National Military Organization Narodowa Organizacja Wojskowa ( National Military Organization , NOW ) was one of the Polish resistance movements in World War II . Created in October 1939 , it did not merge with the Service for Poland ' s Victory ( SZP ) / Union of Armed Struggle ( ZWZ ) ; later Home Army ( AK ) . Nevertheless , it recognized the Polish government in exile , which was located in London . The National Military Organization was politically related to the National Party ( SN ) . In 1942 / 1943 it split into two parts ; one merged with the Home Army , while another formed the National Armed Forces ( NSZ ) . After the Warsaw Uprising , most of NOW members formed the National Military Union ( NZW ) . History . On October 13 , 1939 , a few days after the end of the joint German and Soviet Invasion of Poland , a conspirational meeting of leaders of the National Party took place in Warsaw . During the meeting , a military organization called the National Army was created . Later on , it changed the name into Military Organization of the National Party ( Organizacja Wojskowa Stronnictwa Narodowego ) , then it was called National Armed Units ( Narodowe Oddzialy Wojskowe ) , to finally be named Narodowa Organizacja Wojskowa ( since July 1 , 1941 ) . The NOW was politically , financially and personally overseen by Military Department of the National Party . At the same time , it had a widespread autonomy concerning its structure , intelligence , and training . Its first planned commandant was General Marian Januszajtis - Zegota , but he was arrested by the NKVD in Lwow , on October 27 , 1939 . Under the circumstances , the NOW was commanded by Colonel Aleksander Demidowicz - Demidecki . In December 1939 , Demidecki left occupied Poland , and was replaced by Colonel Boleslaw Kozubowski . In the late 1940 and 1941 , the Gestapo carried out mass arrests of members of the National Party in Lesser Poland , Pomerelia and Warsaw . After this , the party had to re - create its depleted structures , and in September 1941 , new leader of the SN , Stefan Sacha , named Colonel Jozef Rokicki new commandant of the NOW . In the spring 1942 , several units of the NOW , mainly from Warsaw and Radom , decided to become part of the Home Army , and in May 1942 , Stefan Sacha contacted General Stefan Rowecki , discussing with him merger of the two organizations . As a result , on August 23 , 1942 an agreement was signed , and in November 1942 , the merger was completed . Several NOW members , headed by August Michalowski , disagreed with it . The organization split into two parts - one was united with the Home Army , while another continued indepentent activities . The new NOW was headed by Colonel Ignacy Oziewicz , and was divided into five districts : Radom , Kielce , Czestochowa , Podlasie , Lublin and Lodz . In 1942 , the new NOW merged with Military Organization Lizard Union , creating the National Armed Forces ( Narodowe Sily Zbrojne , NSZ ) . In 1942 , before the split , the NOW had some 80 , 000 members , mostly in Greater Poland , Lesser Poland and Mazovia . It had its own guerilla units , under such leaders , as Franciszek Przysiezniak , Jozef Czuchra , Leon Janio and Jozef Zadzierski . The organization , however , concentrated its efforts on intelligence , and capturing German agents and collaborators . Weapons and ammunition were collected for the future uprising , a system of communication was created , underground press was distributed . There were several sabotage actions , and in order to rescue Jews , the NOW cooperated with other organizations . Some 1500 NOW soldiers fought in the Warsaw Uprising . Districts . Until mid - 1941 , the NOW was divided into 14 districts :