Rising '44: The Battle for Warsaw

This is, theoretically, a book on the lift of Warsaw, nevertheless both the introductions and the last years (until 1956) they occupy more part of the book than the battle in strict sense. There are very interesting and appropriate the witnesses' comments that are inserted in the text occasionally.Certainly the sympathies of the author for Poland and the Poles are clear and logical, but after reading this book, I remain with exhaustive information of, for example, the center of communications in London, number of operators, lines, even type of the devices and do not realize well who is the person, or persons in charge of giving the order of the raising and directly responsible for this tragedy. What yes I realize well the fact is that the persons in charge are slightly more that irresponsible they are criminals. It is not possible to give the order to get up against the Germans if no possibility of success, sacrificing the lives of hundreds of thousands of civil innocents, women and children, exhibiting them to the cruelty and clear barbarism of the Germans and especially with the precedent of events in the raising of the Jewish Guetto. The author in Page 616 speaks " ...The damaged and discriminated could not be suitably compensated. The elderly could not be restored to their youth. The death could not be resurrected. The hope was for one thing alone: that the rising be properly remembered". And does this deserve hundreds of thousands of innocent victims? For the pride only? I think that not , strongly not. As usual he compares the communist discrimination of the postwar period with the brutal murdering made for the Germans. He speaks about that the Risisng don't was mentioned in the Nuremberg Trial, yes, but I think that in that Trial had to be judged the polish dirigents that sent so many people to die without hope and without sense, that's also a crime against humanity. The slaughter of more than 20.000 elders, women and children in entire quarters of Warsaw the first days of the raising for the German savages, occupy less attention and interest that the slaughter of the Polish officials in Katyn, how many Russian officials it killed Stalin? A lot of more. He was a killer especially with his own people. After reading this book, I realize well the useless heroism of the Polish people directed by a few criminal leaders in London who led them to the suicide without any hope, only for a useless pride and also I realize well the attitude of the Russians. Independently of that his information of intelligence was very poor, what interest someone can feel in helping a person who says that tomorrow it will fight against them?And in spite of it at the end of the raising, the Russians sent supply for air, helped with his artillery in the bank this one with the Vístiula and they even attacked, fruitlessly, the well prepared German defenses.Certainly could they have done more, but if you were Russian, it would waste lives of Russian soldiers in rescuing someone who fought against you scantly 20 years ago in the same place, who beat the orthodox cathedral of Warsaw in (giving an example of intolerance) and that only thirty years earlier was a province of Russia and all this to rescue someone that his enemy demonstrates openly, not only of the communism, but of Russia as nation? Not, the Russians certainly are nor saints, nor idiots.On the other hand to retain nuns, women and children with the excuse of which the Polish soldiers would fight better, or to consider the retreat for the sewers of a quarter of the combatants stopping behind to women, children and injured men so that the German savages were murdering them do not look like to me " heroic facts of war". After read this book my opinion about the polish insurgents it's considerably worst and the killing of a jew family for them it's horrible. Of course there was and there is a anti-jew sentiments in the polish people, even after the war was a pogrom in a little village and the polish killed 44 jews.But there is a tone in the book too common unfortunately in English historians and is not only the comparison of the Nazis with the communists. but an extenuation of all the atrocities committed by the Germans and a worsening of the committed ones by the communists.I understand, and share, with the author the friendliness for the Polish people, but the number of pages dedicated to the postwar period is very superior to dedicated to the German domain in the rest of Poland, about which almost not at all one speaks. I don't understand very well a capitle about the stalinstation till 1956 .Then I miss another capitle about the german rule in Poland that, I'm sure would be much more interesting that the period till 1956.If we read carefully the period of the postwar period, we find facts that deny the argued for the author largely. By example, if the NKVD was so perfect , how is possible that theCol. Wolf was arrested three times, the conditions of prison in IRKA IV, half a litre of black coffe and a chunk of black bread and a bowl of soup twice a day, more a book to read every month , that conditions were bad but not worst that many common russian people at that time. A german prisoner said that although the children of the guards of the Russian prisons where he was were dying of famine never stopped giving meal to the prisoners, little meal, but it was small for all. And the prisoner who was reporting his sufferings was liberated in 1955. The Germans killed of famine in less than six months three million Russian prisoners and I do not meet anybody liberated of Auschiwtz or other german camps. The prince Yanush R. Was consigned in a camp for Beria and so soon as 1947 he come back to Poland with Ludwik Bittner, one of the leaders of the rising. I don't see the NKVD so perfect. Also in the postwar period a lot of Poles could emigrate, seem that the iron courtain had a lot of holes, also was allowed to foreign poles come to Poland in the 1960s. In the 1950s many sentences in Poand were overruled and some even was granted with a sum for compensation. When the author speaks about Lublin with the opening of Universities and a almost free live there don't said that Lublin was under soviet rule, seems a oasis without boss, but the russians were there and let that renaissance. Of course the comunism is a horrible regime , but the live under it was by far much better that under the germans. In Dante's hell there is several circles, from better to worst. We must not never forget that when the Canciller Willy Brandt in 1970 ( only 15 years after the end of the war ) and fell to his knees in front the Guetto Memorial the 49 % of german people judged the gesture "exaggerated" , if we do that test now, the amount of 49 % would be bigger , sure, so the germans dont'fell shame for their crimes and the one who forgets the history repeats it again. This is a very interesting book but seems that the author hates more to the Russians that to the Germans.

The author admits up front in this work that the definitive history cannot be completed until the Russian Federation/Soviet Union open up the archives for research on this topic; they are still closed. There are links within this non-linear work – the most important of course is 1 August 1944 the day the Uprising began. The author created an intrinsic work based on available information and survivors that he interviewed. There was throughout this work no reason to doubt either the documentation nor the personal reflections that he received. There are criticisms of this work and that is understandable; to date – and in my opinion there is no work that is as comprehensive as this on this topic of the tragedy of Poland during the Second World War. First third of this book sets the tone and prepares the reader, the second third is the in-depth detail of the fighting, depravity, and betrayal; the last third is Post WWII both immediately and years following; the photos are relevant and add value to the work; the vignettes in between the chapters support the active overall recorded history – all of it is fully tragic and should be read by anyone interested in the Second World War. Unfortunately, I do not believe Americans would fully undertake this effort with a full appreciation of Poland and Polish people – I would hope Polish Americans would continue to pass this History down to the younger generations; and, Americans and the Second World War are on the surface interested most in the war in Europe as it pertains to France – the war in the Pacific always gets seconded and merely rises to full attention only when the nuclear bombs are discussed (the Japanese holocaust is rarely even mentioned).I am guilty in this realm of important History in that I have confused (in my mind) the “Ghetto Rising” (1943) with “Warsaw Rising” (1944); based on the occasional periphery of reading on the Second World War – the Soviet style propaganda has been over the years of time most effective in the downplaying of the Warsaw Rising, the Ghetto Rising was unto itself an important event to the Second World War – both of these have never truly been taken into account for the significance to which they lay in the past. I wish to state to good people of Poland and of persons of Polish ancestry everywhere, that as a Canadian born American and Veteran I wanted to honor your History of Self Determination by reading this work. As I read the history (within these pages) it hit home to me like a gust of wind on my face as I pondered the effects. The effects of so much reading on the Second World War that this arena of Poland during this time frame has been ignored in many prevalent in books – opinions of course lay everywhere. I wish to state once again that it is (for me) the Battle of Monte Cassino that inspired my further interest in not only the New Zealand Forces but those of the many good Polish lads under General Anders; he and Major General Freyberg were of extraordinary character – the forces they both led were exemplary of the virtues they held.The disappointments of in this work weren’t many. I would have liked to have had a bit of longer reflection of the period leading up to the year 2000 – I felt this was sort of glossed over and I don’t believe it was intentional but given the extent of the work I felt it was too condensed. I believe there are enough “dots connected” at this point in time to show the intentional slow arrival of the Soviet Forces from across the Vistula; I would have to agree; however, that when Marshal Rokossovsky first arrived to his location on the eastern edge he did have to refit, rearm, and rest his forces – however, the length of time this was used as an excuse is reprehensible – given that “Uncle Joe” wouldn’t allow supply aircraft to land and refuel in the USSR sector it is apparent that he was looking to the post war end as to the expansion of the Soviet territory. A disappointment from the author, given his distinct background and this most modern day definitive work on file, I was taken that not once in the historical account was there any form of reference to King John III Sobieski – the hero who kicked out the Muslims from Vienna in 1683 – the minor reference to “Semper Fidelis” didn’t even scrape the surface of the background – 2 paragraphs could have taken care of this oversight and could have added value to what the Polish people not only endured – but fought for in their efforts to destroy the Nazi regime locally. There were in fact two sides to Hans Frank – he paid his price of course on 16 October 1946 with a noose around his neck.Overall – I enjoyed this book, at times finding my eyes watering over the horrific events and the determination of the Polish people. They deserved better – they are still striving. The five stars is based on the research involved, the eye witness accounts that Mr. Davies recorded for history; and, for the acknowledgement that today the Russian Federation and the former Soviet archives on this battle will likely never be opened up freely for Historians to write and determine the final outcome of the Soviet side of this history. Historians however, have connected the dots with as expected questions that follow each dot in those connections. I speculate they have been to date 90-95% correct in the assumptions they have made about the Soviet Forces.Anyone who reads or studies the Second World War should make every effort to gain a wider picture by reading this book; these souls of Poland deserve to be remembered.

The history and facts are great in this book and I applaud that aspect IF you know the names and places already.But this issue must be addressed:He replaced all the actual names of important people in history with different names such as calling the Presiden, President, instead of his real name. Or names which are "hard" toPronounce, he came up with his own spelling of the name or word altogether. He replaced all the Polish towns and street names with English translations or his own spellings.You can't call yourself a historian and a book writer if you go about changing history with what you think is "easier to say" or "easier to remember".

I was born after the war, and have, I suppose, an average amount of knowledge/ignorance about it. I had some awareness of the Ghetto Uprising, but had never heard of the Warsaw Uprising until I visited Warsaw with my Polish son in law. He explained in simple terms what had happened in 1944 as we walked round the city centre and the restored 'old town'. I was returning to Poland this summer, shortly after the release of the paperback edition of this book, so could not resist taking it with me.This is a mammoth book. Really it is more than one book. The Warsaw Uprising is at its centre, but it would also serve as a good general introduction to the Second World War in Europe as well as the Cold War that followed and the recent emergence of modern Poland. It is thoroughly reseached with a great variety of sources, and written in a very readable style.Davies seems to have a mission to tell the world about Poland. He loves Poland and the Poles love him. (During my recent visit he starred on at least two current affairs TV programmes, speaking perfect Polish of course.) This, together with the passionate pro-Polish stance of the book, makes me wonder whether it is as balanced as it is possible to be, but never mind. Who wants a fence sitter, anyway?The descriptions of the fighting, the backstage political machinations of all the allies, and the great variety of individual characters involved are gripping. The book is long but not tedious; I was left with the feeling of having read several books and of having learned a lot about a subject that is more interesting and more central to the story of modern Europe than I had ever imagined.I had one or two beefs about the style and layout. I don't really think Davies needed to take all of those liberties with Polish personal and place names, and to refer to Poland not by its name but as 'The First Ally' throughout the first section of the book was a bit annoying. The 'capsules' interspersed throughout Davies' narrative were all very readable, but made the reading of the book a rather disjointed experience. Perhaps it would be better to ignore them initially, and read them all afterwards. But these are minor irritations that could never detract from the five star status of this book.The obvious comparisons are with Antony Beevor's books on Stalingrad and Berlin. Like Davies, I may be a little biased due to my Polish connections, but I think this book knocks spots off both of them.

The usual promotional blurb on the covers is accurate... in that this is a very readable account. Strangely, more readable than Davies' Microcosm and I am still trying to think why. Could be because the events are that much more recent than applies to his account of Wroclav. Anyway, it's one of those histories that must make the reader wish to visit the locale...even if much of it has been rebuilt.

Well written, great quality print too. I bought it for my boyfriend (he is English, I'm Polish), very much into WWII. I thought it would be a good fun for him to learn a bit more about the Rising in 1944 as it was quite significant for us, Poles. It's a very long book though. Don't get discouraged, it has lots of important information and some good pictures too.

I so wanted to read this book and was really interested in the subject. Unfortunately, the author cannot see a blind alley without marching up it. He goes off on one tangent after another, for page after page after page, and eventually I couldn't stand it any more and just gave up. This is a book that is crying out for a good editor who would have slashed it in half and kept it focused. Instead, the author has written the book that he wants to read, rather than the one that most readers will want. It is far too long, far too unfocused. I tried really hard to plough through it but in the end I surrendered and put it down unfinished.