Miracle on the Vistula 1920 – Part 2

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

In mid-August, 1920, the Soviets’ Red Army objective was Warsaw as the bridge to all of Europe. At first there was little the Poles could do to stop them. Delaying actions were overwhelmed by the aggressors. The first real defense was made at the small town of Radzymin just 20 kilometers from the Capital. The defense would be made heroically by raw recruits of the university students and boy scouts! After changing hands three times during the battle, the defenders were overwhelmed and slaughtered by the Soviets’ superior numbers of men and material. Yet their sacrifice would not be in vain since it gave the regular army time to put into effect the master plan of Marshal Jozef Pilsudski.

While the people of Poland prayed in their Churches and in the streets with Eucharistic processions and supplication to the Blessed Virgin Mary to protect their homeland, two events gave their defenders a crucial advantage against the overwhelming onslaught: the capture of a Soviet communication station and the deciphering of the Soviet communication code. While the Poles learned of the Soviets battle plans, Pilsudski devised a counterattack against their flanks to disrupt and overwhelm them. At the same time, the Soviets’ communication was effectively interrupted while the Poles jammed them by continually ciphering the Book of Genesis!

Hence, a new defensive line was established just east of Radzymin at Ossow where the young Polish volunteers with Ukrainian and Lithuanian allies made their last stand, while the Polish regular army and cavalry advanced from the south and the north in a pincer movement to surround the advancing Soviets on their flanks and rear. The battle was brutal and desperate at the line of Ossow but, when the cavalry units of the Poles attacked their rear, the Soviets broke and ran in complete disarray giving the Poles a decisive victory! Warsaw and all of Poland had been saved from the Soviet threat.

The day of the victory was August 15th, 1920! The victory was called the “Miracle on the Vistula” and was attributed to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. A national holiday was declared to thank her and to honor the Polish military. The Boy Scouts who sacrificed their young lives in the defense of Poland were given a special memorial, as well as the young priest, Fr. Ignacy Skorupka.

In the spiritual battles against secularism of our own times, let us remember the Poles of 1920 and turn with peace in our hearts to the Blessed Virgin Mary whose entrance into Heaven, where she continues to intercede for us to the Lord, we celebrate on the Feast of the Assumption!