The Polish-Soviet War 1920: Lenin's Gamble for Europe

In 1920, with the Russian Civil War still raging, Vladimir Lenin made a bold decision: push the Red Army westward into Poland, hoping to ignite a Communist revolution in Germany and beyond. This episode of The Russian Revolution takes you inside the Polish-Soviet War, a forgotten conflict that shaped the borders of Eastern Europe for decades. We follow the dramatic Battle of Warsaw, where Polish forces under Józef Piłsudski executed a daring counterattack that turned the tide. We examine the politics behind the war, including Lenin's belief in 'exporting revolution' and the role of figures like Leon Trotsky and Mikhail Tukhachevsky. The war's outcome had profound consequences: it saved Poland's independence, halted the spread of Bolshevism into Europe, and forced Lenin to reconsider his revolutionary strategy. We also touch on the 'Miracle on the Vistula' and the Treaty of Riga, which established the Soviet-Polish border until 1939. This episode is a deep dive into a pivotal moment when the fate of Europe hung in the balance, revealing how the Bolsheviks' ambitions collided with national resistance.

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