful and cowardly fashion...The world owes a debt of gratitude that has yet to be paid to the unknown soldiers of Poland." (p. 250).

Poland suffered more than any other nation in World War II. The war began with Nazi Germany invading Poland in 1939. The war ended with Poland being handed over to Russian Communism for the next 45 years. The Polish people remember Katyn 1940 when over 20,000 were killed by the Russians. Now they must deal with the tragic plane crash that killed the current leaders in Katyn 2010. This book tells the story of how the Polish military forces fought endlessly to help the Allied cause during World War II and were rewarded by being denied the honor of marching in the end of World War II victory parade in London. This book reminds us that Poland fought for our freedom, but Poland herself has only been free and independent since 1990. I recommend this book for all of us who need to know more about how Poland fought for our freedom but lost her own freedom.

My father was a soldier who served in the Polish First Armored Division. As my brother and I were growing up, we heard him frequently talk of his experiences during the war. He also kept in touch with other veterans who were friends during that crucial time in history. We were raised with a lot of pride in our Polish heritage, patriotism, and a deep respect for the military. When my husband presented this book to me as a gift, I was delighted! I have found it very informative and well written, based on solid research. It has helped me better understand the world that helped shape my father and, therefore, our home. I purchased this particular book as a gift for my brother.

NGA is an acceptable account of the Polish contributions during WWII. There's a lot of information here that I haven't seen in other sources (especially about the Poles fighting in France and the AK). The writing isn't great (but it isn't horrible, either). It's also pretty obvious that this book is not the work of a historian (which doesn't automatically mean the book is bad but it shows).

The biggest problem with the book is that the author seems to be too much in love with his topic. There's a sense of hero-worship running throughout the entire book which causes the astute reader to question the author's willingness and/or ability to be objective. Less praise and more facts would have been better. (As another reviewer pointed out: the facts will speak for themselves).

Overall, NGA is an o.k. book (but still worth getting for anyone proud of their Polish heritage). Unfortunately, the quality of the book does not live up to the nobility of the subject...

Recommended (with reservations)