The Munich Agreement, which marked the beginning of World War II, brought by-effect. When all of “civilized humanity” in the person of England and France gave Czechoslovakia to the Germans and Poles to be torn to pieces, the small but proud state of Slovakia arose. Of course, under the strictest control of Hitler, she acted in a disciplined manner against the USSR during the Great Patriotic War.

During the signing of the Munich Agreement. From left to right: Chamberlain, Daladier, Hitler, Mussolini and Ciano

In September 1938, the leaders of the Western powers signed an agreement with Hitler in Munich: the Sudeten areas were transferred to Germany, Poland captured most of the Cieszyn region, southern regions Slovakia and Transcarpathian Ukraine were transferred to Hungary under the Vienna Arbitration.

Slovakia received autonomy, and on March 14, 1939, a protectorate regime was established in the country, and it formally gained independence. The moderate leader of the Slovak Glinka Party, priest Josef Tiso, who came to power, became the President of Slovakia, and in contrast to him, and on the “strong recommendation” of the Nazis, the posts of Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs were taken by the leaders of the radical wing of the party, Vojtech Tuka and Alexander Mach. According to the 25-year agreement, Germany received the right to station its troops in a special security zone in western Slovakia. The secret protocol on economic and financial cooperation provided for the complete subordination of the country to the economic interests of Germany, first of all, an increase in the supply of food and raw materials, as well as labor to Germany.

The Slovak army consisted of 4 infantry divisions, the armored forces included 69 LT-35 tanks and a dozen armored vehicles, aviation consisted of Avia B-534 fighters and short-range reconnaissance aircraft - S-328 light bombers, Czechoslovak vehicles of the class of our I-153 and P-5 , numbering about 200.

fighter Avia B-534

Slovakia did not formally declare war on the Soviet Union, but sent its troops to the Eastern Front - Hitler considered it possible to use them as occupation troops in Ukraine and Belarus.

In total, two infantry divisions, three separate artillery regiments (howitzer, anti-tank and anti-aircraft), a tank battalion (30 LT-35), an aviation regiment consisting of 25 B-534 fighters, 16 Bf.109E-3 fighters, 30 S-328 light bombers.

It cannot be said that the Slovaks somehow incredibly distinguished themselves on the Eastern Front - however, the Germans did not give them such an opportunity, prudently believing that Slavs would not fight very fiercely with Slavs. And so it happened - from the personnel of the Slovak units that, together with the Wehrmacht, rushed to the Caucasus (one infantry division, a separate howitzer artillery regiment and several separate companies and batteries), the majority of soldiers and officers by February 1943 found themselves on the opposite side; several military units (an infantry battalion, a howitzer artillery battery, an aviation maintenance division) went over to the side of the Red Army along with their weapons and standard military equipment.

Having been burned by such non-allied actions of the Slovaks, the Germans no longer placed them on the front line, sending both Slovak divisions replenished in the spring of 1943 in Ukraine to Belarus to guard the strategic lines of communication of Army Group Center.

But here, too, the Slovaks showed a clear reluctance to fight for the interests of the Reich. Most of the military personnel of the two Slovak divisions by July 1944 went over to the partisans and were sent to Moscow, where they all went to recruit the Czechoslovak Army Corps, which was being created Soviet Union by agreement with the exile government of Benes.

In total, of the 36,000 Slovak military personnel who fought on the Eastern Front from July 1941 to September 1944, less than 3,000 died, but more than 27,000 soldiers, officers and generals surrendered. The Czechoslovak Army Corps under the command of Brigadier General Kratochvil (and from September 10, 1944 - Brigadier General Svoboda), thanks to the Slovak Army, at the time of its arrival at positions near the city of Krosno (southern Poland) on September 8, 1944, consisted of 3 rifle brigades (each 3,450-3,700 military personnel), 2 artillery regiments, a tank brigade (40 T-70 and 20 T-34) and more than 12 separate units. In addition, on the night of September 18, the 2nd Czechoslovak Airborne Brigade (1,850 paratroopers) and the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment (27 Yak-3 fighters) were transferred to the command of the Slovak National Uprising.

The final collapse of the Slovak army occurred with the outbreak of the Slovak National Uprising on August 29, 1944. The East Slovak Corps (2 divisions) was disarmed by the Germans, the Slovak military aviation(consisting of 27 serviceable aircraft, of which 9 Foke-Wulf-189 reconnaissance aircraft, 9 Bf-109B fighters, 9 transport aircraft) together with the commander of the aviation regiment, Major Trinka, flew to the Lvov airfield. This ended Slovakia's participation in the war against the USSR. In general, if all Germany’s allies were the same as Slovakia, our armies would be replenished considerably...

In Slovakia itself, the Germans also could not feel as they did in France or even in the Czech Republic. And they behaved accordingly.

Sending Slovak Jews to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Time of filming: March 1942 Place of filming: Poprad station, Slovakia

In March 1942, Josef Tiso agreed to the expulsion of Jews from Slovakia, after which the Nazis staged a mass roundup in Bratislava. About 35 thousand people were deported to Auschwitz, Treblinka and Majdanek. In May-June, another 15 thousand people were expelled, mostly members of the expelled families. In total, more than 70 thousand Slovak Jews died in fascist concentration camps during the Second World War.

An important role in Slovakia began to be played by the Hlinkova Garda (Hlinka's Guard), a paramilitary organization of the Slovak People's Party in 1938-1945, named after Andrei Hlinka, the first leader of the SNP. Although the reason given for the founding was “ military training youth,” very soon the Glinka Garda began to carry out police duties and carry out military actions against Jews, Czechs, Gypsies and communists. In 1939, the Slovak fascist Alexander Mach became the commander of the Glinka Guard. Since 1941, members of the Glinka Garda underwent training in SS camps in Germany. In 1942, the Glinkova Garda carried out the “Aryanization of property” and the deportation of Jews to Auschwitz. In August 1944, during the Slovak People's Uprising, German troops used the Hlinkova Guard in battles against Slovak partisans.

In 1942, the first groups of anti-fascist partisans began to appear in the Slovak mountains. In December 1943, the Slovak National Council was created, which became the head of the underground resistance movement, in which communist and non-communist forces participated. The Council opposed the Tiso regime, recognized the need to restore Czechoslovakia on the basis of an equal partnership between Czechs and Slovaks, and began preparing an armed uprising.

On the night of July 25, 1944, a partisan group under the command of Soviet officer Petro Velichko, who had the task of organizing regular partisan detachments (in total, 1,200 people were parachuted before the end of the war). On August 9, 1944, the Slovak army received an order to conduct counter-partisan operations in the Low Tatras, but the partisans were warned, and the Slovak soldiers, having met some of the partisans, ignored the order to open fire. On August 21, 1944, Velichko’s partisan detachment captured Sklabinya and began blowing up railways.

On August 25, 1944, partisans openly distributed weapons in the square in Martin and signed up volunteers. At the same time, underground activities developed in the Slovak army itself, its center was Lieutenant Colonel Jan Golian. On August 27, communist partisans took Ružomberok, and the next day the Wehrmacht began the occupation of Slovakia. On August 29, Defense Minister Ferdinand Chatlos announced this on the radio. In response, Lieutenant Colonel Golian gave the order for the uprising, which began on August 30.

The rebels fought for two months; they managed to capture two defense ministers, F. Chatlosh and J. Turants (Chatlosh surrendered voluntarily and after the war served as an official in the city of Martin). However, the Soviet command did not launch the large-scale offensive necessary to help the Slovaks. More than 4,100 rebels died, 15 thousand were captured and sent to concentration camps and prison camps. Nevertheless, the uprising significantly disrupted the communications system of German troops in the rear. All this did not allow the Nazis to turn Slovakia into an advanced outpost of their defense in the Carpathians.
Slovak pilots after being awarded ZhK2 on September 8, 1941:
From left to right:
1 - Jozef Drlicka
2 - A. Kubovic
3 - Martin Daniel
IN Ladimir Krishko - shot down 9 Air Force aircraft for the Luftwaffe, but! In the Slovak uprising he fought against the Germans and shot down 3 Luftwaffe planes!
Commander of the parachute school Juraj Mesko

Slovak paratroopers on training in Germany. From left to right: Jozef Lachky, Jozef Pisarcik, Ladislav Lenart. Pay attention to the national yarns.

Briefing before the jump. Tri duby airfield.

On October 27, 1944, the Germans took Banska Bistrica, so from October 28 the rebels switched to partisan operations. On November 3, in Pogronski Bukovec near Banska Bystrica, Jan Golian, together with General Rudolf Viest, was captured by the Germans and was executed in the Flossenburg concentration camp along with other Slovak officers in early 1945. However, the Nazis failed to completely destroy the partisans, who had been intensifying their sabotage operations since December. In mid-January 1945, as a result offensive operations The Soviet army liberated a significant part of the country, on April 4 - Bratislava, and by the end of April - almost all of Slovakia. Partisan detachments, together with Red Army soldiers, stormed the cities of Brezno, Liptovsky Hradok and others.

The liberation of Slovakia lasted almost eight months. 144,000 died Soviet soldiers, of which approximately two thirds are in Slovakia.
Josef Tiso fled to Bavaria in April 1945, where he was detained by the American army on June 6, 1945 and extradited to Czechoslovakia. He was sentenced to hang “for treason.” On April 18, 1947 the sentence was carried out. Vojtech Tuka was also shot in 1946.

Alexander Mach fled to Austria on April 4, 1945, where he lived in the village of Mondsee and was captured by the Americans there. He was extradited to Czechoslovakia and imprisoned in Prague's Pankrac prison, later transferred to Bratislava. In 1947, Mach was convicted - he, contrary to expectations, received a surprisingly lenient sentence - 30 years in prison; on May 9, 1968 he was amnestied by President Ludwik Svoboda for health reasons. He served his sentence in Leopoldov, together with other political figures of fascist Slovakia - propaganda chief Tid Gašpar, General Josef Turanc, Senate President Pavel Opluštil, Minister of Economy Gejza Medrický and Minister of Finance Mikulas Pruzinki. After his release, he lived at his son’s dacha near Bratislava and wrote memoirs, which were then confiscated by state security agencies and given to the family only in 2003.

However, military operations on the territory of Slovakia did not end in 1945. In September 1947, Bandera groups made their way to the West through the forests of Slovakia: they drove from their territory Polish Army, and the Red Army did not give them the opportunity to return back to Ukraine. Bandera's supporters sought to get into the US occupation zones in Germany and Austria as quickly as possible. Military operation to block and detain them, it received the code name “Operation B.” More than 13 thousand military personnel of the Czechoslovak Army, as well as units of border guards and groups of veterans of the partisan movement took part in the operation. Operation B was commanded by Brigadier General Julius Nosko, a participant in the Slovak National Uprising. The armed forces neutralized 350 Banderaites, 61 of them were killed while trying to resist. The Czechoslovak military suffered fewer losses: 32 killed and 26 wounded. At a time when there was already a peaceful life in Czechoslovakia, the war continued in the Tatra Mountains, although two years had passed after its end.

Bratislava. Catholic cathedral St. Martin's. Place of coronation of the Holy Roman Emperors and Austria-Hungary

Slovakia participated in World War II on the side of Germany, but did not have any serious influence on the course of military operations on the Eastern Front and had rather a symbolic significance, supporting the international image of Germany as a country with allies at least in the rank of satellites. In addition, Slovakia had a border with the Soviet Union , which in a geopolitical sense was very important

Slovakia began to establish its relations with Germany immediately after the defeat of France and on June 15, 1941 joined the Axis countries by signing a corresponding pact. The country became "the only Catholic state in the area of ​​​​dominance of National Socialism." Somewhat later, blessing the soldiers for the war with Russia, the papal nuncio stated that he was glad to tell the Holy Father the good news from the exemplary Slovak state, a truly Christian one, which is implementing national program under the motto: “For God and the Nation!”

The population of the country was then 1.6 million, of which 130,000 were Germans. In addition, Slovakia considered itself responsible for the fate of the Slovak minority in Hungary. The national army consisted of two divisions and numbered 28,000 men.

When preparing to implement the Barbarossa plan, Hitler did not take into account the Slovak army, which he considered unreliable and feared fraternization due to Slavic solidarity. The command of the ground forces did not count on her either, leaving behind only the tasks of maintaining order in the occupied areas. However, a sense of rivalry with Hungary and the hope for a more favorable establishment of borders in the Balkans forced the Slovak Minister of War to declare to the Chief of the German General Staff Halder when he visited Bratislava on June 19, 1941 that the Slovak army was ready for combat. The order for the army said that the army did not intend to fight with the Russian people or against the Slavic idea, but with the mortal danger of Bolshevism.

As part of the German 17th Army, an elite brigade of the Slovak army numbering 3,500 people, armed with outdated light Czech tanks, took the battle on June 22, which ended in defeat. A German officer assigned to the brigade noted that the work of the headquarters was below any criticism and he was only afraid of getting injured, since the equipment of the field hospital corresponded to the times of Maria Theresa.

It was decided not to allow the brigade to participate in the battles. Moreover, the level of training of Slovak officers turned out to be so low that it was pointless to form the Slovak army anew. And therefore, the Minister of War, along with the majority of the soldiers, was returned to their homeland two months later. Only the motorized brigade, brought to the size of the division (about 10,000), and the lightly armed security division, consisting of 8,500 people, took part in the fight against the partisans, first near Zhitomir, and then Minsk.

Subsequently, the combat path of the Slovak armed forces is closely connected with the actions of this brigade (German: Schnelle Division). During heavy and prolonged battles on the Mius River, this combat unit under the command of Major General August Malar, from Christmas 1941 to July 1942, it held a ten-kilometer-wide front. At the same time, it was protected on the flanks by a Wehrmacht mountain division and Waffen SS units. Then, during the catastrophic Second World War for the Soviets, German offensive In the summer of 1942, this unit, in the battle formations of the 4th Tank Army, advanced on Rostov, crossed the Kuban and took part in the capture of oil regions near Maykop.

The attitude of the German command towards the needs of the Slovaks was dismissive and therefore their losses were determined not so much by combat interaction with the enemy, but by poor nutrition and epidemic diseases. In August 1942, this unit occupied defenses near Tuapse, and after the catastrophic defeat at Stalingrad, it was difficult to cross to Kerch, losing its equipment and artillery.

The unit was then reorganized and became known as the First Slovak Infantry Division, which was entrusted with the defense of the 250 km coastline of Crimea.

The division's combat and general rations remained at an extremely low level. Slovakia's relations with its stronger neighbor Hungary remained tense and Slovak President Tiso appealed to Hitler to remind him of Slovakia's participation in the war on the Eastern Front with the hope that this would provide protection against Hungarian claims.

In August 1943, Hitler decided to create strong defensive positions in front of the “Fortress of Crimea”. Part of the division remained on the territory of the peninsula beyond Perekop, and its main structure took up defense at Kakhovka. And he immediately found himself in the direction of the main attack of the Soviet army, suffering a crushing defeat within one day. After this, the remnants of the division went over to the side of Soviet Russia, which was prepared by the activities of the communist agents of Czechoslovakia.

Constantly diminished in numbers due to desertion, the remaining 5,000 soldiers under the command of Colonel Karl Peknik carried out guard duty in the interfluve between the Bug and the Dnieper. Hundreds of Slovaks joined the partisan detachments, and many soldiers, led by officers, became part of the First Czechoslovak Brigade of the Red Army. The demoralized remnants of the Slovak army were, at the direction of the German command, sent to Italy, Romania and Hungary, where they were used as construction units.

Nevertheless, the Slovak Army continued to exist and the German command intended to use it to create a defensive line in the Beskids. By August 1944, it became clear to everyone that the war was lost and a movement began in all Balkan countries in favor of finding ways out of the war. Back in July, the National Council of Slovakia began preparing an armed uprising with the participation of a well-armed and trained army corps stationed in Eastern Slovakia, numbering up to 24,000 people. The German troops at that time in the direction of the main attack of Marshal Konev were commanded by Henrici (German: Heinrici). It was assumed that the Slovak soldiers would occupy the peaks of the Beskydy mountain range in his rear and open the way for the approaching units Soviet army. In addition, the 14,000 Slovak soldiers located in the central part of Slovakia were supposed to be used as a center of armed resistance in the Banska Bystrica region. At the same time, the activities of the partisans intensified, which convinced the German command of the inevitability of an uprising in their rear.

On August 27, 1944, mutinous Slovak soldiers killed 22 people passing through at one of the stations. German officers, which caused an immediate reaction from the German authorities. At the same time, an uprising was raised in central Slovakia, in which 47,000 people took part. A Waffen-SS unit of 10,000 under the command of Obergruppenführer Berger eliminated the rear danger in a strategically extremely important part of the country.

Became one of national heroes post-war Czechoslovakia and its eighth president.

The Slovak uprising was finally suppressed by three German divisions brought into action. The decisive operation began on October 18, 1944. The Germans captured Banska Bystrica. Armed detachments of the Carpathian Germans (German Heimatschutzes) also took part in this, which subsequently led to a massacre, the victims of which were 135,000 Volksdeutsche. On the other hand, about 25,000 Slovaks died during the punitive operations of the Germans. About a third of the uprising participants fled to their homes. 40% ended up in German concentration camps. A small part joined the partisans.

This victory German army in a historical sense, it became the very last victory that the Wehrmacht was able to win over the army of another state. At the same time, it brought the First Slovak Republic to its end.

Czech Republic and Slovakia during the Second World War

Policy of the occupiers in the protectorate: Formally, the Czech government remained in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, but in practice it was the main imperial Reichsprtector.
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Instead of the previously existing two parties - National Unity and the National Labor Party, one was created - National Solidarity. The media is promoting the futility of resistance. The occupiers transferred the economy to a military footing, and the entire industry worked for the needs of Germany. Herm subjugated the financial system, obligatory supplies of food and raw materials were imposed on agriculture. Aryanization Law - confiscation of Jewish property and sending them to concentration camps. From October 1941, the sending of Czechs to concentration camps began (the famous Terezin camp).

Resistance movement: The efforts of the occupiers encountered opposition from patriotic youth, intellectuals, and social activists; they supported optimism and polemicized against propaganda. Political character took place on the day of national independence on October 28, 1939ᴦ. During the attack, medical student Jan Opletal was wounded. He soon died and his funeral turned into a new manifestation. Repression followed on November 17. All higher education institutions were closed educational establishments. This date after the war is celebrated as International Student Solidarity Day. By the summer of 1939, the first underground resistance groups had formed. For example, “Political Center” - there were members from all parties, the edge of the communists - the organization is not very massive, but influential - there are connections with the London center of emigration Benes (since 1940). “Defense of the Nation” is an organization of former military personnel. ʼʼPetition Committee - we will remain faithful!ʼʼ-creative intelligence social-democracy orientation. Spring 1940 - a focal point for the Resistance movement emerged. But the communist underground retained organizational independence. In addition to the London emigration center, a communist center arose in Moscow, headed by Gottwald. The London emigrant government entered the anti-Hitler coalition. On July 18, 1941, Benes concluded a Czechoslovak-Soviet agreement on mutual assistance and the fight against Germany. The significance is that the Soviet side recognized the Czechoslovak Committee in London as the government of sovereign Czechoslovakia and a partner in the anti-Hitman coalition. The response to the intensification of the underground was Nazi terror.
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In September, Heydrich took over the post of tector, and under him there was an active fight against the underground. On May 27, 1942, the London Center organized a successful assassination attempt on Heydrich. After this, there was even more terror, arrests, the liquidation of all formed centers, the second one was destroyed since the beginning of the occupation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, but soon the communists created a third, but connections with Moscow were restored only in 1943. Since 1942, the formation of Czechoslovak military units began in the USSR, they took part in the battles for Kyiv, etc., then turned into an army corps. With the growing authority of the USSR, Benes recognized the Moscow center of the Resistance movement as an equal partner. On December 12, 1943, in Moscow, Benes and Stalin signed an agreement on friendship and post-war cooperation. Negotiations between the leaders of the centers: the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia demanded strengthening of armed methods of struggle, the National Benes refused to recognize the Slovaks as a distinctive nation. The Communist Party of Human Rights managed to insist on supplementing the pre-war system of power with new bodies - national committees. We outlined a program for the renewal of the country on a people's democratic basis. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia refused the offer to join the emigrant government of Benes, so two centers remained, although a line was outlined towards the creation of a united anti-fascist front.

Slovakia: In Slovakia, after the declaration of independence, the Tiso regime was formed. The country was led by supporters of the fascistization of the society. According to the Constitution of 1939, the state was called the Slovak Republic, they created an army, police, and state apparatus - all this at first in the euphoria of independence. Slovakia is the only newly created state in Europe that was used by Hitler for propaganda purposes. Slovakia achieved limited international recognition, including from the USSR in 1939-41. As fascisation progressed, liberal and leftist opposition to the regime intensified. During 1939-1943, 4 Central Committees of the Communist Party of Slovakia were destroyed, the fifth managed to establish contact with the Moscow leadership of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The communists began to advocate for a free Slovakia as part of liberated Czechoslovakia. The course to prepare the national democratic revolution. As the crisis of the Tiso regime grew, anti-fascist sentiments in the Slovak army intensified. By the end of 1943, the Slovak National Council (SNC) was formed as a single center of resistance. This was the result of negotiations between anti-fascist forces and their conclusion on December 25, 1943 of the so-called Christmas agreement. The SNS advocated the renewal of the republic on new principles, for the equality of Czechs and Slovaks. Outside the framework of the SNA, the Shrobar group, oriented towards Benes, operated. Spring 1944 - agreement between the SNA and the military, who recognized the terms of the birth agreement. A serious force is the anti-fascist military. By the summer of 1944, partisan activity increased, and the regime could not cope with them. On August 29, German troops crossed the Slovak border, which served as a signal for an armed uprising. Banska Bystrica became the center. The rebel radio station started operating, the overthrow of the ruling Tiso regime was announced in the territory of Zvolen-Banska Bistrica-Brezno and a people's democratic republic was proclaimed. The uprising was the beginning of the national democratic revolution in Czechoslovakia. A new Slovak government corps of commissioners was created. The government in London recognized the SNS as the supreme authority in Slovakia. Help from the Soviet side. The General Staff of the partisan movement was created. On September 8, 1944, in support of the Red Army, the Carpathian-Dukel operation was launched, but it dragged on, it was not possible to involve military personnel from Eastern Slovakia, and there was no clear coordination of actions. On October 27, 1944, the center of the uprising, Banska Bystrica, fell. Everything was disbanded, some fled to the mountains. Suppression - Nazi terror.
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The uprising takes a place in the anti-fascist struggle. Together with the Red Army, Czechs and Slovaks fought in the north-east of Slovakia, on April 4, 1944 Bratislava was liberated, and by the end of April almost all of Slovakia.

Formation of the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks and the liberation of the country: In March 1945, negotiations between representatives of the London emigration, the Moscow Center (CHR) and the SNS on the composition of the Czechoslovak government and the program of action. The basis is the platform of the HRC. Six parties took part; these forces soon created the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks. Benes accepted the results. Kosice program (promulgated in Kosice). The government that moved there was formed on a parity basis - 4 people from each party. Prime Soc-Dem Fierlinger.
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The program recognized the identity of the Slovak nation and its equality with the Czechs. Czechoslovakia was proclaimed a state of two equal peoples. In the United National Front different forces. The end of the war was preceded by the strengthening of the resistance movement in the Czech lands. May 5th uprising in Prague. The National Committee took over, barricades appeared, and Soviet units came to the aid of the rebels. The rebels have unequal heavy forces, aid is delayed. On May 8, the rebels signed an armistice agreement, according to which the Germans received the right to retreat unhindered, surrendering all heavy weapons. But they didn’t do everything; they burned and killed the population. On May 9, Soviet help arrived, very opportunely, before they had time to defeat Prague.

29) Poland in the years 2 WW. 1 Sep. 1939 ᴦ. Germany attacked Poland...Sept. 3. English and Franz. declared war on Ger.
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At Ger.
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Huge superiority in manpower and technology. Germany struck from Pomerania, East. Prussia, Silesia, Czech Republic and Slovakia. On the 3rd day of the war, the Poles were defeated. 8-27 Sep. - siege of Warsaw. K ser.
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Sep. It is obvious that Poland lost. In the West “Strange War”. 17 Sep. - USSR invasion of Poland under the pretext of protecting the population of the West. Ukraine and Western Belarus. On the night of 17 to 18 September. The country's civilian and military leadership left Poland. Poland's losses were 65 thousand people killed, 240 thousand in captivity. 28 Sep. Soviet-Ger. signed in Moscow.
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friendship treaty and borders => territory.
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partition of Poland => Lithuania in the sphere of interests of Moscow. Hitler dismembered Poland à Western, part of the center.
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and sowing districts are included in Ger.
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(10 million people) => there is immediately terror against the Poles... The rest of Poland - General - Governorate with the center in Krakow => terror against the Gypsies and Jews. It was hard for the West too. Ukraine and Western Belarus given over to the Soviets has a class approach (deportation - execution of the bourgeoisie, intelligentsia, wealthy peasantry). In total, about 400 thousand Poles were deported. In 1940, 21,857 were executed Polish officers. In total, during 2 MV. Poland lost approx. 6 million people Polish resistance: 30 Sep. A Polish government was created in Paris. in migration. In 1940 he moved to England. Prime Minister and commander of the troops, Gen. V. Sikorsky. Formed
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Polish army - 84 thousand soldiers. Already in 1939, on the occupier.
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ter.
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the Union of Armed Struggle is created (since 1942 - Home Army) => resistance to the Germans... End of Dec. 1941 - dropped into the occupier.
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zone Polish communists => 5 Jan. In 1942, the Polish Workers' Party (PWP) was formed. Another center of resistance to the fascists was the creation of the Ludova Guard, from the spring of 1944 - the Ludova Army.

Establishment of dual power: During Operation Bagration, the Red Army reached the state border in 1941. July 21 Sov. The army did not enter.
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Poland. On the same day, the Polish Committee of National Liberation (PKNO) was created in Moscow -> a government of leftist forces. PCNO announced the government. in England self-proclaimed and guilty of war... Since 1943, the head of the Polish government in England is S. Mikolajczyk. August 1, 1944 - uprising in Warsaw... but there was no help from the Soviets and the Germans drowned the uprising in blood... January 1945 - offensive of the Red Army in Poland => the entire territory of Poland was liberated. The Soviets lost 600 thousand killed.

The Czech Republic and Slovakia during the Second World War - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Czech Republic and Slovakia during the Second World War" 2017, 2018.

Policy of the occupiers in the protectorate: Formally, the Czech government remained in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, but in practice it was the main imperial Reichsprtector. Instead of the previously existing two parties - National Unity and the National Labor Party, one was created - National Solidarity. The media is promoting the futility of resistance. The occupiers transferred the economy to a military footing, and the entire industry worked for the needs of Germany. Herm subjugated the financial system, obligatory supplies of food and raw materials were imposed on agriculture. Aryanization Law - confiscation of Jewish property and sending them to concentration camps. From October 1941, the sending of Czechs to concentration camps began (the famous Terezin camp).

Resistance movement: The efforts of the occupiers encountered opposition from patriotic youth, intellectuals, and social activists; they supported optimism and polemicized against propaganda. Political character took place in a manifestation on National Independence Day, October 28, 1939. During the attack, medical student Jan Opletal was wounded. He soon died and his funeral turned into a new manifestation. Repression followed on November 17. All higher education institutions were closed. This date after the war is celebrated as International Student Solidarity Day. By the summer of 1939, the first underground resistance groups had formed. For example, the “Political Center” - there were members from all parties, the edge of the communists - the organization is not very massive, but influential - there are connections with the London Benes emigration center (since 1940). “Defense of the Nation” is an organization of former military personnel. “Petition Committee - we will remain faithful!” - creative intelligence social-democracy orientation. Spring 1940 - a focal point for the Resistance movement emerged. But the communist underground retained organizational independence. In addition to the London emigration center, a communist center arose in Moscow, headed by Gottwald. The London emigrant government entered the anti-Hitler coalition. On July 18, 1941, Benes concluded a Czechoslovak-Soviet agreement on mutual assistance and the fight against Germany. The significance is that the Soviet side recognized the Czechoslovak Committee in London as the government of sovereign Czechoslovakia and a partner in the anti-Hitman coalition. The response to the intensification of the underground was Nazi terror. In September, Heydrich took over the post of tector, and under him there was an active fight against the underground. On May 27, 1942, the London Center organized a successful assassination attempt on Heydrich. After this, there was even more terror, arrests, the liquidation of all formed centers, the second in a row from the beginning of the occupation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia was destroyed, but soon the communists created a third, but connections with Moscow were restored only in 1943. Since 1942, the formation of Czechoslovak military units began in the USSR, they accepted participation in the battles for Kyiv, etc., then they turned into an army corps. With the growing authority of the USSR, Benes recognized the Moscow center of the Resistance movement as an equal partner. On December 12, 1943, in Moscow, Benes and Stalin signed an agreement on friendship and post-war cooperation. Negotiations between the leaders of the centers: the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia demanded strengthening of armed methods of struggle, the National Benes refused to recognize the Slovaks as a distinctive nation. The Communist Party of Human Rights managed to insist on supplementing the pre-war system of power with new bodies - national committees. We outlined a program for the renewal of the country on a people's democratic basis. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia refused the offer to join the emigrant government of Benes, so two centers remained, although a line was outlined towards the creation of a united anti-fascist front.

Slovakia: In Slovakia, after the declaration of independence, the Tiso regime was formed. The country was led by supporters of the fascistization of the society. According to the Constitution of 1939, the state was called the Slovak Republic, they created an army, police, and state apparatus - all this at first in euphoria from independence. Slovakia is the only newly created state in Europe that was used by Hitler for propaganda purposes. Slovakia achieved limited international recognition, including from the USSR in 1939-41. As fascisation progressed, liberal and leftist opposition to the regime intensified. During 1939-1943, 4 Central Committees of the Communist Party of Slovakia were destroyed, the fifth managed to establish contact with the Moscow leadership of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The communists began to advocate for a free Slovakia as part of liberated Czechoslovakia. The course to prepare the national democratic revolution. As the crisis of the Tiso regime grew, anti-fascist sentiments in the Slovak army intensified. By the end of 1943, the Slovak National Council (SNC) was formed as a single center of resistance. This was the result of negotiations between anti-fascist forces and their conclusion on December 25, 1943 of the so-called Christmas agreement. The SNS advocated the renewal of the republic on new principles, for the equality of Czechs and Slovaks. Outside the framework of the SNA, the Shrobar group, oriented towards Benes, operated. Spring 1944 - agreement between the SNA and the military, who recognized the terms of the birth agreement. A serious force is the anti-fascist military. By the summer of 1944, partisan activity increased, and the regime could not cope with them. On August 29, German troops crossed the Slovak border, which served as a signal for an armed uprising. Banska Bystrica became the center. The rebel radio station started operating, the overthrow of the ruling Tiso regime was announced in the territory of Zvolen-Banska Bistrica-Brezno and a people's democratic republic was proclaimed. The uprising was the beginning of the national democratic revolution in Czechoslovakia. A new Slovak government corps of commissioners was created. The government in London recognized the SNS as the supreme authority in Slovakia. Help from the Soviet side. The General Staff of the partisan movement was created. On September 8, 1944, in support of the Red Army, the Carpathian-Dukel operation was launched, but it dragged on, it was not possible to involve military personnel from Eastern Slovakia, and there was no clear coordination of actions. On October 27, 1944, the center of the uprising, Banska Bystrica, fell. Everything was disbanded, some fled to the mountains. Suppression - Nazi terror. The uprising takes a place in the anti-fascist struggle. Together with the Red Army, Czechs and Slovaks fought in the north-east of Slovakia, on April 4, 1944 Bratislava was liberated, and by the end of April almost all of Slovakia.

Formation of the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks and the liberation of the country: In March 1945, negotiations between representatives of the London emigration, the Moscow Center (CHR) and the SNS on the composition of the Czechoslovak government and the program of action. The basis is the platform of the HRC. Six parties took part; these forces soon created the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks. Benes accepted the results. Kosice program (promulgated in Kosice). The government that moved there was formed on a parity basis - 4 people from each party. Prime Soc-Dem Fierlinger. The program recognized the identity of the Slovak nation and its equality with the Czechs. Czechoslovakia was proclaimed a state of two equal peoples. There are different forces in the United National Front. The end of the war was preceded by the strengthening of the resistance movement in the Czech lands. May 5th uprising in Prague. The National Committee took over, barricades appeared, and Soviet units came to the aid of the rebels. The rebels have unequal heavy forces, aid is delayed. On May 8, the rebels signed an armistice agreement, according to which the Germans received the right to retreat unhindered, having surrendered all heavy weapons. But they did not carry out everything; they burned and killed the population. On May 9, Soviet help arrived, very opportunely, before they had time to defeat Prague.

29) Poland in the years 2 WW. 1 Sep. 1939 Germany attacked Poland...Sept. 3. English and Franz. declared war on Ger. At Ger. Huge superiority in manpower and technology. Germany struck from Pomerania, East. Prussia, Silesia, Czech Republic and Slovakia. On the 3rd day of the war, the Poles were defeated. 8-27 Sep. - siege of Warsaw. K ser. Sep. It is obvious that Poland lost. In the West “Strange War”. 17 Sep. - USSR invasion of Poland under the pretext of protecting the population of the West. Ukraine and Western Belarus. On the night of 17 to 18 September. The country's civilian and military leadership left Poland. Poland's losses were 65 thousand people killed, 240 thousand in captivity. 28 Sep. Soviet-Ger. signed in Moscow. friendship treaty and borders => territory. partition of Poland => Lithuania in the sphere of interests of Moscow. Hitler dismembered Poland à Western, part of the center. and sowing districts are included in Ger. (10 million people) => there is immediately terror against the Poles... The rest of Poland - General - Governorate with the center in Krakow => terror against the Gypsies and Jews. It was hard for the West too. Ukraine and Western Belarus given over to the Soviets has a class approach (deportation - execution of the bourgeoisie, intelligentsia, wealthy peasantry). In total, about 400 thousand Poles were deported. In 1940, 21,857 Polish officers were shot. In total, during 2 MV. Poland lost approx. 6 million people Polish resistance: 30 Sep. A Polish government was created in Paris. in migration. In 1940 he moved to England. Prime Minister and commander of the troops, Gen. V. Sikorsky. Formed Polish army - 84 thousand soldiers. Already in 1939, on the occupier. ter. the Union of Armed Struggle is created (since 1942 - Home Army) => resistance to the Germans... End of Dec. 1941 - dropped into the occupier. zone Polish communists => 5 Jan. In 1942, the Polish Workers' Party (PWP) was formed. Another center of resistance to the fascists was the creation of the Ludova Guard, from the spring of 1944 - the Ludova Army.

Establishment of dual power: During Operation Bagration, the Red Army reached the state border in 1941. July 21 Sov. The army did not enter. Poland. On the same day, the Polish Committee of National Liberation (PKNO) was created in Moscow -> a government of leftist forces. PCNO announced the government. in England self-proclaimed and guilty of war... Since 1943, the head of the Polish government in England is S. Mikolajczyk. August 1, 1944 - uprising in Warsaw... but there was no help from the Soviets and the Germans drowned the uprising in blood... January 1945 - offensive of the Red Army in Poland => the entire territory of Poland was liberated. The Soviets lost 600 thousand killed.

Participation of Slovakia in the Polish Campaign

According to the German-Slovak agreement concluded on March 23, Germany guaranteed independence and territorial integrity Slovakia, and Bratislava pledged to provide free passage through its territory to German troops and coordinate its foreign policy and development of the armed forces. When developing the Weiss plan (White plan for the war with Poland), the German command decided to attack Poland from three directions: an attack from the north from East Prussia; from German territory through the western border of Poland (main attack); attack of German and allied Slovak troops from the territory of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

At 5 am on September 1, 1939, simultaneously with the advance of the Wehrmacht, the movement of Slovak troops began under the command of the Minister of National Defense, General Ferdinand Chatlos. Thus, Slovakia, together with Germany, became an aggressor country in World War II. Slovak participation in the hostilities was minimal, which was reflected in the losses of the Bernolak field army - 75 people (18 killed, 46 wounded and 11 missing).

Minor fighting fell to the lot of the 1st Slovak Division under the command of General Anton Pulanić. It covered the flank of the advancing German 2nd Mountain Division and occupied the villages of Tatranska Javorina and Yurgov and the city of Zakopane. On September 4-5, the division took part in clashes with Polish troops and, having advanced 30 km, took up defensive positions by September 7. The division was supported from the air by aircraft from the Slovak air regiment. At this time, the 2nd Slovak Division was in reserve, and the 3rd Division of the Slovak Army defended a 170-kilometer section of the border from Stara Lubovna to the Hungarian border. Only on September 11, the 3rd Division crossed the border and occupied part of Polish territory without resistance from the Poles. On October 7, the demobilization of the Bernolak army was announced.

With minimal participation in real hostilities, which was largely due to the rapid defeat and collapse of the Polish armed forces, Slovakia politically won a significant victory. Lands lost during the 1920s and in 1938 were returned.

Slovak Armed Forces against the Red Army

After the end of the Polish campaign, a certain reorganization took place in the Slovak armed forces. In particular, by the beginning of the 1940s, the Air Force disbanded the old squadrons and created new ones: four reconnaissance squadrons - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and three fighter squadrons - 11th, 12th, 13th -I. They were consolidated into three aviation regiments, which were distributed across three regions of the country. Colonel of the General Staff R. Pilfousek was appointed commander of the Air Force. The Slovak Air Force had 139 combat and 60 auxiliary aircraft. Already in the spring, the Air Force was reorganized again: the Air Force Command was established, headed by General Pulanikh. The air force, anti-aircraft artillery and surveillance and communications services were subordinate to the command. One reconnaissance squadron and one air regiment were disbanded. As a result, by May 1, 1941, the Air Force had 2 regiments: the 1st reconnaissance regiment (1st, 2nd, 3rd squadrons) and the 2nd fighter regiment (11th, 12th and 13th squadrons). squadrons).

On June 23, 1941, Slovakia declared war on the USSR, and on June 26, the Slovak Expeditionary Force (about 45 thousand soldiers) was sent to the Eastern Front. Its commander was General Ferdinand Chatlos. The corps was included in Army Group South. It consisted of two infantry divisions (1st and 2nd). The corps was armed mainly with Czechoslovaks. Although during the war the German command made some deliveries of mortars, anti-aircraft, anti-tank and field guns. Due to the lack of vehicles, the Slovak Corps could not maintain the rapid pace of the offensive, unable to keep up with the German troops, so it was tasked with protecting transport communications, important facilities, and destroying remaining pockets of resistance Soviet troops.

The command decided to form a mobile formation from the motorized units of the corps. All mobile units of the corps were brought together into a mobile group, under the command of Major General Augustin Malar (according to other sources, Colonel Rudolf Pilfousek). In the so-called The “fast brigade” included a separate tank (1st and 2nd tank companies, 1st and 2nd companies anti-tank guns), motorized infantry, reconnaissance battalions, artillery battalion, support company and engineer platoon. From the air, the “fast brigade” was covered by 63 aircraft of the Slovak Air Force.

The "fast brigade" advanced through Lviv in the direction of Vinnitsa. On July 8, the brigade was subordinated to the 17th Army. On July 22, the Slovaks entered Vinnitsa and fought their way through Berdichev and Zhitomir to Kyiv. The brigade suffered heavy losses.

In August 1941, on the basis of the “fast brigade”, the 1st Motorized Division (“Fast Division”, Slovak: Rýchla divízia) was formed. It consisted of two infantry regiment incomplete, an artillery regiment, a reconnaissance battalion and a tank company, about 10 thousand people in total (the composition was constantly changing, other units from the corps were attached to the division). The remaining units of the corps became part of the 2nd Security Division (about 6 thousand people). It included two infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, a reconnaissance battalion and an armored car platoon (later transferred to the “Fast Division”). It was stationed on the territory of Western Ukraine in the rear of German troops and was initially engaged in the liquidation of encircled Red Army units, and then in the fight against partisans in the Zhitomir region. In the spring of 1943, the 2nd Security Division was transferred to Belarus, to the Minsk region. The morale of this unit left much to be desired. Punitive actions oppressed the Slovaks. In the fall of 1943, due to increasing cases of desertion (several formations completely went over with weapons to the side of the partisans), the division was disbanded and sent to Italy as a construction brigade.

In mid-September, the 1st Motorized Division was advanced to Kyiv and took part in the assault on the capital of Ukraine. After this, the division was transferred to the reserve of Army Group South. The respite was short-lived and soon Slovak soldiers took part in the battles near Kremenchug, advancing along the Dnieper. Since October, the division fought as part of Kleist's 1st Tank Army in the Dnieper region. The 1st Motorized Division fought near Mariupol and Taganrog, and in the winter of 1941-1942. was located on the border of the Mius River.

Badge of the 1st Slovak Division.

In 1942, Bratislava proposed to the Germans to send the 3rd Division to the front to restore a separate Slovak corps, but this proposal was not accepted. The Slovak command tried to quickly rotate personnel between troops in Slovakia and divisions on the Eastern Front. In general, the tactics of maintaining one elite formation on the front line, the “Fast Division,” were successful until a certain time. The German command spoke well of this formation; the Slovaks proved themselves to be “brave soldiers with very good discipline,” so the unit was constantly used on the front line. The 1st Motorized Division took part in the assault on Rostov, fought in the Kuban, advancing on Tuapse. At the beginning of 1943, the division was headed by Lieutenant General Stefan Jurek.

Bad days came for the Slovak division when a radical turning point occurred in the war. The Slovaks covered the retreat of German troops from the North Caucasus and suffered heavy losses. The “fast division” was surrounded near the village of Saratovskaya near Krasnodar, but part of it managed to break through, abandoning all equipment and heavy weapons. The remnants of the division were airlifted to Crimea, where the Slovaks guarded the shore of Sivash. Part of the division ended up near Melitopol, where it was defeated. More than 2 thousand people were captured and became the backbone of the 2nd Czechoslovak Airborne Brigade, which began to fight on the side of the Red Army.

The 1st Motorized Division, or rather its remnants, was reorganized into the 1st Infantry Division. She was sent to security Black Sea coast. The Slovaks, together with German and Romanian units, retreated through Kakhovka, Nikolaev and Odessa. The morale of the unit fell sharply, and deserters appeared. The Slovak command suggested that the Germans transfer some units to the Balkans or to Western Europe. However, the Germans refused. Then the Slovaks asked to withdraw the division to their homeland, but this proposal was rejected. Only in 1944, the unit was transferred to the reserve, disarmed and sent to Romania and Hungary as a construction team.

When the front approached Slovakia in 1944, the East Slovak Army was formed in the country: the 1st and 2nd infantry divisions under the command of General Gustav Malar. In addition, the 3rd division was formed in Central Slovakia. The army was supposed to support German troops in the Western Carpathians and stop the advance of Soviet troops. However, this army was unable to provide significant assistance to the Wehrmacht. Because of the uprising, the Germans had to disarm most of the formations, and some of the soldiers joined the rebels.

Those landing in Slovakia played a major role in organizing the uprising Soviet groups. Thus, until the end of the war, 53 organizational groups numbering more than 1 thousand people were sent to Slovakia. By mid-1944, two large partisan detachments were formed in the Slovak mountains - Chapaev and Pugachev. On the night of July 25, 1944, a group led by Soviet officer Peter Velichko was dropped in the Kantorska Valley near Ružomberk. It became the basis for the 1st Slovak Partisan Brigade.

The Slovak army at the beginning of August 1944 received an order to conduct an anti-partisan operation in the mountains, but the partisans were warned in advance, having soldiers and officers sympathetic to their cause armed forces. In addition, Slovak soldiers did not want to fight against their compatriots. On August 12, Tiso declared martial law in the country. In the 20th of August, the partisans intensified their activities. Police formations and military garrisons began to come over to their side. The German command, in order not to lose Slovakia, on August 28-29 began the occupation of the country and the disarmament of the Slovak troops (two more construction brigades were created from them). Up to 40 thousand soldiers took part in suppressing the uprising (then the size of the group was doubled). At the same time, Yang Golian gave the order to start the uprising. At the beginning of the uprising, there were about 18 thousand people in the ranks of the rebels; by the end of September, the rebel army already numbered about 60 thousand fighters.

The uprising was premature, because Soviet troops were not yet able to provide significant assistance to the rebels. German troops were able to disarm two Slovak divisions and blocked the Dukel Pass. Soviet units reached it only on September 7. On October 6-9, the 2nd Czechoslovakian parachute brigade was parachuted to help the rebels. By October 17, German troops had driven the rebels out of the most important areas into the mountains. On October 24, the Wehrmacht occupied the centers of concentration of rebel forces - Brezno and Zvolen. On October 27, 1944, the Wehrmacht occupied the “capital” of the rebels - the city of Banska Bystrica and the Slovak uprising was suppressed. At the beginning of November, the leaders of the uprising were captured - divisional general Rudolf Viest and the former chief of staff of the Fast Division, head of the Slovak ground forces Jan Golian. The Germans executed them at the Flossenbürg concentration camp in early 1945. The remnants of the rebel forces continued to resist partisan detachments and as the Soviet troops advanced, they helped the advancing Red Army soldiers.

In the context of the general retreat of the Wehrmacht and its allies, on April 3, the government of the Republic of Slovakia ceased to exist. On April 4, 1945, troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front liberated Bratislava, and Slovakia was again declared part of Czechoslovakia.