Communism invades poland
- 1945 - This year marked the end of World War II. What should have marked the beginning of freedom for the country of Poland, marked another time period of imprisonment by government. The country passed from the hands of the German government, into the hands of the Red Army. The Polish Communist Party itself also grew in number which contributed to the impending rise of communism. The Polish Communist Party had begun their contact with Josef Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, and together with the USSR planned for communism to enter Poland. The Party made several diplomatic trips to Moscow where Stalin then instructed them that they should create a new government for Poland and he would acknowledge them.
a movement for solidarity
In 1980, Solidarnosc, or Solidarity, was the first non-communist Polish trade union formed. After the frenzy and excitement of the visit of the Polish Pope, people were motivated to seek freedom. It grew extremely rapidly and called for practically everything contrary to communist beliefs. Its leader was Lech Walesa. Its members soon came to include over 1/3 of Poland's inhabitants. Many of the movement's members were tortured and imprisoned. Under the guidance of their leader and the assistance of other world leaders their movement became a reality when communism was revoked from the nation.
Walesa was a trade-union organizer and also a human-rights activist. He began the solidarity movement as a series of strikes that went off like a series of dominoes across the country. His hope was to stamp out all communists and communist ideals and restore a balanced society. Along with helping Poland get its liberty. Lech Walesa went on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom. He served as the nation's second president from 1990 to 1995. Still today he continues in his celebration for his country's freedom with the erection of various statues of either the Pope or Reagan throughout the land. |