Key Facts
- Dates
- 14–15 August 1920
- Polish force (5th Army)
- 3 infantry and 2 cavalry divisions
- Soviet opposition
- 12 infantry and 2 cavalry divisions (3 armies)
- Rivers crossed
- Wkra and Vistula Rivers
- Key intelligence capture
- Soviet IV Army's plans and cyphers seized at Ciechanów
Strategic Narrative Overview
On the morning of 14 August 1920, Sikorski's forces crossed the Wkra and Vistula Rivers, taking the offensive against the Soviet right flank. General Karnicki raided Ciechanów, capturing the Soviet IV Army's operational plans and cyphers. By 16 August, Sikorski entered Nasielsk with tanks, armoured cars, and two armoured trains, and by 18 August had advanced to the Orzyc and Narew Rivers, keeping Soviet forces off balance.
01 / The Origins
In August 1920, Soviet forces advanced deep into Polish territory and besieged Warsaw, threatening the newly independent Polish state. Polish commanders planned a counter-offensive to relieve pressure on the capital. General Władysław Sikorski's Fifth Army was tasked with containing the Soviet right wing, composed of the 4th, 15th, and 3rd Armies, while Piłsudski prepared a decisive strike from the south along the Wieprz River.
03 / The Outcome
Sikorski's offensive cleared the Vistula bridgehead and enabled Piłsudski to launch his counter-strike on 16 August. The Soviets withdrew their 15th and 3rd Armies and abandoned the 4th Army, which was encircled and destroyed. The broader engagement, known as the Battle of Warsaw, ended in a major Polish victory that halted the Soviet westward advance and secured Poland's independence.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Władysław Sikorski, Gen. Karnicki.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.