Feast of the Polish Army

Military parade takes place in Warsaw’s main squareIn August 1920, the Battle of Warsaw took place between the Red Army and the Polish Army.

It was a battle near Warsaw between the troops of the Western Front of the Red Army under the command of M.N. Tukhachevsky and the Polish troops of the Middle Fronts - under the command of Marshal J. Pilsudski and the North - under the command of General J. Haller. It lasted from 13 to 16 August.

On the day of the Assumption, August 15, when the Red Army seemed about to break through the defenses of the Poles, the inhabitants of Warsaw made a religious procession, appealing to Our Lady and begging her to save Poland from enemy invasion.

And it was August 15 that during the battle there was a turning point in favor of the Polish Army. Counting on the support of the Polish proletariat (according to the documents of V. I. Lenin), the Red Army was perceived by the Poles as aggressive and, as a result of heavy fighting for both sides, was thrown back from Warsaw. On August 16, 1920, Polish troops went on the offensive.

On this day, it is a state holiday in Poland, everything is closed, and a military parade is held on the main square of Warsaw. There are speeches at rallies, concerts, screenings of films, exhibitions. During the holiday there is a place for folk festivals and thanksgiving prayers, theater productions and dances. The holiday coincides with the religious holiday of the Assumption.