Passing months went by, winter had already ended, and spring was transitioning into summer. In Poland, people had managed to adapt to the changes. Although the economy wasn't as prosperous as before the displacement, it remained the largest in the world. The Polish market had absorbed a significant portion of domestic production, while the remaining goods were sold at a tremendous profit.
The removal of numerous regulations imposed by EU law had freed Polish hands. The entire tax system had been reconstructed once again, this time aiming to simplify the rules. It wasn't as straightforward as liberals would have wanted, but it was certainly much simpler than before.
However, dismantling social mechanisms had to be forgotten. There was no support beyond the bubble of the united opposition and the confederation.
Morawiecki had managed, once again, to reconcile conflicting interests and escape the trap.
Another noticeable effect, which was only realized much later, was the economic revival of Europe. Poland produced a lot but also imported a significant amount. It practically saturated all the basic resources available, effectively forcing everyone to increase their extraction or agricultural production. One of the beneficiaries of this situation was the United States, as Poland absorbed any American overproduction.
One could say that Poland was fortunate, although many Poles who genuinely felt impoverished wouldn't agree.
Nevertheless, it was a matter for economic experts. For military officers, the focus was on the organizational and technical innovations brought by the Poles. The recently concluded Anakonda-24 military maneuvers provided a good demonstration of the basic military capabilities presented by the Polish forces.
Respected powers, as well as smaller nations, sent their observers. Allied countries with Poland sent their soldiers to participate in the exercises. There were Czechoslovaks, Romanians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Finns, and even the French. Poland decided to continue its military alliance with France, especially since France was genuinely interested in military cooperation.
This year's edition was exceptionally significant, breaking the record for the number of participating soldiers, with over 26,000 Polish soldiers and 3,000 foreign soldiers taking part.
The preparation for this year's Anakonda also set a record, as it typically occurs every three years, but this time it took place barely a year after the previous one.
The training grounds were in Volhynia, just like last year when the Second Polish Republic conducted its Great Volhynia Maneuvers. They had ended as planned, although the permanent deployment locations for many units had changed due to the time displacement that occurred on September 17 during the exercises.
One of those units was the 10th Cavalry Brigade, the first and only motorized unit of the Polish Army of the Second Polish Republic. It faced a considerable problem because there already existed an identical unit formally succeeding it, the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade named after General Stanisław Maczek, who was the commander of the original 10th Brigade, although he wasn't among the rest of the soldiers.
At that time, the brigade was still commanded by Colonel Antoni Durski-Trzaska, who was, to put it lightly, a mediocre commander compared to Maczek. Consequently, he became the first officer to be recalled from the Kresy region, right after the exercises, where the shortcomings of his unit had once again become evident. General Brigadier Bogdan Rycerski, the former Chief of Staff of the Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin, replaced him.
Eventually, the 10th Cavalry Brigade was renamed the 5th Motorized Cavalry Brigade, and its positions were adjusted to match the current brigade structure. It was also placed under the command of the 5th Kresy Armored Cavalry Division, becoming its most valuable unit.
Unfortunately, its offensive potential was meager. It could serve as an excellent unit for defensive operations, but it didn't perform well in offensive maneuvers.
The brigade had only 45 tanks (compared to the required 58), of which only 16 Vickers E tanks were somewhat useful, while the rest were TKS and TK-3 tanks. To compensate for the lack of suitable tanks, all the TK-3 tanks were temporarily replaced with TKS tanks found in the Kresy region, and the shortages were supplemented to reach the required 58 tanks. This wasn't difficult to achieve since there were over a hundred of them in the warehouses in the Kresy region.
Considering that the production lines for PT-24 tanks at Bumar were still being prepared, and there was a huge demand for armored equipment, Rycerski's tank crews had to wait for modern vehicles.
The trucks of the brigade were replaced the fastest. All the motorized cavalry soldiers transitioned from Polish Fiat 621 trucks to Star 266M trucks. This was a significant enhancement for the cavalry as they shifted from small trucks with a maximum range of 400 km to medium-sized trucks with a range of up to 1040 km. Moreover, the Star trucks performed much better in the challenging terrain of the Eastern Borderlands.
The PF 621 trucks were either sold or transferred to museums.
In addition to the trucks, the Uhlans themselves received a substantial amount of modern equipment, becoming the second unit after the 1st Legionary Division to receive it. They obtained retired Beryl rifles, UKM-200 machine guns, older radio stations from storage, Pirat anti-tank launchers, RPG-76 Komar anti-tank grenade launchers produced for Ukraine, and many other pieces of equipment that were stored away, apart from uniforms.
This created quite a funny sight - soldiers dressed in black leather Polish-style uniforms, wearing green ex-German helmets from the IWŚ, using plastic AK-74 clones for NATO ammunition, carrying modern radios, and driving Cold War-era trucks.
For these soldiers, it was nothing new; they had always stood out among other soldiers. Now, they would simply stand out even more.
Observers who saw the 5th Brigade during the exercises for the first time were surprised by its complete distinctiveness from the rest of the soldiers.
The goal of this year's Anakonda exercise was to practice a defense scenario against an attack from the Red Army along the southern route. The Polish command didn't even try to pretend it was about someone else.
The soldiers of the Kresy divisions took on the role of peace-bringing and prosperity-liberating Red Army troops, supported by armored units provided by the Czechs and Romanians with their tanks.
Against them, mixed units of contemporary and 20th-century Polish military forces were deployed. They were supported by Czechs, Romanians, as well as all the Baltics, Finns, and French.
This mosaic was deliberately created to test the coordination capabilities between such diverse forces and to familiarize them with the technical transitions between units.
Of course, this was somewhat inconsistent with the new doctrine of the Polish Armed Forces, which emphasized defense from the border, ideally stopping the enemy's advance directly on the border and launching a counterattack.
Therefore, the maneuver area covered the entire province, from the eastern to the western part. Defense, delaying actions, counterattacks, and river crossings were practiced. During Anakonda, the Bug River was used in two different scenarios: defending its line or conducting a crossing, simulating the Dnieper River.
But what was important were the insights that emerged from these maneuvers. The Poles remained extremely attentive to any foreign conclusions, eager to discover what others had inferred.
General Franz Halder, Chief of Staff of the Oberkommando des Heeres, wrote in his lectures for OKH officers:
The good times of relations with Poland are over, along with the opportunities to study the capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces. Many conclusions that could be drawn from previous years should not be discarded, but should be taken with a significant caveat.
This year's Polish Anakonda-24 maneuvers clearly demonstrate this. The old divisions we know have barely changed their behavior after just a few months. Although their firepower has not increased dramatically because they still use their existing weapons, the speed of reaction and mobility resulting from an injection of modern technology make them equal to our infantry divisions.
Of course, at the tactical level, our infantry still surpasses them in firepower. However, thanks to better communication, a Polish commander can react more efficiently to attacks even at the level of an infantry squad, where our forces can utilize 50% of their firepower, while the Polish forces can exceed 80%.
Nevertheless, the most significant leap is seen in the former 10th Cavalry Brigade, now the 5th Motorized Cavalry Brigade, which is the second unit, after the 1st Legionary Infantry Division, to receive modern equipment.
Although the commander has shown his shortcomings (sufficient to be dismissed and replaced), and the unit has had coordination problems at levels higher than the battalion, the considerable increase in firepower and mobility, combined with much better reaction time, has allowed a significantly smaller human force to withstand the attack of a much larger unit.
Let us dwell on this for a moment, as the example of the 5th Brigade demonstrates the superiority of technology over manpower. A small modification and equipment replacement for this unit transformed it from weak to dangerous.
Moreover, a shift from the previous image of the Polish Armed Forces can be observed. It is no longer a small, valiant army but a terrifyingly modern one, supported by significant military potential. Furthermore, the experience is on their side, not ours. They already have 70 years of experience in building, operating, and supplying a fully motorized and armored army. They know what works and what is a blind alley of history.
Good example is a demonstration of the future capabilities of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade, named after a certain Stanisław Maczek. According to research, during the 1939 campaign, the original 10th Brigade gave us a tough time. Fortunately, that officer is no longer with us.
Unfortunately, it changes very little for us; there are dozens of such Maczeks. Every single officer in the armored, motorized, mechanized, and motorized infantry branches of the Polish Armed Forces possesses the same skills that General Maczek developed on his own, sometimes even blindly.
The future 10th Brigade illustrates this well. If the original 5th Brigade, with its modernized military assets, was able to halt large units with a small force, the 10th Brigade is capable of destroying them.
General Grzegorz Parabieda, the commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade, showed me and others gathered how an armored unit operates in his day.
Speed, certainty in command. Immense firepower, multiplied by the extraordinary mobility even of a regular infantry squad, which surpasses any infantry in the world in every aspect. Extraordinary logistical efficiency, reconnaissance, engineers, and medical services. The complement to their superiority is communication, enabling efficient coordination of the unit in the operational area, which in our case must be occupied by a division.
During exercises, the 10th Brigade simply tore apart attacking divisions, despite the fact that they had been previously reinforced with modern equipment! I don't want to imagine what they would do in a clash with the Heer.
The conclusions that must be drawn, in my opinion, are as follows. We are dealing with an army that surpasses all paradigms of contemporary military science. It is supported by experience, knowledge, valor, and astonishing industrial potential.
Although it lacks numerical strength, the firepower it possesses, which is multiplied by mobility, and the extraordinary communication allowing for extremely rapid reactions create highly flexible units that mitigate these shortcomings.
He was not the only German officer writing with admiration and fear about the superiority of the Polish Armed Forces. Heinz Guderian, in his book "A Study of Polish Armor," wrote the following:
Chapter 1 - The Basic Tank*
The concept of the Basic Tank, also referred to in this work as the Universal Tank, is an idea for a machine that evenly balances the fundamental parameters of a tank: mobility, armor, and firepower.
Such a tank does not prioritize one parameter too much. Although, of course, each of the armored vehicles presented in this study has a different approach and favors certain parameters over others, it does not aim to specialize in one of them.
Although it possesses characteristics of each of the known types of tanks, namely light, medium, and heavy, we cannot definitively state to which type it belongs. Nevertheless, even though we cannot determine its type, we can observe the lineage from which the machine originates.
Furthermore, a constant tendency to prioritize firepower can be observed, and if any parameter weakens, it will never be firepower.
The Basic Tanks are divided into three...
Chapter 2 - Leopard 2
The Leopard 2 is a third-generation Basic Tank. It was designed by German engineers in the 1960s as the second fully German tank for the Bundeswehr after the defeat in World War II.
Here we can see the experience of German engineers and the lessons learned from tanks such as the Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger and Panzerkampfwagen V Panther. In many respects, it represents a return to the concepts of the Panzerkampfwagen III and Panzerkampfwagen IV, with the necessary improvements brought about by the war.
It is an agile and fast tank, like the leopard from which it takes its name, giving it extraordinary mobility akin to the Panzer III, but with the armor and firepower of the Panzer VI.
There is no other weapon, except for aerial ones, capable of destroying it on the battlefield. Nevertheless, even that can be doubtful due to its mobility. More importantly, the Polish version of these vehicles is characterized by even higher armor compared to the basic model.
The Polish Armed Forces currently possess over 250 Leopard 2 tanks, making them the main armored force of the army. They include:
LEOPARD 2NJ - for training: 2 units LEOPARD 2A4 - line model, upgraded to the PL standard: 81 units LEOPARD 2A5 - line model: 105 units LEOPARD 2A7 - line model: 18 units LEOPARD 2PL - line model: 26 units LEOPARD 2PLM1 - line model: 21 units
Chapter 3 - M1A1 Abrams
The M1A1 Abrams is an American third-generation Basic Tank. It is the most advanced tank in the Polish Armed Forces, although the fourth in terms of numbers. Originally, the Poles planned for it to be their second tank alongside the K2, but due to the loss of the manufacturer, they are forced to improvise.
The Abrams is a cousin of the Leopard 2; both trace their lineage back to the same joint German-American project, evidenced by the identical cannon in both vehicles.
Among all the tanks owned by the Polish Armed Forces, the Abrams is the safest for the crew and the most difficult to destroy. This is its most important feature that must be taken into account.
Fortunately for us, it is also the most challenging tank to operate. It requires parts not produced by the Polish industry, primarily due to its gas turbine engine. Although this engine provides the highest mobility of all machines and is versatile in terms of fuel, it requires meticulous maintenance by mechanics, which is a drawback in the current situation.
Furthermore, it is comparable to the Leopard 2.
The Polish Armed Forces currently possess over 84 M1A1 Abrams tanks, which include:
M1A1 SEPV2 - training/line model: 28 units M1A1 FEB - line model: 56 units
Chapter 4 - K2
The K2 Black Panther is a Korean third-generation Basic Tank and serves as the successor to the K1, the previous tank of the same generation.
It is the least numerous tank in the Polish Armed Forces, which can be considered ironic because the Poles planned for it to become their army's main tank. Ultimately, it was intended to be produced in Poland under license, creating the K2PL version, which was supposed to be the primary armored vehicle.
The regular K2s were meant to supplement the transferred T-72s and PT-91 Twardy tanks to Ukraine. Fortunately for us, the first significant delivery was supposed to take place a year after the Poles went back in time.
It is the youngest of the tanks presented here, being in production since 2004, which gives it a number of features not found in the others. Primarily, it has the most advanced fire control and battlefield management system, as well as a different and simpler vehicle control system.
It is extremely mobile in terrain and performs better, especially in difficult conditions, thanks to its lower weight compared to the previously presented tanks. Furthermore, it has the largest gun depression angles, influenced by the mountainous nature of Korea.
Moreover, it is the only tank, alongside the T-72 and its developmental versions, that has an autoloader, eliminating the need for a loader.
An important distinctive feature is that, unlike the aforementioned tanks, it places greater emphasis on mobility at the expense of armor and crew protection. However, this does not mean that it is invulnerable to any of our weapons. The armor, thanks to advanced metallurgy, exceeds the penetrating capabilities even in the weakest spots.
Nonetheless, the decisive difference is the immense focus on the vehicle's command system. It is highly advanced to the point that it can be said that each K2 tank is a command tank.
Due to their low numbers, it is assumed that these tanks will not be frequently seen on the front line. They will likely be used for the development of domestic designs.
The Polish Armed Forces currently possess over 28 K2 tanks, which are:
K2 - line-reserve: 28 units
Chapter 5 - T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet second/third-generation Basic Tank. It is the third most numerous tank in the Polish Armed Forces. Although it is commonly considered outdated in the times when the Poles acquired it, it was a small revolution in its time.
Unlike many other tanks on this list, it is fully produced in Poland, so if needed, Poland can produce as many as it requires.
Although it does not stand out particularly compared to its competitors, firepower being the domain of the Leopard, crew protection of the Abrams, and mobility of the K2, it is the only one that can be mass-produced, which is the origin of this machine.
It was intended to be the main tank of the Soviet Army and the Warsaw Pact forces, serving as the main force complemented by much better models. Although the machine itself was supposed to be transitional, it turned out to be much more future-oriented than its successor, and it is susceptible to various modernizations aimed at improving the T-72.
Fortunately for us, the Poles aim to completely withdraw this machine from the front lines. Unfortunately for us, its place is to be taken by a significantly modernized version called the PT-24.
The Polish Armed Forces currently possess over 111 T-72 tanks, most of which have been transferred to Ukraine. These include:
T-72M1 - line model: exact quantity unknown T-72M1R - line model: exact quantity unknown
Chapter 8 - PT-24
The PT-24 is a Polish third-generation Basic Tank and represents the development of experiences gained from operating the PT-91 Twardy.
The main distinguishing feature of the PT-24 is a completely new 120-millimeter caliber gun, which allows Poland to unify all its vehicles to one ammunition standard, facilitating logistics. Combined with a new and improved fire control system, it surpasses its category.
In addition to that, it has a series of armor reinforcements, significantly exceeding what the basic T-72 offers, with particular attention drawn to the side skirts fully protecting against shelling. This is a bad sign for us.
It also has a completely new engine of Ukrainian design, which is an evolution of the engine from the familiar T-64.
The vehicle itself is intended to be the primary tank of the Polish Armed Forces, with further modernizations expected to increase their effectiveness.
Currently, the Polish Armed Forces do not possess any tanks of this type as production is just starting. The first deliveries are expected by the end of this year.
PT-24 - line model: quantity data unavailable.
Of course, not only German officers were fascinated by the display they witnessed. General Giffard Le Quesne Martel, a British officer and one of the pioneers of mechanization, turned his attention to two vehicles. Much less sought after, but in his opinion, no less important than the tanks that stole the show.
He was referring to the Infantry Fighting Vehicles, primarily the BWP-1 and BWP Borsuk, as well as the KTO Rosomak. He saw them as significant developments of the British Army's Universal Carrier. He wrote about them as follows:
The BWP-1 (meaning Infantry Fighting Vehicle 1), BWP Borsuk (Badger), and KTO Rosomak (Wolverine) are types of armored personnel carriers with tank armament. They fulfill the same role as infantry tanks but, thanks to their ability to transport soldiers inside the hull, they are not slowed down to the pace of ordinary infantry.
This provides unprecedented maneuverability for infantry, making them akin to cavalry while maintaining traditional infantry tasks. Due to the fact that the infantry is hidden under armor, they can traverse open terrain without the risk of injury from artillery fragments or fortified firing positions.
As for the tactics of fighting with these vehicles, there is little difference from the tactics of infantry tank warfare. However, it is worth noting that the requirements regarding weight and size impose limitations on the infantry squad size that these vehicles can accommodate. Hence, there is only one significant difference compared to infantry tanks. The infantry supports the IFV, not the other way around.
The main burden of combat falls on the carrier, and the task of the infantry is to protect it from enemy infantry. However, this does not mean that the infantry is completely tied to the vehicle. It still remains an integral part of the team and its most important element. Without infantry, the IFV is impaired and must retreat.
On the other hand, French officers were concerned with the command and communication system. They paid particular attention to the fact that Poland did not have any stationary artillery pieces, everything was self-propelled, except for the artillery of old divisions.
The Italians, on the other hand, marveled at the weaponry of the Polish infantry. The full automation of Polish weapons meant that a Polish infantry squad had the firepower of an Italian infantry platoon.
As for the Americans, they were highly focused on the Polish rear units. They took note of how the Polish medical, logistical, and engineering services operated. They were particularly interested in the widespread use of pallets and forklifts, which greatly facilitated the work of logisticians.
This was especially evident in the older divisions, where units that had already undergone palletization delivered supplies much faster and more efficiently than those that had not yet implemented it.
There were many other officers drawing conclusions for their respective countries, and many showed interest in Polish weaponry. This was also a secondary objective during Anakonda-24.
However, the most important among them were those who, due to political reasons, were not among the observers. Officers of the Red Army. They were the only army not invited for the visitation. It does not mean that the Soviets were not informed about the Polish Army.
They simply had to gather information through intermediaries, through their spies and sympathizers worldwide.
A comprehensive synthesis of the obtained information was personally submitted to Joseph Stalin by Boris Shaposhnikov, Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, on June 15, 1939, approximately a month after Anakonda-24 had concluded.
Stalin looked at the nervous officer, the tension in the Red Tsar's office was crushing him. Stalin liked that, as it allowed him to distinguish who was who, to know whom he could rely on and whom he needed to direct.
"You were not in a hurry, Comrade Komandarm Shaposhnikov," Stalin finally replied.
Shaposhnikov quickly apologized, "I apologize, Comrade Secretary, for the delay. Unfortunately, the scale of the material and the need for thorough analysis turned out to be much more serious than I anticipated."
Stalin smiled slightly and nodded, then shook his head and replied, "Comrade Shaposhnikov, there's no need to apologize. I understand perfectly well that with such an adversary, one must proceed cautiously. Separate embellishments from the truth to avoid being caught off guard."
Shaposhnikov silently agreed.
"You may leave; I will study this immediately. Please await my instructions," Stalin informed him.
Shaposhnikov quickly nodded, saluted, and briskly walked out of the office, leaving the Man of Life and Death alone.
Stalin swiftly opened the contents of the folder and began to read. The report was not small; in fact, Stalin had to admit that Shaposhnikov had not exaggerated about the scale of the material. He knew there was a lot of it, but he expected the synthesis to be much smaller.
He took out a pencil and marked the first noteworthy sentences. Before someone could knock again, Stalin had managed to skim through the first few dozen pages. Once the matter was settled, he returned to reading the Synthesis. This Synthesis, which historians would later popularly call the "Shaposhnikov Report," was one of the most important and secretive documents of the Red Army.
Declassified only after the fall of the USSR, it provided an incredibly thorough analysis of the capabilities of the Polish Army and laid the groundwork for countering such a force. Many of the recommendations were later implemented and came as a nasty surprise to the Polish Army. But that was the song of the future.
In the present, Stalin recorded his initial observations in his notebook. These observations would soon transform into orders and directives, once again changing the image of the Soviet Union from day to day. The primary objective remained unchanged.
The Red Army would go to war, but much would change before that happened.
When he was halfway through the report, there was a knock on the door, and Vyacheslav Molotov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, entered.
"Speak!" commanded Stalin, without tearing his attention away from the report.
"Everything is going according to plan, comrade. President Roosevelt has accepted our preliminary proposal."
Stalin simply smiled. They wouldn't win a direct war against Poland, that was an undeniable fact. The key was that Stalin had no intention of waging an open war. Capitalists abide by market principles; one just needs to use that against them, isn't that right?
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