Kraków Army

Kraków Army ( _pl. Armia Kraków) was one of the Polish armies to take part in the Polish Defensive War of 1939. It was officially created on March 23, 1939 as the main pivot of Polish defence. It was commanded by Gen. Antoni Szylling.

Tasks

Its main task was to delay advancing German troops and withdraw eastwards along the northern line of the Carpathians and defend the heavily industrialized Upper Silesia region.

Operational history

During the war it was forced to retreat when German push penetrated Polish defences to the north and flanked it. It tried to organize lines of defense on the rivers of Nida, Dunajec and later, San. Later in the course of war it joined the "Armia Karpaty", forming the "Małopolska Army". Together they fought at the first battle of Tomaszów Lubelski (September 17-20), capitulating afterwards.

Organization

The Army was commanded by general Antoni Szylling; his chief of staff was colonel S. Wiloch.

It consisted of five infantry divisions, one mountain brigade, one motorized cavalry brigade, one mountain brigade and one cavalry brigade.

References

*pl icon [http://portalwiedzy.onet.pl/53777,,,,armie_i_samodzielne_grupy_operacyjne_wojska_polskiego_1939,haslo.html Armie i samodzielne grupy operacyjne Wojska Polskiego 1939] WIEM Encyklopedia

Further reading

*pl icon cite book | author =Władysław Steblik | coauthors =Eugeniusz Kozłowski | title =Armia "Kraków" 1939 | year = | editor = | pages =775 | chapter = | chapterurl = | publisher =Wojskowy Instytut Historyczny, Ministry of National Defence Press | location =Warsaw | id =ISBN 8311074348| url = | format = | accessdate =

ee also