The Warsaw uprising

I just watched an episode of the World at War. It mentioned that very little stuff was sent to the Polish resistence, primarily because STalin refuse refueling or other assistance.

However I wonder what might have happened if support for Warsaw was given priority over "strategic" bombing for that couple of months. Might the Germans have been driven out and the exil government got to Warsaw by the time the Soviet army went forward?

Would this totally change the Cold War?
 
I just watched an episode of the World at War. It mentioned that very little stuff was sent to the Polish resistance, primarily because Stalin refuse refuelling or other assistance.

However I wonder what might have happened if support for Warsaw was given priority over "strategic" bombing for that couple of months. Might the Germans have been driven out and the exile government got to Warsaw by the time the Soviet army went forward?

Would this totally change the Cold War?

It's difficult to see how the Western allies could have helped the Poles in Warsaw, given that they'd have to cross the whole of Germany to reach the place. They could only have done it with Soviet assistance, which wasn't likely to be forthcoming.
 
It is an interesting idea but the Soviets refused even the use of their bases let alone nessecary supplies and relief forces. Even if the Polish Paras and Exile Govt. got into Warsaw AND (big and) defeated the Germans, they still cut off with the Soviets moving around them. It would be an easy kickoff for WWIII
 
And what would be gained by effectively arranging for Hitler to slaughter the Polish government in exile and paratroops?:confused:
 
It is an interesting idea but the Soviets refused even the use of their bases let alone nessecary supplies and relief forces. Even if the Polish Paras and Exile Govt. got into Warsaw AND (big and) defeated the Germans, they still cut off with the Soviets moving around them. It would be an easy kickoff for WWIII

The Soviets pretended to help by sending supplies without parachutes. And the British, sent supplies in the German area.
 
In OTL Bomber Command and the 8th air force were huge forces. If they had been transferred from their disputable strategic mission that summer to supporting an ally I still wonder, even if Stalin had kept his forces where they were.

As I understand it the initial Nazi response was to withdraw.
 
In OTL Bomber Command and the 8th air force were huge forces. If they had been transferred from their disputable strategic mission that summer to supporting an ally I still wonder, even if Stalin had kept his forces where they were.

As I understand it the initial Nazi response was to withdraw.

Stalin at this time would've tried to cause 'friendly fire' incidents between the Russian AF and the USAAF and RAF forces.
 
The only way to make the Warsaw Uprising succeed is to totally change the context in which it occurs, so that there is some realistic chance of Allied support and an agreement like Yalta has not occurred.
 
In OTL Bomber Command and the 8th air force were huge forces. If they had been transferred from their disputable strategic mission that summer to supporting an ally I still wonder, even if Stalin had kept his forces where they were.

As I understand it the initial Nazi response was to withdraw.

The British & American bombing campaign was aimed at targets in western Germany, and, later on, Berlin and more distant parts of the Reich. To reach Warsaw they'd have to cross the whole of Germany twice, as well as achieving precision bombing completely beyond their abilities at the time.
 
In OTL Bomber Command and the 8th air force were huge forces. If they had been transferred from their disputable strategic mission that summer to supporting an ally I still wonder, even if Stalin had kept his forces where they were.

As I understand it the initial Nazi response was to withdraw.

The German forces withdrew because they expected Soviet troops to exploit the gap. Once they figure out Stalin wasn't going to interfere with them, they won't likely be deterred by the prospect of a few batallions of paras.
 
The carve up of Europe was agreed in October 1944, Yalta was in January and possibly Febraury 1945. The uprising was in July 1944.
 
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