Lances vs tanks - the fairy tale

[Hetman]

On Monday I saw an american TV documentary. I was stunned when I heard
the old propaganda tale about Polish uhlans fighting German tanks with lances and sabres.

That's I post this.


The saddest thing about this fairy tale is that quite many Poles believed in this propaganda bull****, even one of the greatest Polish directors Andrzej Wajda had to ( was persuaded) recreate this in "Lotna".

THE REAL SOURCE of this legend is the event which happened on the 2nd September 1939. The Polish cavalry brigade ( called "Pomorze" or Pomerania) was ordered to stop German 2nd Infantry Division (Mechanized Infantry - most were not). One of cavalry regiment charged a battalion of infantry at Krojanty. They crushed the unit and the terriffied Germans fled, but while the horsemen were regrouping they were assaulted by german armoured vehicles. The Poles retreated suffering severe losses. On the bright side after the charge THE WHOLE German division refused to move for two days - they were really shocked.
During the war Polish cavalry units were elite, which could be compared to paratroopers and fought wery efficiently, many times stopping much larger enemy ( German or Soviet) forces.
The fairy tale was created by Goebbels to humiliate the Poles during the war and was used to offend pre-wartime Poland during the Communist regime.

In reality most of cavalry units fought very good, one even stopped German XVIth corps ( 1st and 4th Armoured Divisions) for two days at Mokra on 1-2nd September destroying many tanks and other vehicles.
Even famous cavalry charges were so efficient that the Germans feared these for the whole 1939 campaign - no soldier wants to be cut with sabres

BTW - Polish army used lances in 1919-20 war against Russia for the last time.

Do You know any different widely known propaganda lies ?

Regards Hetman/Cegorach http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[Nelson]

The idea that American forces defeated the British in the War for Independence by standing behind trees and rocks is very widespread and equally bogus.

The myth says that stupid Brits stood in lines in the open like sardines in a can while clever Yanks blasted them from cover. The truth is that American forces fought as conventionally as Crown forces, marching around in columns and lines and firing smooth bore musket volleys, using artillery and launching cavalry charges. There certainly was irregular warfare during the conflict but the pitched battles between regular troops featured straight up 18th linear tactics including by the book sieges.

[Crimson Castle]

Well there's Bunker Hill. - add on - The British were silly enough to charge up the hill several times in open view.

[Suppiluliumas]

There wasn't much unconventional about the defense of Breed's Hill if I'm not mistaken. The one exception that springs to mind immediately is Concord, but on the whole, major battles were decided out in the open.

[PanzerJaeger]

How do we know the story about the Cavalry charge isnt just polish propaganda?? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Ironside]

That people commited suecide in drows on the market crash at the beginning of the great depression.

The myth appearently started when a worker climbed up on one of the houses on Wall Street, during lunchtime on "black Thursday" to do some repairments. The crowd below thought he was suecide jumper and soon the rumors had started.

[Longshanks]

Quote[/b] (Nelson @ May 26 2004,15:58)]The idea that American forces defeated the British in the War for Independence by standing behind trees and rocks is very widespread and equally bogus.

The myth says that stupid Brits stood in lines in the open like sardines in a can while clever Yanks blasted them from cover. The truth is that American forces fought as conventionally as Crown forces, marching around in columns and lines and firing smooth bore musket volleys, using artillery and launching cavalry charges. There certainly was irregular warfare during the conflict but the pitched battles between regular troops featured straight up 18th linear tactics including by the book sieges.
Some other myths surrounding the American Revolution, but from the other side of the pond:

~Only 2nd rate units were sent to the colonies

~Most of the British Army in the colonies were actually Hessians

~The British lost to Europeans, not Americans. (ignores quite a few losses to the rebels, including the complete loss of Burgoyne's army to the rebels at Saratoga prior to French intervention)

[Kaiser of Arabia]

Actually, the brits really lost because of the french.

You see, without the french navy and army at yorktown, cornwallis could have held out for another week or so, long enough for the reinforcements under Sir Henry Clinton (General) arrived from NY to mop the floor with the americans.

Here's another myth:
The british were slaughtered in teh Revolutionary War (hear that alot),
Fact is more Americans died than Britsh.

Also, Alot of the troops in America were Hessian, but i wouldn't say more than 25%. The rest were infantrymen or dragoons.

-Capo

[Cebei]

Ah remember? We made this discussion before.. But it appears, some Poles believe in this propaganda too, unfortunately.

[Auxilia]

Speaking of Poland, I'm sure I read somewhere that the one dedicated Polish armoured division gave their German counterparts something of a hammering until the Luftwaffe made it's prescence felt - would have made a far more positive tale to tell really.