Figure 1.--Here are some of the Polish insurgents that waged the Third Silesian Rising in 1921. They helped settle the border with Germany and ensured that Upper Silesia would become part of Poland. "

Europe before World War I was domnated by four great empires (Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottokan, and Russian). The disolution if these empires ineviably mean major border issues. n a comolicatingbfactor that within large empires there would be more mixing of popoulatins than would be the case among samll nation states. As a newly constituted country after a century and a half of foreign control, borders began a huge issue. The major problem was the eastern border with the new Soviet Union and the eastern border with Germany. This meant one of many episode resulting from the country's major geograophic dilemma--being located between the two European giants--Germany and Russia. The Allies and the League of Nations could help mediate the German border. Poland would be on its own with the Soviet border. These were the major border poblems, but there were also issues with Liuanians in the north and Czechs in th south. The shorter Latvin and Romania borders were solved without major incident.

Eastern Border: War with the Bolshevicks (1919-21)

The Poles had moved quickly in the east, engaging the Bolsheviks in Lithuanian and Belorussia. They captured a primary objective--Vilna (April 19, 1919). The League's answer was the Curzon Line (December 8, 1919). This would have left most etnic Poles with in the boundaries of the new Republic. It did not, however, satisfy the Poles. They wanted the pre-partition boundaries even though the population beyond the Curzon Line was mixed with many non-Poles, including many Ukrainians, Belorussians, and Lithuanians. The Poles demanded that the Bolsheviks negotiated a new border well east of the Curzon Line (March 1920). Negotiations got nowhere. Poland declared war (April 25). The Poles with French assistance moved east, even taking Kiev in the Ukraine (May 8). The Bolsheviks launched a counter offensive (June) and drove the Poles back almost to Warsaw. At that point the Franco-Polish Army struck back and defeated the Bolsheviks in several sharp engagements. The two sides reached a cease fire (October 12, 1920). A factor here was the Civil War in Russia and the Bolsheviks need to end the war with Poland so they could focus in the White armies. The Treaty of Riga confirmed Polish possession of large areas in the east beyond the Curzon Line (March 18, 1921).

Western Border: Germany (1919-22)

Germany's borders became an issue at the Versailles Peace Conference after World War I. The Western border was fairly simple. France got Alsace-Loraine back and Belgium a few towns. The German eastern border was far more complicated. The Allies as they worked on the Versailles Peace Trearty were amenasble to Germany losing territiry in the East to the new Polish republic. This included land east of the Oder River. The population of eastern Germany was mixed with some areas having Polish majorities. It was not only a matter of the nationality of residents. National viability was a factor. The Polish Corridor was created to give the new country access to the sea. Silesia was a particularly difficult issue because the population was mixed. Prussia obtained Silesia and its largely Polish population in the Polish Partitions (18th century). As part of Prussia/Germany's Germanization pro=cess, many cities acquired majority German populations. Upper Silesia wihits industry and resources became a major issue. Early drafts of the Treaty assigned Upper Silesia to Poland. The new Polish Republic expected to get Silesia wihout question because of the largely Polish population. Despite the largely Polish population, this sent shock waves through Germany. The Germans came up with the argument that they would be unable to pay the huge war reparations without the income from this valuable province. The Allies decided that in accordance with President Wilson's Fourteen Points decided to democratically detrmine the pricess with a mandated plebiscite to be taken in 2 years time. They left German administration and police in place. The decision disappointed Polish Government which expected to recieve the Silesian territories with a Polish majority east of the Oder River as well as the Poles involved hoping to join Poland. The result was 3 years of low-scale war.

Created: 12:59 AM 8/27/2021
Last updated: 1:00 AM 8/27/2021