Product Description

Members of the Polish air force fought through the defeat of their own country in 1939 and then alongside the French until the fall of France the following year, when they made their varied ways to Britain. There, the Poles were among the Air Force's most successful aces. During the Battle of Britain, the pilots of the all-Polish Kosciuszko Squadron - 303 Squadron to the RAF - downed more German planes than any other squadron. According to Britain's wartime air force minister, without the Poles 'our shortage of trained pilots would have made it impossible to defeat the German air force and so win the Battle'. This gripping book tells the story of the Polish pilots, focusing on a small group of five of them, from defeat in Poland and France to victory in the Battle of Britain, from their idolisation by the public to the harrowing story of their betrayal, and Poland's, by Britain and the USA as the war came to its closing stages. This is an utterly fascinating story, heroic, inspiring and finally tragic, strikingly well-told.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #128620 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Robert Conquest
"This book presents us with one of the most disgraceful ethical horrors of World War II..."

Sir John Keegan
"...one of the most shameful episodes of the Cold War."

Alan Furst
"...a tribute to the Polish fighting spirit, and a well-written war history about a distant but very good neighbor."

Customer Reviews

a warning from the past
This book sprang out at me like bandits from the sun.

Although I had some knowledge of Polish history and about Poles serving in British forces during WW2, this book opened up a whole new view of world of history for me. Superbly told, it tells of the struggles and hardships suffered by Polish military pilots (and their army/navy and resistance comrades)during WW2. Not only suffering the horror of the Nazi regime but also the equally anti-Polish Soviets, these brave people served with courage and honour to assist allies who treated them with distain, disinterest and finally betrayal.

The authors explore the history of Poland and the broader history of the Inter-war period which led to Poland making such enemies as Hitler and Stalin, as well as the place of the Kosciuszko squadron in Poland's wider war, in North Africa, Europe, Russia and in Poland. Most readers will find this in itself an amazing read and an informative one.

The book shows how the Allied forces treated battle-served veterans in a patronising manner, considering them unfit to serve... until they needed them. This was when they showed their true worth and became recognised for the professionals and heroes they were. However, political winds blew both hot and cold and as the Allies prostrated themselves to appease a ruthless Stalin, the Poles became the sacrifice.

The details of Roosevelt and Churchill's incompetence and betrayal will make many readers seeth with indignation, while the tales of heroism from the Polish fighters will arouse strong feelings of admiration, particularly when we consider how they continued to fight bravely and loyally for allies who they knew had sold them to Stalin. However, the book also warmly describes the loyalty and comradeship of the Poles and those who served alongside them and became staunch admirers. there are also some amusing moments which show the humanity of the situation as well as the sobriety.

This is probably the best history book I've ever read. It not only superbly tells a story long overdue but it also shows us clearly how the history many of us have been force-fed, and which is still used to inspire us today, is false. In doing so it gives us warning about the dangers of spin and realpolitik in foreign affairs; stuff we would do well to consider in our current times.

Most important to know
This book makes the difference of what you learned in school, heard from veterans and your relatives. It gives a very good knowledge about time of pre-war Poland and german occupation into Poland, the tragic of polish soldiers trying to escape and their will to fight not only for free Poland, also for the Empire and at least also to make liberation of Europe and especially my country more possible. The role of Mr. Churchill during war is undoubted that : If he would not had stand fast as he has done during the Battle of Britain, then liberation of Europe wouldn't have been taken place. The role he played during preparation for past-war time is to interprete by yourself, it shows very good the struggle of politicians caught in alliances with weak-minded partner (US-presidents etc) and trying to keep Britain's role as important as it has been in pre-war times. I think he had failed in very much parts to that, but I don't like to accuse him about that. The ignorance of US-representatives is overwhelmingly as actual today. And not to forget the differences between him and polish-government-in-exile. From a morale understanding he has failed in keeping position for past-war policies, but that has been also based in the counterpart of the western allies, Jozef Stalin. I had hoped that for the cat-and-mouse game Mr Stalin started Mr. Churchill could have relied on very much better partners then in US-government had been available during WWII, world might have been changed in better way then it has done during that period.

I own also Mr Steven Ambroze's Citizen Soldier, Pegasus Bridge and Band of Brothers, but the most appaling story is that written in the book I reviewed now.

The other side of leadership
The son of an English Pole I was nonetheless unaware of the full story of the Polish Airforce in Britain.
Well written, this book outlines the duplicity of the English and Americans confronted by the man who may be described as a bigger mass murderer than Hitler, Stalin. The final chapter summarises the loss to the Polish people of the war as a whole and frankly, despite an admitted bias, makes salutary reading.
As a condemnation of Realpolitik, or spin as we might call it today, this book is a revelation. Read it!