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Soviet-Polish Non-Aggression Act
This was made following the Soviet-Polish War and the policy pursuit by Polish officals to create distance from both the Soviet Union and Germany. This was later accomplished when a similar Non-Aggression Act was made between Germany and Poland. However, this act was broken when Poland was invaded by Germany. -
German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact
Germany and Poland signed a Non-Agression Act, only two years after the Polish-Soviet Non-Aggression act condluded. Both countries were to forgo armed conflcit for ten years, and the relationship between the two entites were more normalized. However, this treaty would be disregarded when Hitler later invades Poland after years of appeasement. -
Germany Invades Poland
The invasion of Poland by Hitler was an instrumental fuel to the tensions with Germany and the rest of the world. In fact, it is quite arguable that this is the point where WW2 began. Hitler invaded september 1st, and all of Poland was divided and annexed by the 6th. This act outrage Great Britain and France that declared war on Germany halfway through the event. The time of appeasement was no longer an option. -
Polish Concentration Camps
Concentration camps began construction in Poland. These camps would become symphonious with the Holocaust movement, including perhaps the most famous concentation camp of all, Auschwitz. -
Yalta Conference
After the end of World War 2 the United States, and United Kingdom mmet to discuss how to to adress Europe's post war reorganization. The answers that came out of this meeting, and the following Potsdam Conference soon after, were that Poland was to reorganize the the communist government installed by the Soviets to be more democratic and with more land from Germany edged by the Curzon Line. -
Polish Communist Elections
The first Parlimentry elections took place and it was no contest. One year earlier all rightist parties had been outlawed and communist powers had long since begun a consolidation of power. Stalin himself had the already rigged results adjusted to his desire. The end result; 417 of 434 were communist, thus ending multi-party system politics for the foreseable future. -
Wladyshaw Gomulka
Wladyshaw Gomulka was a member of the Communist Party of Poland in 1926. This postition helped his rise in the political system. He became the de facto leader of Poland 1945-149 and again from 1956-1970. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance, or the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty between eight communist states of Eastern Europe in existence during the Cold War. This was a reactionary response to West Germany entering NATO the same year. It followed a Marxist-Lenininst ideal that no matter what, socialism must live on. -
Khrushchev's Secret Speech Document Leaked
The Khrushchev's Secret Sppech is a report by Kru. where he criticizes actions taken by the regime of Joseph Stalin. zzzzzthe purges of military and upper echelons and Kru.'s personality cult were especially highlighted. The speech also maintained support for the ideals of communism and invoked Vladimir Lenin. The document of this speech was leaked to Poland in 1956 and hastend the process of de-stalinization. -
March Events
The March Events, also known as the Polish Political Crisis of 1968, was when students and intellectuals protested against the communist government in Poland. This movement was repressed throughout the country via security forces. It aligned with Prague Spring in nearby Czechoslovakia which was also repressed under the Warsaw Act. -
Brezhnev Doctrine
The Brezhnev Doctrine was a Soviet Union foreign policy that was the doppleganger of the eariler United States backed Truman Doctrine. It stated that the Soviet Union would back not just all communist countries with their issues, but also try to support socialist countries ad keep them from turning to capitalism. -
Breznev Doctrine (Continued)
Leonid Brezhnev didn't create the idea but strongly reiterated it when speaking to the Polish United Worker's Party on November 13, 1968, which stated: "When forces that are hostile tp socialism try to turn the developnment of some socialist country towards capitalism, it becomes not only a problem of the country concerned, but a common problem and concern of all socialist countries." -
The Pope visits Poland
Pope John Paul the Second officially visited Poland for eight days. Over this period of time, over 12 million Poles attended open air-sermons. The Pope had a clear message of human rights and peace; "The future of Poland will depend on how many people are mature enough to be non-conformists.' -
Economic Unrest in Poland Consolidates
The Gierek regime was faced with pressure from international creditors, and was forced to increase food prices. For some time sporadic strikes were contained, but when a popular civil union activist was sacked, crowds called for her reinstatement, and also that of Lech Walsea. By August 18th, over 200 factories joined Walsea's Strike Committee, later to be known as the Solidarity Movement. -
Wojciech Jaruzelski
Jaruzelski was the last communist leader of Poland. He lead from 1981 to 1989, and came back into power as the country's Head of State from 1985-1990. -
Marshall Law impose in Poland
Due to rising political opposition Marshall Law was imposed. This doesn't mean it was particularly successful however, it was lifted two years later after the interning of thousnads of citizens and 100 reported deaths. -
Polish Round Table Agreement
This event took place from February 6th to April 4th in 1989 in Warsaw, Poland.
