On December 13, 1981, the head of government of the Polish People's Republic (PPR) and Defense Minister Wojciech Jaruzelski introduced martial law in the country. A period of dictatorship began in the country - 1981-1983.
The situation in the Polish People's Republic began to heat up back in 1980. This year, prices for many consumer goods were raised, and at the same time in Gdansk the independent trade union "Solidarity" was created, headed by Lech Walesa. In the beginning, the supporters of Solidarity were limited only to economic demands, but soon political ones also appeared, they began to insist on the right to freedom of strikes and the abolition of censorship.
It should be noted that the preconditions for the uprising were laid in the previous period. A huge role in this was played by the policy of the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party (PUWP), Edward Gierek. The Gerek government actively borrowed from both Western countries and the Soviet Union, which initially contributed to the rapid economic growth, but by the end of the 1970s, the country's debt burden became unbearable. By 1980, Poland's debt reached $ 20 billion. The Polish government planned to become a powerful European economy with the help of industrial modernization. Whose goods would be bought not only in the countries of the socialist bloc, but also in the West. But the West did not need Polish goods. Westerners willingly gave loans to the Poles, believing that this was undermining the socialist system, increasing pressure on Moscow, which would have to help Warsaw. This plunged the NDP into a severe socio-economic crisis.
In addition, it should be noted that the construction of socialism with a "national" bias was carried out in Poland. Anti-Semitism flourished, the Catholic Church - the Vatican, which was the enemy of socialism and the USSR, had powerful positions.
The government, on July 1, 1980, due to the need to pay debts to Western countries, introduced a regime of all-round savings, and prices for meat were increased. A wave of strikes swept across the country, people accustomed to a certain prosperity (although the country lived beyond their means) did not want to save. The unrest practically paralyzed the Baltic coast of Poland by the end of August, and the coal mines of Silesia were closed for the first time. The government made concessions to the strikers, at the end of August the workers of the shipyard to them. Lenin in Gdansk (they were headed by electrician Lech Walesa), signed with the authorities "an agreement of 21 points." Similar agreements were signed in Szczecin and Silesia. Strikes were stopped, workers were guaranteed the right to strike and to form independent trade unions. After that, a new all-Polish movement "Solidarity" was created in Poland and gained enormous influence, led by Lech Walesa. After that, Edward Gierek was replaced as the first secretary of the PUWP by Stanislav Kanei. His appointment was a compromise between the authorities and the strikers, due to the threat of the introduction of police forces according to the "Czechoslovak" scenario. The Poles at that time said: "Better Kanya than Vanya."
But this did not solve the problem, debt continued to squeeze the economy, and public discontent grew, fueled by reports of corruption and incompetence of the authorities. "Solidarity" demanded political and economic reforms, an increase in living standards, this attracted masses of people to this movement. The government gradually lost control over the situation in the country. In February 1981, Defense Minister General Wojciech Jaruzelski (head of the armed forces since 1969) was appointed Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Poland, and in October he became the party's general secretary. Thus, he concentrated in his hands the three main posts in the country.
On the morning of December 12, 1981, Jaruzelski informed Moscow about the introduction of martial law; on the night of December 12-13, telephone communications were cut off throughout the republic. The leaders of "Solidarity" were isolated, the general issued a statement in which he said that it was necessary "to tie the hands of the adventurers before they push the Fatherland into the abyss of a fratricidal war." The NDP also announced the creation of the Military Council for National Salvation.
The reaction of the world community to the Polish events was different. The socialist states welcomed the general's decisiveness, while the capitalist states sharply criticized the Polish leadership. So it can hardly be called an accident that in 1983 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Lech Walesa. But the West had no other levers of pressure, everything was limited to words. Order was restored in Poland, and the situation in the country calmed down for several years.
Jaruzelski
The general in Poland was considered by many, and is still considered a loyal vassal of Moscow, who suppressed the national liberation uprising of the people at the behest of the Soviet "totalitarian regime". Although this man himself fell under the so-called. Stalinist repression. In 1940, Jaruzelski was arrested (in 1939 his family moved to Lithuania, and in 1940 this republic became part of the USSR) and he was exiled to the Oirot Autonomous Region (now Altai), he worked as a logger.
In 1943 he joined the 1st Polish Infantry Division. Tadeusz Kosciuszko, which was formed from Polish patriots, after the departure of Anders' army to Iran. Jaruzelsky graduated from the Ryazan Infantry School, with the rank of lieutenant fought in the ranks of the second infantry division named after I. Henryk Dombrowski. He was a reconnaissance platoon commander and assistant chief of staff for reconnaissance of the 5th Infantry Regiment. He took part in the battles for the liberation of Poland, fought in Germany. For his courage he was awarded medals and orders. After the end of the Great Patriotic War, he took an active part in the struggle against the formations of anti-communists (with the "Fatherland Army") and in the construction of the new Polish armed forces. Since 1960, he headed the Main Political Directorate of the Polish Army, since 1965, the head of the General Staff. His stormy rise along the party line was due to the fact that the party apparatus saw only in the army a force that could calm the country.
The Polish general himself has repeatedly stated that the introduction of martial law in the Polish People's Republic and the tightening of the regime was caused by the need to save the country from the armed intervention of the Soviet Union. In his opinion, Moscow was preparing to restore "socialist legality" in the rebellious republic. But, meanwhile, neither in the archives of Poland, nor in the documents declassified by Russia, there are no indications of preparations for the invasion of the Polish People's Republic of Poland by the Interior Ministry troops. And in 2005, transcripts were published, which say that the Polish general himself begged Moscow to send troops, and also blackmailed the Soviet leaders that the NDP would withdraw from the Warsaw Pact. Moscow refused.
According to Jaruzelski, he postponed the introduction of martial law in the country until the last moment, and only when he realized that the leaders of Solidarity were not ready for a compromise, demanding the transfer of power to them in Poland, he made this "difficult, painful decision." Although the facts indicate that the army was preparing for the introduction of martial law for at least several months: for example, military units were sent to almost all cities and settlements of the country in advance, allegedly to provide food aid.
It was the military units that became the mainstay of the general in the early days, when martial law was introduced. The military dispersed spontaneous protest actions, detained the instigators, interned them in special camps, where they had already sent the leaders of Solidarity in advance. The detainees were forced to sign the so-called. declaration of loyalty, they promised freedom for it.
A curfew and a strict passport regime were introduced throughout Poland, which made it possible to control any movement of citizens around the country. Wiretapping became commonplace, and mass gatherings were banned under threat of arrest. In the fall of 1982, the Polish authorities announced the dissolution of Solidarity and all other independent trade unions, and a few months later all those who had been held there were released from the camps. It should be noted that the Polish military were able to do without a lot of blood, before the cancellation of martial law in July 1983, just over 100 people died.
At the same time, economic reforms were carried out: some enterprises (especially strategically important ones) were subject to strict discipline, while the rest were gradually liberalized, with workers' self-government, business accounting, and competitive wages. Prices have been partially released. But the reforms did not give much effect. The country was burdened with debt and could not give people the standard of living that everyone dreamed of. Jaruzelski's reforms only delayed the onset of a new crisis. When the processes of "perestroika" (destruction) began in the USSR, socialist Poland did not have a chance to stay afloat.
Summing up, I must say that at that moment it was the best way out for Poland. The victory of Solidarity and the fall of the socialist system would not have solved Poland's problems.
