Hello everybody,
This is a question that has been on my mind for quite some time. The Wikipedia article goes into some detail about the Oder-Neisse line, but doesn't really cover the other transfer of territory that took place. I'm referring to the territory annexed by the Soviet Union as seen on this map. The amount of land transferred, along with how this redefined Poland, was huge. Furthermore if I am not mistaken, there were areas transferred where the majority of the population was Polish. So what was the reaction (both inside and outside Poland) to such a big change?
Many thanks in advance for your replies.
The legitimate government of Poland, the Polish Government in Exile based in London. Was staunchly opposed to the annexation of Eastern Poland and the willingness of the Western allied powers to allow the Soviets to get away with it. The British government, specifically Winston Churchill was opposed to it, until the Yalta conference where it was agreed to make the Curzon Line the eastern border of Poland. Unfortunately, the Polish government in exile's protests meant very little. The Western allies were in no position to force the Soviets to relinquish eastern Poland, the Polish Government in Exile had their authority and legitimacy challenged by the provisional government for Poland set up by the Soviets, and the Polish Home Army ( a huge, anti communist, partisan group) were decimated in the Warsaw uprising, and by advancing Soviet troops. Without the Home Army there was no serious opposition to the Communist Polish government.
Also, its worth nothing that many of the lands east of the Curzon Line had been taken by the Poles in the Polish-Soviet war. And that while many of the cities were filled with Poles many areas and much of the countryside was not a Polish majority.
Edit: Partisan is a better term than rebel.
