The Russian Viewpoint

A TRIBUTE: General Jozef Haller & The Blue Army

Home

About General Haller

The Blue Army

Artifacts

Portrait Gallery

The Riflemen's Assoc.

Bibliography

Campaign Maps

Haller's Army Video

Real Audio Clips

Help Build This Page

About Us

The Russian Viewpoint

by Joe Adamov

Longtime radio correspondent for Radio Moscow, which is now known as the Voice of Russia, Joe Adamov recently took the time to respond to the webmaster's mail to Moscow Mailbag. Mr. Adamov's commentaries accurately reflect the Russian point of view on the Polish Soviet War.

The original broadcast, which aired on January 22, 2001, is reproduced below as a transcript. Those with access to a RealMedia Player may click the link below and hear the broadcast, delivered in Joe's own inimitable style. (Unfortunately, Joe passed away in December of 2005 after a lifelong career in radio journalism).

Click here to hear Joe Adamov's commentary on the Polish Soviet War, in RealAudio Format.
(159kb)

Joe Adamov
The Voice of Russia

Question: Can you tell me about the Polish Soviet War of 1919-1920, when the Red Army was defeated at the gates of Warsaw?

Joe Adamov: Well, you as a Polish patriot, are no doubt proud of this incident. About ten years ago the newspaper, Red Star, our army paper wrote, “This is what we call the civil war.” This is after the Revolution and the forces of the Western Front, under Tukhachevsky, who later became a Marshal, approached Warsaw on August the 15th and there was a counter-offensive of the Polish forces which was both unexpected and swift. This counter-offensive was called the “Wonder of the Visla,” and gave the Polish army faith in their defense capacity and in their moral strength. On the anniversary of the “Wonder of the Visla,” a decoration was instituted.

But you know, the past should not influence Polish-Russian relations. We should also remember our joint fight against Nazism. These pages you cannot pull out of history. Russia, Soviet Ukraine and Poland signed a truce, and then a peace agreement. Lenin called the main reason for the defeat overestimation of the forces of the Red Army and also, don’t forget, Bob, the Red Army at that time consisted mostly of peasants, 80% of whom were illiterate. Lenin also said we did not get in touch, we did not reach the industrial workers of Poland at that time. Tukhachevsky said it was not politics that suffered a defeat, but strategy.

Most of the historical reviews are permeated with subjectiveness and are permeated with one-sidedness. I think the Poles and the Russians should get together and work out a truthful account of the period.