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Reply To: Poland 1939 – Preparing for 80th Anniversary of World War II

August 15, 2019 at 7:48 pm #1426749

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4740xp

I have not seen a documentary on the Polish Campaign that I like as they also have to show the German propaganda mock battle between tanks and cavalry and they bang on about how futile and one sided it was, which is just not so.

Must agree and emphasize that Polish cavalry did not commence a charge on German tanks that would be an outcome of a direct order. It was a myth constructed by the Nazi propaganda and later on continued by communist one. It was mostly made up by German and Italian war correspondents. Often the battle of Mokra and Krojanty are given as examples. At Krojanty the 18th Pomeranian Uhlan Regiment did charge German infantry and while doing so got attacked by German armored halftracks and so decided to withdraw rather than engage these vehicles. Next day corespondents got assured by the Germans that Polish uhlans died while attacking tanks. At Mokra where the Wołyńska Cavalry Brigade fought with a lot of success against German 4th Panzer Division, German tanks so suddenly popped out of smoke that was really restraining visibility and attacked the uhlans. Again Polish cavalry did not charge those tanks. At Mokra the Germans lost 40 tanks with probably twice as more damaged.

Cavalry tactics in 1939 was to use the horses for transport and maneuvering. They were fighting on foot and using anti tank guns and rifles to fight tanks and vehicles. What is more cavalry was to be used only as a defensive force against tanks.