No Greater Ally: The Untold Story of Poland's Forces in World War II by Kenneth Koskodan, Stephen Walsh (Illustrator)

We Owe Them Thanks Beyond Wordsby Ed_FiChew

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August 07, 2009: "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!" For a cast-off nation that endured so much hardship, we, the United States, owe the Poles so much more than they, and we, know.

Truly this is a long overdue "history" that is worth reading for it dispels, in no uncertain terms, the major part Poland played in winning the European War.

But it is a "history" that never should have been written if our President, FDR, and the U.K.'s Prime Minister, Churchill, were more vigilant, caring, and not intimidated by one bullying, "Red Bear".

This one, "nearly" land-locked nation fought a two-front war by "themselves" for 6 weeks, against Hitler's western Nazis and Stalin's eastern communists, when Britain and France vacillated and did nothing for 9 months by, reneging, on their word. For the Brits to arm on 8/23/39, 8 days before Poland was attacked and WW2 started, and tell the Poles --- NOT --- to arm against the Nazi menace on 8/30/39, or 2 days before Hitler's forces struck on September 1, 1939 is sure hypocrisy. No other word will do. One can only wonder why.

Time and time again Poland's 3 main allies, the U.S., Britain, and Russia deserted her and ignored her pleas. Why? I was shocked to learn that France and western Europe, backed by the British and French armies, when Poland had no such support, had "capitulated" to Hitler in less time than it took for Poland to fall to the Nazis.

If Britain and France had lived up to their alliances and their "false" promises in September 1939, especially France, than Hitler may have been stopped and WW2 over by Christmas 1939 and 50,000,000 lives may not have perished.

These vanquished people, the Poles, helped other European peoples win this war, and then those nations turned their backs on Poland. How can we, in a free world, live with ourselves when we see what little, America and the United Kingdom, did to help these people? FDR, in his grave, should be ashamed of how he bent over to "Uncle Joe Stalin" and caved in to this communist, who twisted words.

On every front these impoverished people, the Poles, fought with valor, bravery, and dignity. So how could we, in the Land of the Free, have turned our backs on "No Greater Ally" in keeping us "free" while they were not? And in so doing, they lost so much of their land, and their freedom without any say for 50 years.

We, in America and Britain, should be embarrassed and ashamed of what little our predecessors did to acknowledge those who fought and died to cast this Nazi and, then, Soviet menace aside. And I know I am, and I am sorrowed, yet "proud" the true story of Poland's great contribution to assuring that victory is finally being told.

This is a book that should be compulsive reading for every person who lives in a free country to --- never forget --- how much the Poles did when called upon, and what little we, Americans and the Brits, did for them in turn. I'm proud of these people, yet also very ashamed for they were our "best" ally in this war. The Poles untiringly gave "all". Can "we" (American, Brit, French, and Russian) say the same?

"Sto Lat, Polska! Sto Lat Polska! Sto Lat, Polska!"

I Also Recommend: Rising '44, A Question of Honor, The Spies of Warsaw.