Koncepcja politycznego podporządkowania polskich korpusów wschodnich Radzie Regencyjnej (1917-1918)

Abstract

National activists circles firstly started to show their interest, in a chronological order, in Polish military formations organized in Russia in spring 1917. This interest derived from the co-operation with emigrant pro-activist liberal-democratic groups operating in Russia. The hostile attitude of liberal democrats to plans of organizing Polish formation in the East resulted from the pro-activist political orientation represented by this circle. Only Bolshevik revolution influenced the change in the attitude held by previous political opponents who were against creating Polish army in Russia. The situation changed to such an extent that liberal-democratic groups and some of their allies even started to show willingness to carry out organizational work in this scope. In effect of this, they initiated an agreement with the emigrant military circles endeavoring to form Polish Corps and proposed the Commanding Board of Polish Military Forces, which coordinated this activity, to act as intermediary in establishing co-operation with the Regency Council. This proposal was accepted. During the audience at Regents in Warsaw on 4 March, 1918 Commanding Board of Polish Military Forces relinquished their full power over Polish military formations in Russia to the Regency Council. It appeared, however, that geopolitical and strategic circumstances independent of the Regency Council were to decide about the future of the Polish Corps. German military men assumed that at that time the best solution for the Central Powers would be to demobilize all Polish formations. Capitulation of II Polish Corp after Kaniowo defeat and demobilization of I Polish Corp de facto meant absolute liquidation of Polish formation organized with such an effort in Russia. Even though remains of III Polish Corp and other smaller units still existed, it was a fact that one-year-Iong endeavors to create Polish army in the East came to an end, and that half-a-year effort of the Regency Council aiming at taking over control over them finished miserably.