Hello all, I was wondering, what if the RAF had kept No 303 squadron after 1945? You see My idea was for there to be a genuine attempt by a post war British government to make up, in some small way, for the failure to defend Poland post 1945. For example allowing the creation of Polish regiments, similar to the Gurkha's, within the British army, perhaps even unofficially allowing Britain to become a haven for free Poles and the creation of a "little Poland" district in London.
Poles and the British Military
- Thread starter Luath
- Start date
A lot of Poles and Czechoslovaks stayed to serve in RAF after WWII. But not in seprate, national units. Fore example some of Czechoslovak were readmitted back after communist take over in 1948 and their re emigration to Britain. Of course some of them had British wives.
But to keep Polish squadron running all this years after war? You may have a problem with personnel, even when Poles (and in some extend Czechoslovak) had huge diaspora. Biggest one in USA, but they were already US citizens and served, if interested in USAF.
But to keep Polish squadron running all this years after war? You may have a problem with personnel, even when Poles (and in some extend Czechoslovak) had huge diaspora. Biggest one in USA, but they were already US citizens and served, if interested in USAF.
I can not see British people agreeing to it. Oficially the war was won and the Poles were able to return to their homeland, right? Nobody wanted to hear that they would be imprisoned or even killed by the communist government. Not after 4 years of pro-Soviet propaganda and 2 years of criticizing the Poles for even mentioning the possibility the Katyń massacre had been committed by the Soviets. British people didn't want to hear that their faithfull ally was forced to become Soviet satelite. Britain was exhausted and did not want to engage in a new conflict, even only a political one. And Soviets and Polish communist government would have reacted very aggressivly against making a kind of "Polish Legion" in Britain accusing the British of preparing for WW3.
There were also economical reasons. The Poles who remained in Britain IOTL were often ostracised and criticized because they competed for jobs with the British. And British economy was in bad shape.
There were also economical reasons. The Poles who remained in Britain IOTL were often ostracised and criticized because they competed for jobs with the British. And British economy was in bad shape.
Yes, but is their anyway that can be changed post 1945? Also I don't think the British were that soviet friendly and why would the Soviets be so up in arms of a Polish Legion, even an unofficial one? I mean what the British Armed forces do is what the British Armed forces do.
There was a hell of a lot of anti-Polish racism post-1945 and they were not even invited to the Victory Parade. Poles trying to find work in the UK found it hard, facing a great deal of opposition from the Trade Unions and the Left in Britain in general.
There is a telling given bit of advice given to Poles that they should not try to work any harder than their British counterparts. Indeed I have read of two Poles being made redundant because they were producing as much stuff in a week as the Brits were doing in a month and it was breeding resentment.
IIRC the Soviets did accuse Britain of creating a Polish and Czech legion. However my reading of the time is that the British government couldn't get rid of the Eastern European servicemen fast enough.
We were friendly enough with them to sell them Rolls Royce Nene jet engines, copies of which powered the Mig-15.
MSZ
Banned
You would probably have to take out Churchil and replace him with someone with a more backbone, being able to stand up to Stalin rather than folding to his demands. After all, what would it cost Britain to support the Poles and Czechoslovaks? What could Stalin do to threaten London into accepting the Communist governments as legitimate? It is not like there were any massive trades going on or Stalin would be marching further west into Europe or south into Persia. If Britain had more backbone, it could simply not recognize the communist governments and keep the Poles around. Do what Napoleon did, send them to fight colonial wars for th UK for example. It would only be a matter of choice. Poland was sacrificed in the name of "good future relations" which never came - if someone else was in charge in London, they could easily predict that those "good relations" would not come, and the USSR has nothing to offer to Britain in return for recognizing its puppet governments.
An interesting way would be for a UK - Polish/Czechoslovak govenrments in exile deal to be made regarding the transfer of some British LoN mandate (say Togoland) to them. After the war the government of exile moves there, the soldiers are forced out there, they Poles/Czechs/Slovaks fight colonial wars with locals officially in the name of their governments, but de facto for London.
From Moscow's friends in the British Left it seems. I've read some of what Trade Union leaders said about Poles at the time and it was some of the most appalling racism and xenophobia I've ever come across.
Some Brits seems to very quickly forget the debt owed to Poles who fought for their freedom.
The British Left and the British Establishment should be ashamed of the way the Poles were treated. Labelling them as fascists in 1945 was something almost guaranteed to result in poor treatment by the population at large.
Thankfully from anecdotal experience most people were very welcoming to the Poles and other Eastern Europeans.
We read a lot today about the need for immigrants to assimilate and the Poles did that all right. Perhaps sadly they assimilated so much that the wartime generation almost gave up their identity in order to become British. Many simply decided that Poland was from another time and another place, and should not be spoken of any more.
Take me for example, a third generation Pole on my Father's side. I can't speak Polish and I'm completely Scottish/British in terms of culture and outlook.
Thankfully from anecdotal experience most people were very welcoming to the Poles and other Eastern Europeans.
We read a lot today about the need for immigrants to assimilate and the Poles did that all right. Perhaps sadly they assimilated so much that the wartime generation almost gave up their identity in order to become British. Many simply decided that Poland was from another time and another place, and should not be spoken of any more.
Take me for example, a third generation Pole on my Father's side. I can't speak Polish and I'm completely Scottish/British in terms of culture and outlook.