History /
WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [900]
Thank you dolnoslask for a touching post. I am English with no blood ties to Poland, but have long been fascinated by Poland and European history. I am 58, grew up in England and now early retired in France. My father was just too young for service in WW2, sadly his older brothers were not. I can remember him saying often how many English people acknowledge and regret the bravery and suffering of Poland for 50 years from 1939 to 1989.
To the Poles who say Britain did nothing, I say you are wrong. A quick look at the map shows that there was little that could be done in 1939, but what did happen was that belatedly Britain and France realised that there was only one way to stop Nazi Germany and went to war, despite neither being prepared fully for it and suffering as a result. If only Churchills warnings had been listened to, and we had had a couple more years to prepare then things might have been different.
By 1945 Britain was no longer a truly world leading power, she was broke, battered and tired. The was no appetite and no support from the US to liberate what we call eastern Europe from the USSR, and Britain did not have the means to do it even if it wanted to. I remember weeping (at the age of 32) when the wall came down in 1989, and again in 2004 when many former eastern bloc states joined the EU. At the age of 58 I have not been conscripted, I have not witnessed a major war in Europe and for that I am truly grateful.
To Poland now I would say embrace your democracy and defend it against any from the right or left who do not respect it, cherish your membership of the EU, play your full part, your history has shown you have much to contribute to Europe and the world and most importantly of all, forgive even if you cannot forget. Here, in a small town in France we have May 8th as a bank holiday, this year the mayor of the German twin town was invited to speak, she referred to here country in its dark days always as "Nazi Germany", not Germany. Perhaps it will take another generation or two to truly forgive, the elderly French here do not forgive but France has learned to cooperate with the new Germany.
