Poland: eagle in the East

the long version

In August 1968, Poland was one of the satellite countries that joined the Soviet Union in the invasion of Czechoslovakia. Was she compelled to take part by her powerful ally? Or did she participate willingly - seeing in Prague's move toward liberalization an indirect but real threat to her own security? William Woods' incisive study, which covers Poland's history from 1939 to the present, is valuable background reading for an understanding of Poland's role in that invasion. Mr. Woods spent three months in Poland in the summer of 1967 and returned in March 1968 in time to witness firsthand the student riots and the government's harsh reaction. Mr. Woods interviewed hundreds of Poles in all walks of life - Catholics, atheists, workers, artists, economic planners, students, and politicians. He lets the people speak for themselves, whether they support the current regime or loathe it. The result is a book filled with exciting conversations, vivid impressions, and surprising revelations. The book begins with the war, the Polish underground, the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, the death camps, the Battle Warsaw, and moves on to the remarkable postwar recovery in industry and farming, and the resurgence of the arts and literature. The postwar political scene, the Communist party, the Catholic Church, and Polish attitudes toward Russia and Germany are all thoroughly discussed. Finally, the author describes the excitement in Poland today, the ferment running through all of Eastern Europe since the recent struggles in Czechoslovakia, the explosive friction between the liberal elements and the old guard. With fairness and objectivity as his keynotes, Mr. Woods offers insights into Poland that go far beyond the daily headlines. This enigatic country of Eastern Europe is revealed as a nation of living people facing a future that holds both hopeful prospects and serious problems. -- from dust jacket.