Which City Rose Up Against Nazi Occupation in World War II?

• It was the largest resistance fight in Nazi-occupied Europe.
• Polish fighters tried to free their capital city.
• They fought for 63 days against German forces.
• The uprising was planned to happen before Soviet troops arrived.
• Warsaw was almost completely destroyed afterward.

Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany in September 1939. This invasion started the long and painful Second World War. The Nazis treated the Polish people very harshly during the occupation. They forced many people into ghettos and labor camps. A secret group called the Polish Home Army formed to fight the invaders. They spent years planning and gathering small amounts of weapons. In 1944, the Soviet Union moved their army toward the city of Warsaw. The Polish leaders wanted to free their city before the Soviets arrived. They hoped to be in control when the war ended. It was a very dangerous plan for the city and its people.

On August 1, 1944, the Polish Home Army began their big fight to free Warsaw. Thousands of brave soldiers and citizens attacked German positions all over the city. They used homemade bombs and stolen weapons to capture key buildings. For the first few days, the Polish fighters had great success. Then, the German military sent in elite troops and heavy tanks to stop them. The Germans bombed the city using planes and long-range artillery shells. The fighting was very intense in every street and neighborhood. Families hid in dark sewers to escape the constant gunfire and bombs. Supplies like food and medicine became extremely hard to find. The Polish fighters waited for help from the Soviet army just across the river. Sadly, the Soviet soldiers stopped moving and did not help the uprising. The Germans slowly destroyed the city block by block for sixty-three long days. By October 2, the Polish Home Army had no choice but to surrender. Most of the city was turned into piles of broken bricks and dust. The uprising failed, and the Nazi occupation continued until the war ended later.

The Warsaw Uprising was a huge and tragic event for Poland. It showed the bravery of the Polish people in fighting for their freedom. However, the destruction of the city and the loss of so many lives were devastating.

• Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa)
• Polish civilians
• Nazi Germany SS and Wehrmacht
• Soviet Red Army (did not intervene)
• German Police Battalions

• 1.Warsaw Uprising by John Zarych.
• 2.The Rising of the Warsaw Uprising by Wlodzimierz Roszkowski.
• 3.Imperial War Museums articles.
• 4.Holocaust Encyclopedia entries.