Distributed by the Polonia Media Network

PART 1

The following material is published with permission of Michael C. Krupinsky, the talented creator of a website at http://www.HallersArmy.com designed by him in tribute to the Blue Army of General Jozef Haller. It has been adapted for publication.

They were patriotic son’s of Poland; volunteers fighting in the Polish Army in France in WWI for the dream of Poland.

They came to be known by a few different names: "The Haller Army or Haller’s Army" after their eventual commander, General Jozef Haller (the former leader of Pilsudski’s II Legion,) the Blue Army after the horizon blue French uniforms they wore, and also as the Polish Legion in France.

Theirs was the first free Polish Army since General Henryk Dabrowski and the Polish Legions fought under Napoleon. They followed a long proud tradition of Poles joining and valiantly fighting in the French army. These men who fought from their hearts, for the dream of an independent Poland.

It is estimated that around 20-25,000 Polish men from North America volunteered and fought in France as part of the Polish Army. The recruits from America were recent immigrants who had not yet become American citizens. From Pittsburgh to Chicago and Worcester to Omaha these young Polish men came to the assistance of their homeland eager to contribute in any way they could. Many even lied about their age just to be able to join and fight for Poland.

They were outfitted with French uniforms and equipment, and trained at Niagara on the Lake in Canada. Upon arriving in France they were combined with Polish POWs from France and Italy (Poles had been conscripted and forced to fight in various armies in WWI,) and Polish units already fighting in the French Army with the Legion d’Etrangere, who were known as the Bayonne Legion. Initially they fought under the French, but by the end of the war they were recognized as an independent allied army with their own Polish leadership.

These great Poles all proudly served under their general, Jozef Haller, and proved themselves more than worthy in battles from Champagne through the end of WWI, all the way to Ukraine in the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1920.

Their story is amazing, yet now barely known.

A monumental goal: to aid in an allied/entente victory and also help Poland become independent again. Against great odds, they succeeded! They were proud Poles who felt the duty to do their part. Some paid with their lives, some remained in Poland, after the fighting ended most returned to America to continue their "American dream." Unfortunately, their story faded away too quickly. It is in their memory and the memory of their deeds that this work is dedicated.

They were sons of Poland.

The blood running through their veins was Polish and without a doubt their hearts belonged to Poland. They had moved to America to pursue a better life, one of economic and social freedom. But, they never forgot their homeland and its struggle for freedom.

Poland was a former country now divided and ruled by her enemies. She had the second democratic constitution in the world (based on the one of the United States) created on May 3, 1791. She had been partitioned three times since 1772 and now Austria, Prussia and Russia occupied her territories.

As WWI broke out and raged on , Poland sat partitioned and occupied. Poland had once been a great independent nation but was now run by her enemies. Many Poles were conscripted into fighting ... on both sides of the conflict.

Her sons long had sought a way to bring independence back to Poland. With World War I a time of opportunity was at hand--as all her enemies were fighting each other.

There were a number of Polish patriotic organizations across the world who were working for an independent Poland, each in different manners. In France, Roman Domowski, the leader of the far right National Democratic Party, was actively pursuing this by way of allegiance with the triple entente--especially Russia. His Polish National Committee wanted to be the new government of Poland after WWI was over. They felt that Germany was the greatest enemy to Poland, and therefore tried to become allies with Russia and work for a sovereign Poland under Russia.

This was greatly at odds with Jozef Pilsudski, who in Poland had been forming his "riflemen" as a precursor to a Polish army. His hope was that the fighting of WWI would weaken Poland’s enemies and his men would be able to liberate Poland. Opposite Roman Domowski, he felt that Russia was Poland’s greatest enemy and therefore used the Austrian’s liberal policies to his advantage. His three Polish Legions fought on the side of the Austrians initially, but eventually refused to take an oath of allegiance to them.

For this the 1st and 3rd Legions were interned for the remaining portion of the war. Pilsudski himself was held in Magdeburg castle. The 2nd Legion tried to switch sides and go over to the Russians. They suffered heavy losses in the process and were no longer a significant fighting force. Their leader was Jozef Haller. He would eventually make his way to France and lead the new Polish army there.

Famed Polish pianist Ignacy Paderewski traveled extensively promoting the idea of an independent Poland to anyone who would listen. Among his goals was for a free Polish Army fighting for the Entente. His fame and hard work brought much attention to the plight of the Poles, especially from then President Woodrow Wilson, who eventually became an important ally.

In America, organizations such as the Polish Falcons of America continued the Polish tradition of patriotic organizations focused on the independence of Poland. The Falcons drew immigrants together for the sake of keeping ties with their heritage and their homeland, as well as keeping physically fit. They had long hoped for an opportunity to fight for an independent Poland and often conducted paramilitary training while they were biding their time.

After many failed attempts, their opportunity arose when on June 4, 1917, France issue a decree for the creation of a Polish army on its territory. The army was to be made up of Poles living in Western Europe, POW’s from the war and Polish immigrants from America. The longtime association of Polish fighters and the French Army would be continued. Word was quickly spread and a recruiting and training organizations were rapidly established across the United States.

On the surface its goal was to aid in an allied/entente victory. The larger goal was to help Poland regain her independence once the war was over. With this dream of independence, Polish men came from across the world to fight in France for her. The majority of these recruits came from North America, South America and Europe.

Some 20,000 polish immigrants from North America heeded the call of their homeland and volunteered to fight in the Polish Army in France [Armia Polska we Francji]. The Polish Falcons of America were instrumental in both the recruiting and training process. They had already established an informal officer’s training school in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania.

They eventually contributed around a third of the total recruits. These recruits from America were combined with volunteers from other places like South America, as well as with Polish POWs in France and Italy. They were then combined with the various Polish units already fighting in France, primarily the Bayonne Legion which was attached to the French Foreign Legion.

Together they comprised the first free Polish Army since General Henryk Dabrowski and the Polish Legions fought under Napoleon over 100 years previously. They would be instrumental in helping achieve an independent Poland!

They fought in France in the late stages of the war in a number of battles. When the war was over they were eventually put on trains and transported across Germany to Poland. There they were instrumental in helping to win the Polish Soviet war of 1919-1920, cementing Poland’s independence for another 19 years.