FROM being devastated by the bloody First World War to being divided by Hitler and Stalin during the Second World War, Poland bore the scars of history.
The country has suffered some of the worst bloodshed after being invaded again and again, but it is no longer a victim of past conflicts.
As Vladimir Putin’s war rages just beyond its eastern border, Poland now stands as the “cornerstone” of Europe’s defense.
In the latest episode of Superpowers Exposed, defense analyst Simon Diggins rreveals how the small European nation has prepared itself to be the first line of defense against a possible war with Russia.
Watch the latest episode of Superpowers Revealed here
Poland has a long history of war with Russia – dating back hundreds of years, to the time of Ivan the Terrible – and has often been in the first line defending Europe against Moscow.
It was not an independent state, but was divided between the Russian, Austro-Hungarian and German empires, and its territories became an important battlefield.
In 1920, the country was credited with stopping the spread of communism in Europe when its armies drove back Trotsky in a battle known as “The Miracle on the Vistula.”
Less than 20 years later, the joint invasion of Poland by Stalin’s Soviets and Hitler’s Nazis began World War II, with the country occupied by the USSR until 1989.
So when Putin invaded Ukraine last year, saying he had come to claim historic Russian lands, the powers that be in Warsaw were under no illusions that they, too, were in danger.
Mr. Diggins said that Poland is now NATO’s front line against Russia.
“Without it, the West would be dangerously exposed,” he added.
Poland It will inevitably be the first line of defense against any Russian aggression.
It is symbolically and strategically crucial, the place where World War III would likely begin if Russia pressed against the West.
“Poland will inevitably be the first line of defense against any Russian aggression,” Mr Diggins said.
“It’s absolutely a frontline state. It’s situated on the edge of NATO. It’s wedged between Belarus and Kaliningrad, which is Russia’s heavily armed enclave in the Baltic.”
Given its geography, Poland had no choice but to rearm.
And it has been able to do so thanks to its booming economy.
Diggins explained how the country now has one of the largest armed forces in Europe and is the third largest in NATO, behind only Turkey and the United States.
He said: Since joining the European Union in 2004, Poland’s economy has grown at an average of 4 percent annually.
“The bottom line is that Poland is getting rich quickly and the money is being invested directly in tanks, planes and troops.
“A strong military and economy mean that Poland is on track to be, if not already, the strongest European power in NATO.”
Poland currently has more than 200,000 active military personnel, the Polish government army It has six mechanized, armored or cavalry divisions, and continues to expand.
And they are now trained and equipped to NATO standards, and with recent experience in hybrid warfare gained through support in Ukraine.
But while Russia has much larger numbers on paper, its forces are dispersed over a vast territory, some 12 different time zones, and its best infantry units have suffered heavy losses in Ukrainesaid the expert.
“Russia relies heavily on recruits with limited training, struggles with Moran logistics, and will take much longer to send reinforcements toward the Polish border.”
He explained how Poland has been pushing to improve its defense capabilities and military equipment.
“It’s backed by the full weight of the NATO alliance. All this while also sending supplies to Ukraine,” Diggins said.
“What matters is the speed and focus of Poland’s rearmament. Along with the Baltic countries, Poland is the only country in Europe that is preparing for war with Russia not because of the question of if, but when.”
Russia’s numbers in terms of military equipment exceed those of Poland, but its equipment ages every day and there is a huge qualitative leap.
Sophisticated military hardware
Meanwhile, Warsaw has been rapidly modernizing its military equipment.
Warsaw had signed a deal to buy 250 American Abrams tanks and later increased that number to 336, of which 116 would be delivered as soon as possible.
Diplomats then traveled to the other side of the world to sign another deal for 1,000 K-2 tanks from Korea.
Once they arrive, it will make Poland the largest tank force in Europe, with more armor at its disposal than all other European NATO members combined.
Poland then asked the United States for 500 HIMARS systems, having seen only a handful of long-range rocket artillery wreak havoc on Russian forces in Ukraine.
When American arms giant Lockheed Martin said it could only supply 200 of them, Warsaw again turned to Korea to fill the void.
Army chiefs ended up purchasing 288 K239 Chunmoo rocket launchers from Seoul, plus 18 HIMARS systems, including long-range ATACMS rockets that Ukraine has been asking for but have not received.
An additional deal with Seoul will give Poland 48 of its FA-50 fighter jets, in addition to 32 next-generation F-35 stealth fighters it bought from the United States in 2020.
But the spending spree didn’t stop there.
Poland submitted a request to the United States for six new Patriot anti-aircraft batteries and, in September, purchased 96 Apache attack helicopters.
“Poland is not retreating; it is digging in,” Diggin said.
“By doing so, it is not just defending its own border, but that of all of NATO. And if Moscow ever crosses that line, the next The world war could start right here in Poland.”
The Polish ‘wild card’
Diggins said every country has a “wild card,” a unique advantage that shapes its power.
“For Poland, it’s speed,” the defense analyst said.
The country has been rearming faster than anyone in Europe, acting as if the war could begin next week.
Diggins said: “Poland not only buys weapons, it makes them.
“Factories are producing tanks, missiles and ammunition at a rate Europe has not seen in decades to prepare for war.
“Not because I want one, but because history It has taught him what happens to a weak or divided country.
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