@rah 1 August 2021 more from that month

So now I want to use this post for something different. This is a very special day in my adopted home city known as Day 0. At exactly 5pm today Air Raid Sirens will sound across the city and people will come to a stand still while they remember the great sacrifice of the city as a consequence of the reprisals that followed was effectively depopulated through both terror and widespread extermination (just for being a citizen - not that any circumstance ever makes it right). It is reputed to have been the most destroyed city of the Second World War and at War's end some questioned whether it could ever be restored or resurrected. It was resurrected, but the old charm was gone forever despite some valiant attempts. Its not Berlin or Leningrad or even Stalingrad. It's levels of destruction are comparable to both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and yet it was never nuked. 1st August 1944 marks the start of the Warsaw Uprising when the home army rose up to liberated the city and enjoyed some initial successes before being brutally put down and the residents being made to pay as each building that the Nazi's weren't using for themselves was systematically destroyed - hence its reputation as most destroyed Some think the decision to rise was a folly and a gargantuan fight against all hope of success as it proved to be. But almost three weeks into the fighting in Warsaw. Paris managed to liberate itself even if the circumstances were very different. The Poles hoped for help but for whatever reason the Soviets stopped on the East bank of the Vistula and sent small numbers across from a place called Saska Kepa to say they were helping and at the same time airspace over the city was virtually shut down by the Soviets which meant little to no western aid got through and most of the meagre amount that did fell into German hands or was found to be useless anyway. Whatever your political views on the decision to fight this is a day of honour for Poland and wherever we are in the world the Poles call upon our respect. They fought against overwhelming odds to no avail, but carried hope in their hearts as a nation that said they will not be crushed And they carried that hope until in 1989 they truly found their freedom again