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The purpose of this project is to remember & honor the service and sacrifices of those ethnic Poles who served on the side of the Allied military alliance during World War I.
Allied Power Nations - Russia & France were forced into war, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July, 1914. Day's later, Britain's ultimatum to Germany was rejected, with the invasion of Belgium on 4 August, 1914 and the British Empire, including Canada & Australia, were at war. The British Empire allied with other members of the Triple Entente, France and Russia against the German and Austrian-Hungarian empires (Central Powers). On April 6, 1917, the United States declare war on Germany and on December 7, 1917, the United States declare war on Austria-Hungary, becoming part of the World War I military alliance, known in the U.S. as the “Allies”. Eventually there were 25 nations in the Allied Powers military alliance, plus legions or armies without a nation, such as Poland & Czechoslovakia.
Poland in the years leading up to & during World War I, did not exist. Today's Poland, was then divided between the countries of Germany, Russia & Austria. Each of these countries had Poles in their armies. Poles served in both the Allied & Central Powers armies, forcing Poles to sometimes fight against each other on both the Eastern & Western Fronts.
Allied Power Polish - Most of the Poles in the Russian army, were involved in the Eastern Front, opposing the Central Powers armies, including other Poles in the German (Prussian) and Austrian-Hungarian armies. Starting in 1915 & 1916 respectively, Canadian & Australian Poles were showing up in the European war on the Western Front, along side of the other British and French armies. In early 1917, Polish volunteers from Canada, the U.S. & overseas, were being trained in Ontario, Canada and sent overseas, becoming part of a large force being formed in France called the Polish or Blue or Haller's Army. Some of this army were former Polish "Central Powers" prisoners of war, some were Poles in the French Foreign Legion & a large number were American/Canadian and other volunteers. By the end of 1917, the largest number of ethnic poles on the Allies Western Front, came likely, from American forces. It is estimated that over 300,000 Polish-Americans served in World War I and 12 percent of the U.S. casualties were ethnic Poles.
Early in 1917 U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson expressed his support for a independent and autonomous Poland. His statement likely had a positive effect on unifying the Polish-American war effort.
Links:
THE GREAT WAR - WEEK BY WEEK 100 YEARS LATER
POLISH LEGION OF AMERICAN VETERANS
Kashubians in Allied Forces of WWI (1914-1918) (find-a-grave virtual cemetery)
US Soldier casualties of the great war (3 volumes)
Polish American Congress and WW1
Wisconsin World War I data base
Minnesota World War I deaths by county
Walsh county, North Dakota, in the world war
World War I, Day County South Dakota
Winona in the World War (1917-1919)
Morrison County, Minnesota, WWI veterans
Portage County Polish Army Recruiting
Polish (Russian) Army in the East (1914-20)
Doughboy missing in action (1917-1920)
Researching National Archives World War I Records
U.S. World War I military records
Stowarzyszenie Weteranów Armii Polskiej w Ameryce (SWAP)
The Daily Life of Polish Soldiers Niagara Camp, 1917-1919
FEEFHS - Polish Army in France data base
First World War Central Power POW Camp photographs POW camps: Darmstadt, Rastatt, Metz, Giessen, Goettingen, Limburg, Langensalza, Koenigsbrueck, Karlsbuhn, Tuchel, Meschede, Halle-am-Saal, Marienberg, Osnabrueck, Stargard, Ohrdruf, Heuberg, Ulm, Burg, Wetzlar, Lamsdorf, Schneidemuehl, Stralkowo, Guestrow, Neuhammer, Ivangorod, Nagymegyer, Minden, Josefstadt, Kaltenkirchen, Salzwedel, Ruhleben, Freidberg, Doeberitz, Werl, Schneidemuehl, Doeberitz, Freistadt, Guetersloh, Muenden, etc…
Komunikacja pocztowa w Błękitnej Armii Hallera w latach 1917–1920
Polish territories between 1914 and 1921
Polish military cemetery of Aubérive
Aubérive (Cimetière militaire)
U.S. National (Military) Cemetery search
A guide to the American battle fields in Europe (1920)
The purpose of this project is to remember & honor the service and sacrifices of those ethnic Poles who served on the side of the Allied military alliance during World War I.
Allied Power Nations: Russia & France were forced into war, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July, 1914. Day's later, Britain's ultimatum to Germany was rejected, with the invasion of Belgium on 4 August, 1914 and the British Empire, including Canada & Australia, were at war. The British Empire allied with other members of the Triple Entente, France and Russia against the German and Austrian-Hungarian empires. On April 6, 1917, the United States declare war on Germany and on December 7, 1917, the United States declare war on Austria-Hungary, becoming part of the World War I military alliance, known in the U.S. as the “Allies”. Eventually there were 25 nations in the Allied Powers military alliance, plus legions or armies without a nation, such as Poland & Czechoslovakia.
Allied Power Polish: Most of the Poles in the Russian army, were involved in the Eastern Front, opposing the Central Powers armies, including other Poles in the German or Austrian-Hungarian armies. Starting in 1915 & 1916 respectively, Canadian & Australian Poles were showing up in the European war on the Western Front. In early 1917, Polish volunteers from Canada, the U.S. & overseas, were being trained in Ontario, Canada and sent overseas, becoming part of a large force being formed in France called the Polish or Blue or Haller's Army. Some of this army were former Polish "Central Powers" prisoners of war, some were Poles in the French Foreign Legion & a large number were American/Canadian and other volunteers. By the end of 1917, the largest number of ethnic poles on the Allies Western Front, came likely, from American forces. It is estimated that over 300,000 Polish-Americans served in World War I and 12 percent of the U.S. casualties were ethnic Poles.
Early in 1917 U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson expressed his support for a independent and autonomous Poland. His statement likely had a positive effect on unifying the Polish-American war effort.
Links:
US Soldier casualties of the great war (3 volumes)
Polish American Congress and WW1
Wisconsin World War I data base
Minnesota World War I deaths by county
Walsh county, North Dakota, in the world war
World War I, Day County South Dakota
Winona in the World War (1917-1919)
Morrison County, Minnesota, WWI veterans
Portage County Polish Army Recruiting
Polish (Russian) Army in the East (1914-20)
Doughboy missing in action (1917-1920)
Researching National Archives World War I Records
U.S. World War I military records
Stowarzyszenie Weteranów Armii Polskiej w Ameryce (SWAP)
The Daily Life of Polish Soldiers Niagara Camp, 1917-1919
FEEFHS - Polish Army in France data base
First World War Central Power POW Camp photographs
POW camps: Darmstadt, Rastatt, Metz, Giessen, Goettingen, Limburg, Langensalza, Koenigsbrueck, Karlsbuhn, Tuchel, Meschede, Halle-am-Saal, Marienberg, Osnabrueck, Stargard, Ohrdruf, Heuberg, Ulm, Burg, Wetzlar, Lamsdorf, Schneidemuehl, Stralkowo, Guestrow, Neuhammer, Ivangorod, Nagymegyer, Minden, Josefstadt, Kaltenkirchen, Salzwedel, Ruhleben, Freidberg, Doeberitz, Werl, Schneidemuehl, Doeberitz, Freistadt, Guetersloh, Muenden, etc…
Komunikacja pocztowa w Błękitnej Armii Hallera w latach 1917–1920
Polish military cemetery of Aubérive