The Miracle on the Vistula
In 1920, Lenin and his Bolsheviks were pushing towards Warsaw, Poland to seize the capital almost guaranteeing a victory for Boleshivism in Europe pushing further westward. However, General Pilsudski of Poland had a trick up his sleeve. His cryptologists cracked the Soviet signal code and Pilsudski knew in advance the Soviet movements and was able to plus up his severely outmanned and outgunned forces in the correct locations. But the Poles weren't just listening into the Soviet radio communications--they were also sending out messages of their own. In fact, they were reciting the Book of Genesis from the Bible across the radiowaves in Latin and Polish. This caused a Soviet Army moving north to miss instructions to flank westward and encircle Warsaw. The 35,000+ Bolshevik troops were taken prisoner in Lithuania shortly thereafter. This victory at Warsaw in 1920 is one of the most significant victories in history. It stopped the spread of Bolshevism in Europe, created the Polish Military Intelligence Corps, and was a David (Poland) vs Goliath (Russia) type of victory, known today as the Miracle on the Vistula.
One key battle, the Battle of Ossow on the outskirts of town saw boys from a Catholic Secondary School, many 16-18 years old take up volunteer arms. With only 2 weeks of formal military training they took up arms and halted a Soviet advance--just long enough for proper infantry reinforcements to arrive. Many of them laid down their lives for the defense of Warsaw, including their Chaplain Father Ignacy Skorupka who became a hero and martyr of the war. There are two varying accounts of his death: one has him leading a charge of his pupils forward on the battlefield, crucifix in hand and being cut down by machine gun fire, the second, has him taking a bullet while administering last rights to a fallen comrade. His sacrifice strengthened the resolve of the Polish Forces.
Some Americans also fought in the defense of Warsaw as volunteer pilots. Poland has been one of America's strongest allies since the birth of the United States. The Kosciusko Squadron was made up of volunteer American pilots who felt it honorable to return the favor in fighting for Poland's independence, as Taddeus Kosciusko had done for the Americans during the Revolution. The most forward US Military Garrison in Poland today, resides at Camp Kosciusko in Poznan, Poland. I know so, because I'm laying here on my cot in an Army barracks at this very moment. The Kosciusko Squadron also fought in the Battle of Britain in World War 2 some years later. One of the pilots, Merian C. Cooper, went on to direct and produce the Hollywood Hit King Kong after the war in 1933.