Battle of Warsaw/Miracle at the Vistula in Poland

Which of the following do you consider the most factual book related to the ' Battle of Warsaw/Miracle at the Vistula, ' ?

Zamoyski

Warsaw 1920: Lenin's Failed Conquest of Europe

Davies

White Eagle, Red Star: The Polish-Soviet War 1919-1920 and The Miracle on the Vistula

Hi Wedle. I havent read Zamoyski but I read Davies book many years ago, and, as usual with Davies, found it an excellent read. If you're aware of Davies work, you'll know that he writes in an imaginative style, whereas Zamoyski seems slightly drier and more prosaic. Either way, I'm sure you won't go wrong with either author in terms of accuracy.

Is there anything specific you wish to know about the Battle of Warsaw? If it's anything battle related, I can try and ask my dad, whose dad, uncles and removed cousin all fought in it and related some stories to him (think I posted a piccie on PF of the three of them taken shortly after the battle).

I've always been interested in this battle on the grounds that it was the last large scale cavalry battle in Europe, and of course the Poles beat the Muscovites hordes. What's your interest in it?

Cheers Dan

I will be in the UK next week and I am looking for some books on 20th century Polish history for my godson, he is 17, a complete History of Poland (Davies) is too comprehensive,the books I have chosen on my shortlist are as follows:

White Eagle, Red Star: The Polish-Soviet War 1919-1920 and The Miracle on the Vistula or Warsaw 1920: Lenin's Failed Conquest of Europe
Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin Timothy Snyder
No Greater ally Kenneth K Koskodan

Is there a second edition of
White Eagle, Red Star: The Polish-Soviet War 1919-1920 and The Miracle on the Vistula?

Whilst it doesn't exclusively deal with the C20, "Heart of Europe" by Davies is essentially an abridged version of God's Playground and seems to borrow heavily on the salient parts. I'd recommend that as it's about 350 pages and a good read.

I've also read Lukowski (Liberty's Folly - more to do with C17) but I think he has a general history of Poland as well in another work.

I haven't heard of the other books you've cited but they sound interesting.

I'm not sure if there's a 2nd edition of WERS. The one I had was a beat up old paperback. I'll try and find it.

Have you thought of also giving him Michener's "Poland" - a work of fiction based on 'fact', but a good read nonetheless and it'll probably whet his appetite for other works.

Cheers.

The original was written about 30-35 years ago, I read somewhere a revised edition had been released


I will read some reviews on the above and maybe I can find a couple of pages on line to get a brief, thanks for the feedback any other ides I am all ears,

I think you're right. Davies in Rising 44 (Notes) refers to a new edition to be published in 2003.


I'll try and dig out an essay I did at Uni in the 90's as it had a bibliography with a lot of different authors/works. Can't guarantee I'll find it in time for you though but I'll try. Alexander(?) Giesztor rings a bell as being another author who wrote a fairly good history, though I think this was published back in the 1960's.

Hi Wedle,

I'm sorry but I couldn't find the bibliography and can't help any further with other works. All the best.

Ozi Dan, thanks for your efforts, I picked up the books delivered them to him, I finally went with:

1. Warsaw 1920 Lenin's failed conquest of Europe - Adam Zamoyski
2. Bloodlands Europe between Hitler and Stalin- Timothy Snyder.

and a must read

3. Mila 18 - Leon Uris.

Thanks once again.

Really did not like that one myself.

However, Bloodlands is very much on the list of things to read.

does not 'Bloodlands' cover the later times like 1937-1953 - it's what professional reviews state on the internet

1933-1944, as far as I know. But still well worth reading. Mila 18, from memory, has very little to say about the Battle of Warsaw.

Absolutely nothing to say about the Battle of Warsaw,its about the Warsaw Ghetto, as I mentioned earlier I bought some books for my friends 17 year old son to get an understanding of Poland around the war period.

Merged:

A project of Battle of Warsaw 1920 monument

I think that Triumphal arch would be a better option

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