| | The eastern half of Poland known as the Kresy, was annexed into the Soviet republics of Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania. After Germany terminated the Hitler-Stalin pact and invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, Poland was completely occupied by German troops. | | The eastern half of Poland known as the Kresy, was annexed into the Soviet republics of Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania. After Germany terminated the Hitler-Stalin pact and invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, Poland was completely occupied by German troops. |
| − | The Poles formed an underground resistance movement and a government in exile, first in [[Paris]] and later in [[London]], which was recognized by the Western powers (the USA, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union). During World War II, 400,000 Poles fought in the [[Polish Peoples Army]] under Soviet command, whereas 200,000 served in the [[Polish Home Army]] in underground resistance in Poland, North Africa, Italy, and the Western front and remained loyal to the Free Polish government in exile. | + | The Poles formed an underground resistance movement and a government in exile, first in [[Paris]] and later in [[London]], which was recognized by the Western powers (the USA, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union). During World War II, 400,000 Poles fought in the [[Polish Peoples Army]] under Soviet command, whereas 200,000 served in the [[Polish Home Army]] in underground resistance in Poland, North Africa, Italy, and the Western front and remained loyal to the Free Polish government in exile. Despite this, anti-Poles have falsely claimed that Poles collaborated with Germany.<ref>Cummings McLean, Dorothy (February 14, 2019). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/anti-polish-hatred-should-have-no-place-in-american-media Anti-Polish hatred should have no place in American media]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved February 15, 2019.</ref> |
| | After the German military announced that they had discovered mass graves of murdered Polish army officers at [[Katyn]] in April 1943, the Soviet Union broke relations with the Polish government in exile. The Soviets claimed that the Poles had insulted them by requesting that the [[Red Cross]] investigate these reports. In July 1944, the Soviet Red Army entered Poland and established a communist-controlled "Polish Committee of National Liberation" (PKWN) at Lublin. | | After the German military announced that they had discovered mass graves of murdered Polish army officers at [[Katyn]] in April 1943, the Soviet Union broke relations with the Polish government in exile. The Soviets claimed that the Poles had insulted them by requesting that the [[Red Cross]] investigate these reports. In July 1944, the Soviet Red Army entered Poland and established a communist-controlled "Polish Committee of National Liberation" (PKWN) at Lublin. |