Poland implements martial law to “avoid anarchy”
go through Hirapike
December 14, 1981
Poland was under strict martial law last night. As the leader of the country, General Yaruzelski, In order to avoid “disaster”, made the last desperate gamble.
gentlemen WalesaThe moderate leaders of the independent trade union Solidarity were taken from Gdansk to Warsaw to meet with party officials, while hundreds of radical union leaders were detained across the country. Obviously, General Jaruzelski wanted to use his emergency power to force the moderates in the Polish Communist Party and Solidarity to unite under the banner of national unity.
Government spokesperson Mr. Jerzy Urban said at a press conference in Warsaw: “Walesa was not arrested or detained. He is treated with the respect he deserves.”
But last night there was no independent contact with Mr. Walesa or any exact information about his whereabouts. The East German news agency ADN reported that he was one of the detainees, but later asked subscribers to delete the reference to Mr. Walesa. Senior sources in the United States said that their best news is that he is under house arrest.
The official emphasized that everything is well with Mr. Walesa and Solidarity will continue. It did not stop the distribution of flyers from the radical Usas Tractor Factory in Warsaw yesterday, calling for “an immediate general strike across the country” in response to “the attack.” Response”. The goal of the union is to liquidate. “The response to this will be tested throughout the factory Poland It reopened this morning.
Yesterday, Poland was shrouded in the cold winter, and it was still relatively calm. Basically cut off from the outside world, communications were cut off, borders were blocked, and indeed the message came out that there was almost no resistance, because party militias instead of the army were used to raid dozens of Solidarity offices across the country, arresting many people Activists of trade unions. A government spokesperson revealed that about 1,000 Poles from different political groups were detained.
General Yaruzelsky specifically pleaded for calmness and assured the country that “this is not a military coup.” Warns that Poland is “on the edge of the abyss” [his] The declaration of martial law before dawn reflects his consciousness that he has pushed the country to the brink of razor.
But this may also plunge the country into civil strife, cause international impact, and cause NATO countries, and possibly the Kremlin, to activate a crisis management team to monitor the incident.
However, there is no sign that the Warsaw Pact forces have entered a state of alert, and the Kremlin’s initial response was to concentrate on disseminating true reports of events in Poland. Within hours of Poland’s declaration of a state of emergency, the only comment from Radio Moscow was to explain that the action was taken in response to “anarchy facing the country” and “extremist actions by the leaders of the Solidarity trade union trying to take over the country”. nation. “
General Jaruzelski himself announced the news in a 20-minute speech, which was first broadcast at 5 a.m. and then repeated every hour until 9 a.m. The speech was delivered after troops with automatic rifles took up positions in central Warsaw and possibly other major cities in Poland.
continue reading here with here.
The day the head of Poland ruled its heart
go through Michael Simmons
December 14, 1981
The day before Poland declared a state of emergency, a lone soldier, about 20 years old, stood nervously at the top of Warsaw’s main street, Marszalkowska, pointing his Soviet submachine gun. Another soldier of the same age, inexplicably only had a clipboard, stood next to him, as if providing moral support. If that is a sign of martial law, it is the only thing that can be seen in the center of the city.
A few yards away from the government-run Metropolitan Hotel, two Solidarity union flags were flying above the main entrance—a bright shade of gray winter. To be sure, nine out of ten people waiting in the snow at a nearby tram stop were happier to see the flag than to see the soldiers. However, when asked if they think the Army or internal security forces might intervene soon, the answer is equally certain: “Yes – and sooner rather than later.”
General Jaruzelski’s dramatic actions will surprise a few Poles. After more than 500 days of strikes and intermittent tensions, their fatigue is hardly surprising. When talking to them last week, when they waited in the pitiful queues that can be seen in almost every part of the frozen country, they said they had to pay some price. Today, their judgment is that the “general” has no choice.
The view of many of them is that although martial law may be seen as an act of despair and failed to reach a much-needed understanding with Solidarity, there is still some very slim hope. Perhaps, they may just be saying—albeit very cynical—that they may have some kind of understanding now.
On the other hand, standing outside the firefighter training school in the suburb of Zoliborz a few days ago, among thousands of people, they gloomily expressed their support to the strikers inside. It was obvious where the public sympathy was. Cigarettes, food and flowers are being passed through the railing to strikers who are available. For the security department, there is no sympathy, only abuse. If the people responsible for enforcing the martial law now receive the same treatment, it won’t take long for them to get grumpy and fight.
continue reading.
Western protests “weakness”
December 17, 1981
Brussels: The spokesperson of the Solidarity trade union yesterday accused Western governments of half-heartedly responding to the emergency in Poland.
Stefan Trzcinski, on behalf of the Warsaw branch of the Free Trade Union, said at a press conference here that the West should protest the actions of Polish military rulers more strongly. “The position taken by Western governments so far is half-hearted and incorrect,” he said. “These methods will not produce stability or peace in Poland.”
Mr. Trzeinski, who is visiting the headquarters of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICETU), left Poland at the weekend, just before the government announced the crackdown. “The acquired rights cannot be withdrawn arbitrarily…this cannot happen in his heart. Europe. He said. “There will be trouble in the next few years.” “
At the same time, Pravda stated in Moscow that Poland’s martial law gave the country an opportunity to resolve its problems. The newspaper also reiterated the Soviet attack on the United States, saying that Secretary of State Haig was threatening the Polish leader.
Mr. Treinski said that any assistance provided to Poland would strengthen the military regime. Mr. Trzecinski described Solidarity’s emergency plan to deal with such possible crises. In the absence of water, large factories have drilled wells, established food stocks, and secretly arranged alternative energy supplies. But he insisted that Solidarity’s plan was purely defensive. He refuted the government’s statement that the unions had been conspiring to seize power.
Red alert over Poland
Hella Pick described concerns about world security after Poland’s military repression-both in the East and the West
December 16, 1981
First, the NATO Council, now the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the European Economic Community, issued a statement on Poland, trying to convey a calm and understatement. Yes, they argued that there was a worrying situation, but it was up to the Poles to deal with it themselves—that is, to let go of the Soviet Union. In addition, the Western statement pointed out that the crisis was resolved by the Poles “without the use of force.”
In turn, the Kremlin has been telling the West not to intervene in Polish affairs — and at the same time, it is trying to imply that it is reasonably relaxed about Poland’s state of emergency, and believes that General Jaruzelski has an “active” plan to pull the country through.
But under the rigid upper lip and mutual warnings against direct intervention, the deepest concern of the East and the West is that Poland may plunge the world into the deepest crisis since the Cuban missile incident in 1982. The situation in Poland is so fragile and unpredictable that no one can start to guess whether General Jaruzelski can unite the Polish people. Outside observers and even Warsaw diplomats remained unimpeded and could only guess at the level of resistance. Few people doubt that the country is still in a period of “false war”.
continue reading.
