A small Polish force halted Budyonny's Soviet cavalry near Lwów for 24 hours, helping protect Warsaw during the Polish-Soviet War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 17 August 1920
- Duration
- Approximately 24 hours
- Distance from Lwów
- 33 kilometres km
- Polish outcome
- Complete destruction of Polish forces
- Nickname
- Polish Thermopylae
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Polish-Soviet War of 1920, Soviet forces under Semyon Budyonny advanced toward Lwów, a strategically vital city. A small Polish detachment was positioned near the Zadwórze railway station to slow the Soviet push and protect the city from capture.
On 17 August 1920, Polish forces engaged Budyonny's Red Army cavalry near the village of Zadwórze, approximately 33 kilometres from Lwów. The battle lasted roughly 24 hours and ended in the complete annihilation of the Polish defenders, who were vastly outnumbered.
Although the Polish force was destroyed, its resistance halted the Soviet advance long enough to prevent the fall of Lwów. This delay contributed to the broader successful defence of Warsaw, a turning point in the Polish-Soviet War. The engagement became commemorated as the Polish Thermopylae.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Semyon Budyonny.