Leopard tanks in Warsaw
Last Friday, April 15, 2014, marked the latest celebration of Armed Forces Day in Poland. The day marks the anniversary of the Polish Army’s defeat of the Soviet Red Army during the Battle of Warsaw in August, 1920, part of the Polish-Soviet War, which decided Poland’s eastern borderlands until September, 1939. The holiday was banned by Poland’s Communist leadership after World War II, but revived in 1992 after Poland had regained independence.
I watched most of the parade on TV, which included an assortment of both modern and classic military vehicles rolling down the Aleje Ujazdowskiein front of the review stand of Polish President Bronisław Komorowski, next to Belweder Palace (the Polish equivalent to the White House, recognizable as the symbol of Belvedere Vodka). Though I didn’t see the Leopard tanks and mobile artillery in person, I arguably had a better seat for the aerial parade from my balcony downtown.
Given the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, the parade was more than just military theater. On display in public for the first time was Poland’s new, main battle tank, the Leopard 2A5 acquired as part of an arms deal with Germany in November, 2013. In the fall Poland will host the largest NATO exercises of the year, which will serve as a reminder to Russia of Europe’s and America’s commitment to prevent the type of instability caused by Crimea’s annexation and “separatists” from expanding westward. President Komorowski’s speech before the parade included a translation of the Latin proverb, “If you want peace, prepare for war” (“Si vis pacem, para bellum”). Poland is still learning from her troubled history, and though war is the last eventuality Poles would want to experience, they aren’t so naive as to ignore the possibility.
Polish troops marching in Warsaw
Check out some more photos of the parade in this story.
Leopard tanks in Warsaw
Last Friday, April 15, 2014, marked the latest celebration of Armed Forces Day in Poland. The day marks the anniversary of the Polish Army’s defeat of the Soviet Red Army during the Battle of Warsaw in August, 1920, part of the Polish-Soviet War, which decided Poland’s eastern borderlands until September, 1939. The holiday was banned by Poland’s Communist leadership after World War II, but revived in 1992 after Poland had regained independence.
I watched most of the parade on TV, which included an assortment of both modern and classic military vehicles rolling down the Aleje Ujazdowskie in front of the review stand of Polish President Bronisław Komorowski, next to Belweder Palace (the Polish equivalent to the White House, recognizable as the symbol of Belvedere Vodka). Though I didn’t see the Leopard tanks and mobile artillery in person, I arguably had a better seat for the aerial parade from my balcony downtown.
Given the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, the parade was more than just military theater. On display in public for the first time was Poland’s new, main battle tank, the Leopard 2A5 acquired as part of an arms deal with Germany in November, 2013. In the fall Poland will host the largest NATO exercises of the year, which will serve as a reminder to Russia of Europe’s and America’s commitment to prevent the type of instability caused by Crimea’s annexation and “separatists” from expanding westward. President Komorowski’s speech before the parade included a translation of the Latin proverb, “If you want peace, prepare for war” (“Si vis pacem, para bellum”). Poland is still learning from her troubled history, and though war is the last eventuality Poles would want to experience, they aren’t so naive as to ignore the possibility.
Polish troops marching in Warsaw
Check out some more photos of the parade in this story.
