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Warsaw August 14-25, 1920
Strategic Context
Poland takes advantage of the turmoil in Russia during its Civil War to occupy large areas of mixed Polish-Russian ethnicity in When the Soviets win control of Russia, they focus their efforts on disputing Jozef Pilsudski’s ambitions for a greater Poland. The Soviets are nonetheless caught off guard by the Polish offensive towards Kiev in April-May The offensive fails miserably in part due to logistical shortcomings, allowing Mikhail Tukhachevski to begin a counteroffensive that brings the Soviets to the gates of Warsaw itself. The Soviets survive mostly off the land thus far so any halt is dangerous but the Poles are struggling to find ammunition for their multicultural weaponry, received from many cautious vendors.
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Stakes
+ A Polish victory would create chaos in the Soviet supply system and force a withdrawal, saving Warsaw and Poland from Soviet ambitions.
+ A Soviet victory would overthrow the Polish government and reveal Germany to Soviet pressure and possibly conquest.
By Jonathan Webb, 2009

2. Warsaw, 1920 Strength Polish Army Well Soviet Army Well
Jozef Pilsudski
Mikhail Tukhachevsky
133,000
130,000
By Jonathan Webb, 2009

3. Map of Eastern Europe c. 1920 Soviet Russia Germany Poland Lithuania
Latvia
Estonia
Sweden
Czechoslovakia
Map of Eastern Europe c. 1920

4. The battlefield consists of the large area around Warsaw
The battlefield consists of the large area around Warsaw. To the north is the Polish-German border of East Prussia, which neither side is likely to cross. The battlefield is relatively flat and open to the southwest but features a number of major rivers elsewhere, the most significant being the Vistula River, which runs through Warsaw itself. 25
50 km
Soviet Army
(Tukhachevsky)
GERMANY
POLAND
Narew River
Wkra River
Vistula River
Warsaw
Bug River
Pilica River
Wieprz River
Vistula River
Polish Army
(Pilsudski)

5. (Mikhail Tukhachevsky)
Although Pilsudski does not realize how weak the Mozyr Group opposing his 2. Army really is, he resolves to attack the Soviet left wing and roll up the Soviet line.. His staff sternly advise an attack on the Soviet right flank to remove the threat to Warsaw by the bulk of the Soviet force. Tukhachevsky meanwhile attempts to suddenly overwhelm Warsaw with attacks by 3., 4. and 15. Army. The Soviet 3. and 15. Armies force the Polish back to their final defences while the Soviet 15. Army is repelled. Pilsudski’s staff urges him to launch his offensive prematurely but he compromises: he still reinforces 4. Army with units from 3. Army but promises to launch his offensive slightly earlier.
The Soviet Mozyr Group disintegrates as the Polish 4. Army advances aggressively under the personal direction of Pilsudski. When it encounters no resistance, Pilsudski senses a terrible trap and advances cautiously until he finds the Soviet 16. Army – in rout. The Soviet 16. Army is retreating in disarray out of fear for their left flank before the attack even comes.
The entire Soviet Army continues to flee with the Polish Army close behind, capturing stragglers and the vast majority of Soviet equipment. Meanwhile, the Soviet 4. Army is unable to escape east and instead flees north into East Prussia where German authorities disarm and intern the entire army shortly after.
Pilsudski deploys his force in four armies along strong river lines in defence of the Polish capital; he plans to attack north from the Wieprz River by 4. Army while the northern armies defend the Vistula River line and Warsaw itself. Tukhachevsky also deploys his force in four armies; 12. Army is also shown but is officially placed under direct command of Yegorov along with two other Soviet armies further south. A weak detachment, Mozyr Group, seperates the two army groups. Tukhacevsky and Yegorov conflict when it comes to overall strategy of the war and so 12. Army does not cooperate with Tukhachevsky. Tukhachevsky plans to encircle and then assault Warsaw from the northwest.
Tukhachevsky’s headquarters is 480km away in Minsk so he is unable to comprehend the irreversible rout of his 16. Army. Nonetheless, he issues orders that are either never received or ignored altogether. Meanwhile, Pilsudski arrives in Warsaw to personally direct the counteroffensive to remove the threat to the capital. The Polish 3. and 2. Armies move towards each other to form a defensive line against any action by Yegorov, which never materializes. The Polish 4. Army continues its drive north while the 1. Army thrusts northeast. The Polish 5. Army uses its handful of armoured and motorized vehicles to cut off the Soviet 4. Army from the 15. Army. Shuvayev allows this to happen when he finally receives Tukhachevsky’s orders, thinks them to be outdated and attacks the Polish 5. Army’s flank before realizing the mistake and retreating northwest. 25
50 km
Soviet Army
(Tukhachevsky)
GERMANY
Landmarks
POLAND
Narew River
4. Army (Shuvayev)
15. Army (Kork)
Wkra River
3. Army (Lazarievich)
Vistula River
Polish Army Soviet Army
Infantry Infantry
Armoured
16. Army (Sollohub)
5. Army (Sikorski)
Warsaw
1. Army (Latinik)
Mozyr Group
Bug River
12. Army (Yegorov)
Pilica River
2. Army (Roja)
Wieprz River
4. Army (Skierski)
Vistula River
Soviet Army
(Mikhail Tukhachevsky)
130,000
Polish Army
(Jozef Pilsudski)
133,000
Symbol guide
3. Army (Zillinski)
Polish Army
(Pilsudski)

6. Warsaw, 1920 Casualties & Aftermath
Polish Army:
Soviet Army:
21,000 or
16%
81,000 or
62%
The Polish pursuit of the Soviet mass ended halfway to Minsk when Tukhachevski rallied them to defend a long front stretching north-south. Although the Battle of Warsaw was a decisive check to Soviet advances, the Poles still had to defeat them in three more major battles in a two-month offensive that was ended only by an armistice. The Treaty of Riga in 1921 allowed Poland to annex all territorial claims from Russia while ceding Soviet control of Ukraine.
By Jonathan Webb, 2009

7. The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps
By Jonathan Webb, 2009