Polish-Soviet War

The Polish-Soviet War (14 February 1919 - 21 August 1920) was an armed conflict between the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic, and Soviet Russia, Soviet Ukraine, and Socialist Germany.
Poland's head of state, Józef Piłsudski, wished to expand the borders of the new Polish Republic as far east as possible, and create a Polish-led "Intermarium" federation of Central and Eastern European states. For the Soviet forces, Poland was an obstacle to aiding revolutions in Germany, Hungary, and other parts of Central Europe.
Throughout 1919 a series of border skirmishes erupted between Polish and Soviet forces, but it failed to escalate into a total war. It was only when Piłsudski began the Kiev Offensive into Soviet territory in April 1920 that the conflict escalated. This operation was initially very successful due to numerical superiority at that time, but Polish forces were soon overextended. A Soviet counteroffensive was launched on 4 July, ending in the capture of Warsaw and Lwów and the defeat of Polish forces in August 1920.
Category:Postwar revolutionary wave
Category:Conflicts