TEMPEST

TEMPEST, codename of the Polish Home Army's uprising against the Germans which started in January 1944. Its objective was to maintain Polish autonomy from the USSR, whose troops were entering Poland, and to counter propaganda that it was the Red Army alone that was freeing Poland from occupation.

On orders from General Sosnkowski, the Polish C-in-C in London, the Home Army (see Poland, 4) offered military co-operation with the advancing Red Army against the retreating Germans, while resisting any efforts to infringe Polish independence.

Militarily, TEMPEST could be counted a success, even though the Warsaw rising of August 1944, which was part of it, failed. The Home Army inflicted heavy losses on the retreating Germans, captured valuable equipment, and liberated several cities such as Lublin and Lwów. But politically it was not a success. It failed either to pressure Stalin to recognize the Polish government-in-exile in London (see Poland, 2(e)), or to strengthen the hand of those negotiating with Moscow. In the Polish province of Volhynia Home Army units did at first work successfully with the Red Army, but at Wilno they were arrested. Whatever the initial reaction the end result was the same: any agreements were always abrogated by the commanders of NKVD units which replaced Red Army ones and Home Army commanders were shot or imprisoned. Their men were disarmed and ordered to join Berling's Army. If they refused they were deported, and eventually 50,000 were sent to the GUlag.