Armies in Exile – The Polish Struggle for Nation and Nationalism

Through three historical periods -- the Napoleonic Wars, World War I, and World War II -- Poles were forced to fight in other nations' armies to defend a Poland that had been erased from the map. Stefancic addresses such questions as how the soldiers' maintained their national identity while serving in a foreign army and the ways in which they related to foreign cultures.
This book presents a new perspective on the Polish struggle for freedom and independence. It examines three historical periods-the Napoleonic Wars, World War I, and World War II-when Poles were forced to fight in other nations' armies to defend a Poland that seemed lost to history. Stefanic considers how Poland survived even though aggressive neighbors has eliminated it from the map. Stefancic's essays provide a general overview of each period and examines specific events. He addresses such questions as how the soldiers' maintained their national identity while serving in a foreign army and the ways in which they related to foreign cultures.