Warsaw uprising

Press, 22 April 1986, Page 20

Warsaw uprising

Sir,—Mr Ron Jeffrey’s book “Red Runs the Vistula” perpetuates the myth of Russian betrayal of the Polish uprising in Warsaw in August, 1944. Soviet liberation did not come until six months later — hardly the rapacious conquerors Mr Jeffrey alleges. Russian efforts Jo help the Poles failed because they had been fighting for two months, suffering 288,000 dead in advancing 800 kilometres. One of the few Western correspondents in Russia then, Alexander Worth, confirms this in his book, "Russia at War,” pages 782-790. He quotes two German generals. One, Tippleskirch, said “The Warsaw rising started on August 1 when the strength of the Russian blow had exhausted itself.” Hitler’s top tank commander, Guderian, said: “Our defence halted the Russians rather than a Russian desire to sabotage, the Warsaw uprising, and Russian attempts to seize Warsaw were defeated, despite the Polish uprising, which began too soon.”—Yours, etc., M. T. MOORE. April 15, 1986.