I read this news story the same way I remember reading about the battles outside Saigon in 1975. I knew the South Vietnamese army had been whipped just because you could tell how much territory had been lost and how close the enemy was to the capital.
Same here; if the Germans are that close to Warsaw, you’ve got to assume the Polish army has been defeated in the field. At least, those conversant with military operations would assume so. But the Times is still trying to put on a good face for the Poles, claiming that their army is still intact, they didn’t intend to defend the frontiers but intended to defend the interior of the country behind natural lines. Also, the article mentions that the Poles are making quick counter-attacks with the “finest cavalry in the world.”
In actuality, nothing could be farther from the truth. The Poles did try to defend the frontiers. Other than the Poznan Group, their armies have been soundly beaten and are no longer fighting as cohesive units. There is still no media emphasis on the really crushing blow to the Polish Army by Reichenau’s 10th German Army.
I posted a quick bio on Reichenau, but it went on yesterday’s thread by mistake, so it probably didn’t get read. I’ll repost it:
There was an interesting bio on Reichenau in Shirer’s “The Nightmare Years.” Shirer met Reichenau several times in Germany before the war, and later traveled with Reichenau in Belgium when Reichenau commanded 6th Army in 1940. Shirer had a high opinion of Reichenau, even though Shirer knew he was a hard core Nazi. Anthony Beevor however described him as a “rumbustious thug.” Reichenau was definitely a hard driver, also very much an exercise/health enthusiast. When 10th Army reached the banks of the Vistula in Poland, Reichenau was the first German across. In front of his troops, he swam the river.
The stress of leading 6th Army and also Army Group South in the USSR later caught up with Reichenau. In the winter of 1941-42, while 6th Army was fighting bitterly for its survival against the Soviet counter-offensive, Reichenau went for one of his morning runs when the temperature was -20F. Later that day he suffered a massive heart attack and died before he could be returned to Germany.
German 6th Army was then commanded by a relatively unknown general named Paulus.
This was entirely horse cavalry, correct? The guy who wrote this article would have benefited from a critique by General Patton.
Paulus had made his bones on the General Staff. Basically a staff jockey. He did much of the work on the final draft of BARBAROSSA.
Prior to receiving command of Sixth Army, Paulus had been sent by Halder to North Africa to evaluate Rommel. the report was not favorable [and fit in nicely with Halder’s opinion of Rommel]. So it really is amusing to see the two of them, in late 1942 - early 1943 faced with the same choice: obeying Hitler, and sacrificing their arnmies, or disobeying Hitler and saving their men. Guess who chose which?