Battle of Wilno (1939)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Wilno


caption=
partof=Invasion of Poland
date=September 18 – September 19, 1939
place=Wilno, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania)
result=Soviet victory
combatant1=
combatant2=
commander1=
commander2=
strength1=2 cavalry divisions
3 armoured brigades
strength2=10 infantry battalions
(6,500 men)
18-22 guns (including AA guns)
~40 MGs
casualties1=Soviet counts:
13 killed
24 wounded
5 BT tanks destroyed
1 BA-10 armored car destroyed
3 other AFVs damaged
casualties2=Unknown|

Battle of Wilno (Vilnius, Vilna) was one of the major battles during the Soviet invasion of Poland that accompanied the larger German invasion. During the days of 18-19 September, the Soviet forces approached and took over the major city of Wilno. The Polish forces in the area were relatively weak and the Polish commanders, unsure whether to actively oppose the Soviets, did not utilise the full defensive capabilities of the town and nearby fortified areas, although the outcome of the battle could not be any different, given the overwhelming Soviet numerical superiority.

Prelude

Wilno, capital of the Wilno Voivodship, was an important industrial centre in the north-eastern part of Poland and the sixth largest city in that country at that time. Administratively a part of the Grodno-based "III Military Corps Area" under Józef Olszyna-Wilczyński, it was one of also an important garrison and a mobilization centre. In the pre-war period the city housed the entire Polish 1st Legions' Infantry Division, as well as the headquarters and the 4th Uhlans Regiment of the Wileńska Cavalry Brigade. The air cover was provided by the majority of the 5th Air Regiment stationed at the nearby airfield of Porubanek (modern Kirtimai). In addition, the city of Vilna was a mobilization centre of the 35th Reserve Infantry Division.

Already before the outbreak of the war, the 1st Division had been secretly mobilized and sent towards Różan in northern Mazovia. The Wileńska Cavalry Brigade soon followed and in the first days of September 1939 left the city for Piotrków Trybunalski. The air assets were attached to Modlin Army and the Narew Group fighting against the German units trying to break through from East Prussia. By September 7 the 35th Division was fully mobilized and transported to Lvov (modern Lviv, Ukraine) and the city was left defenceless.

Military commander of the city, colonel Jarosław Okulicz-Kozaryn, decided that in case of attack by German or Soviet forces, he has insufficient forces for successful defence, and thus his task can be only to allow civilians to evacuate to neutral Lithuania (this was also supposed, albeit not very clearly, by general Józef Olszyna-Wilczyński, commander of the 3rd military district Wilno was in).

On 17 September, the city had 14 000 soldiers and militia volunteers, but only 6 500 were armed. Before the battle, the numbers of armed soldiers rose slightly as some disorganized formation trickled in, while the number of unarmed volunteers decreased, as col. Okulicz-Kozaryn ordered unarmed volunteers not to participate in any hostilities. Before the Soviets arrived, the Polish forces formed about 10 infantry battalions, supported by ~15 light artillery and anti-tank pieces, and ~5 anti-aircraft. The defenders had about 40 machine guns.

On 18 September, commander of the Belarusian Front, Comandarm Mikhail Kovalyov, ordered the capture of Wilno by groups of 3rd and 11th Army. 3rd Group delegated 24 Cavalry Division, and 22 and 25 Armor Divisions under Combrig Pyotr Akhlyustin to advance from north-east, and 11th Army delegated 36 Cavalry Division and 6 Armor Division under Combrig Semyon Zybin to advance from south east. The task was to secure the city on the same day - by the evening of 18 September, but due to logistical difficulties and overestimation of Polish defences, the operation was revised with the goal of securing the city by the morning of the 19 September.

Battle

On 18 September, around 1700, col. Okulicz-Kozaryn received reports of Soviet forces approaching from Oszmiana (today, Ashmyany). Those forces consisted of armored scouts and have engaged Polish infantry units on their approaches. Col. Okulicz-Kozaryn than ordered all units to fall back toward the Lithuanian border, and Korpus Ochrony Pogranicza units, as the most experienced, were to screen the retreat. Podpułkownik (lt. col.) Podwysocki was dispatched to inform the Soviets that Polish forces don't intend to defend Wilno, but was shot at and retreated behind the Polish lines. As col. Okulicz-Kozaryn has already left the city, lt. col. Podwysocki decided to defend the city, even though much of the forces previously in the city have left with col. Okulicz-Kozaryn.

The first Soviet attack on the evening of the 18 September was repulsed by the Polish defenders. Subsequently Soviets continued to push into the city, and increasingly surrounding the city. By the end of the day the Soviets have secured the airfield, and made several headways into the city, taking the Rasos Cemetery.

By the morning of 19 September the advanced Soviet armor units have been reinforced with infantry and cavalry. The Polish defenders delayed Soviet advance, particularly by holding the bridges, but later that day the poorly coordinated Polish defence has collapsed and Soviet took control of the city.

Aftermath

Polish units have either surrendered, or withdrawn, disorganized, towards the Lithuanian border or deeper into Poland.The Soviets gave Wilno(Vilnius later) to Lithuania, who themselves were invaded a year later.

The Wilno defence has been criticized by some historians, who point out that if properly organized, the Polish forces should have been able to hold onto Wilno and delay the Soviets by several days, similar to the defence of Grodno (in which some units which withdrew from Wilno took part). Nonetheless this could have been only a symbolic defence, as the Polish forces had no real way of stopping the overwhelming Soviet advance.

References

*Czesław Grzelak, Wilno-Grodno-Kodziowce 1939, Warszawa 2002.

Further reading

*Czesław Grzelak, Wilno 1939, Warszawa 1993,
*Lech Iwanowski, Wilnianie we wrześniu 1939 r.: prolog epopei, Bydgoszcz 2000.