Britain and Poland 1939-1943: The Betrayed Ally: 97 (Cambridge Russian, Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies, Series Number 97) - Softcover

Prazmowska, Anita J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521483859 ISBN 13: 9780521483858

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2008

Synopsis

Poland was a problematic issue for the Big Powers throughout the Second World War. For Britain, Poland was a major stumbling block in British-Soviet relations as Polish-Soviet territorial disputes clashed with the needs of the British-Soviet-United States alliance. As the Polish government-in-exile attempted to obtain a guarantee of British support, and many thousands of Polish troops fought for the British cause, the perception grew that the Churchill government had a debt to pay. Ultimately, however, it was a debt which Britain could not discharge because of its dependence on Soviet participation in the war. In this book Anita Prazmowska looks at British policies from the point of view of wartime strategy, relating this to Polish government expectations and policies. She describes a tragic situation where Polish soldiers were trapped between the grandiose and unrealistic plans of their government and the harsh realities of a war which they fought with no prospect of a satisfactory outcome for them or their country.

About this title

Review:

'Prazmowska charts the war-time vicissitudes of the Poles with remarkable objectivity. She set out not to allocate blame but to achieve an understanding of the issues. That she has successfully accomplished ... she has made a valuable contribution to the study of British relations with Central and Eastern Europe.' Paul Vysny, University of St Andrews

Book Description:

Anita Prazmowska looks at British policies from the point of view of wartime strategy, relating this to Polish government expectations and policies. She describes a tragic situation where Polish soldiers were trapped between the unrealistic plans of their government and the harsh realities of a war which they fought with no prospect of a satisfactory outcome for them or their country.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0521483859
• ISBN 13: 9780521483858
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 252