From the Editors

<b>A Question of Honor</b> is the gripping, little-known, and brilliantly told story of the scores of Polish fighter pilots who helped save England during the Battle of Britain and of their stunning betrayal by the United States and England at the end of World War II.<br><br>Centering on five pilots of the renowned Kosciuszko Squadron, the authors show how the fliers, driven by their passionate desire to liberate their homeland, came to be counted among the most heroic and successful fighter pilots of World War II. Drawing on the Kosciuszko Squadron’s unofficial diary–filled with the fliers’ personal experiences in combat–and on letters, interviews, memoirs, histories, and photographs, the authors bring the men and battles of the squadron vividly to life. We follow the principal characters from their training before the war, through their hair-raising escape from Poland to France and then, after the fall of France, to Britain. We see how, first treated with disdain by the RAF, the Polish pilots played a crucial role during the Battle of Britain, where their daredevil skill in engaging German Messerschmitts in close and deadly combat while protecting the planes in their own groups soon made them legendary. And we learn what happened to them after the war, when their country was abandoned and handed over to the Soviet Union.<br><i><br></i><b>A Question of Honor</b> also gives us a revelatory history of Poland during World War II and of the many thousands in the Polish armed forces who fought with the Allies. It tells of the country’s unending struggle against both Hitler and Stalin, its long battle for independence, and the tragic collapse of that dream in the “peace” that followed. Powerful, moving, deeply involving, <i>A Question of Honor </i>is an important addition to the literature of World War II.
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Not what it says it is, but interesting anyway
Many years ago I read a book. I can't remember the title or the author. The subject, explained on the dust jacket, was a high-profile murder that had occurred in London in (I think) the '70s. The killer was presumed to be a British nobleman, and the hook was that he was never found--he vanished into thin air, with theories that he was spirited away because of family connections, that he'd been killed in retaliation and buried in a field somewhere, that he was living on a beach in Brazil, etc. Moderately interesting book.

Anyway, the point is that this was what the dust jacket told you the book was about, and this mystery comprised the first *half* of the book. After that, however, the whole thing took a left turn. The author was a journalist, and he'd been sued by someone involved in the case, who charged libel. The author had to defend himself, and his defense, and the reasons for the way he conducted himself, were the subject of the second half of the book. My point is this: I read the dust jacket of this book, expecting to buy a mystery, and wound up knowing way more about British libel law than I cared to. It wasn't what it said it was.

So the story goes with "A Question of Honor" by Lynne Olson and Stanley Cloud. The cover of the book, the blurb on the back, etc., tell you that this is the story of Polish pilots who flew alongside the RAF during the Battle of Britain. While it does spend some time recounting their adventures, it's about a lot more, also.

The first hundred pages or so of the book comprise a brief overview history of Poland, going back to Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The squadron named after him was formed during the Russo-Polish War of 1919-20, and the authors detail that, and then recount the origins of the pilots who flew in the World War II incarnation of the squadron. By the time the Battle of Britain starts, we've read a hundred pages. The next hundred pages covers the battle and the adventures of the pilots in the war, more or less in outline form. Then we have another 200+ pages detailing the diplomatic maneuvers that left Poland at the mercy of Stalin and the U.S.S.R. at the end of the war. Very little is said about this last half of the book in the blurbs on the cover or inside; instead, everything gives you the idea that this book is about the pilots and their squadron, and its adventures. In reality, the last half of the book barely mentions them, until you get to the epilogue.

If you approach the book from that standpoint, it's actually pretty good. Interestingly, the authors come down pretty hard on Franklin Roosevelt, who is typically regarded as nearly a deity, when it comes to American diplomacy and leadership during the Second World War. The authors depict him as superficial, naive, and much more concerned with his own reelection prospects than he is political details like the survival of Poland. One of their main points is that the concentration on Roosevelt's actions at Yalta overlooks the fact that many of the crucial decisions regarding Eastern Europe were made the year before, at Tehran. There, Roosevelt and Churchill essentially told Stalin he could do whatever he wanted with Poland's eastern border, one of the sticking points between the two countries, and only received a vague promise of elections in return--which Stalin broke when the time came, anyway. One of the more effective scenes in the book comes when Stalin listens to a conversation between the Poles and Churchill, realizes that the Poles don't know about the agreement that the Soviet government has with the Western Allies, and essentially rats them out to the Poles, in public. You have to wonder if he was just making Churchill squirm.

This is an interesting book, and it's well-written. The back half is probably too long, and it would have been interesting if the authors had spent more time concentrating on the pilots and air battles themselves, as the cover certainly implies they do. That misgiving aside, this is a worthwhile book, and I recommend it.

wow...
In this book the authors debunk a number of strongly held myths concerning Poland and her role in WWII. The story is told through the actions of several Polish airmen who served with the RAF in the Battle of Briton but the actions of other Poles both military and non-military aren't neglected. If you read this I am convinced your opinion of Poland and the Polish role in WWII will be profoundly altered. They say history is written by the victors and in this case Russia triumphed once again over Poland. Poland has been portrayed as at best a pitiful backward victim and at worst a mere footnote in this war. Some of the key facts the authors bring to light:
* Polish airmen in the Battle of Briton were the true "air aces" at times accounting for 30-40% of the downed German planes. Queen Elizabeth II "If Poland had not stood with us in those days...the candle of freedom would have been snuffed out".

* The Polish military men who left Poland (and there were 100,000 of them) after the Nazi defeat in 1939 traveled thousands of miles to get to the Allied lines. Typical travel stories had these men going through Rumania, down to the Mediterranean and then into North Africa before arriving in England or Free France.

* The Poles never stopped fighting the Nazis. The Polish resistance forces were deemed the most effective by Allied HQ. No other country in Europe suffered, proportionally more damage and casualties in the war. Poland lost 20% of its population v. 11% for Russia, 7% for Germany and less than 1% for US and Britain.

* When people refer to the cities of Europe devastated in the war - London, Dresden, Coventry, and Hamburg, no one ever mentions Warsaw which was leveled when the Poles revolted against the Nazis in 1944-45. An uprising totally unsupported by any Allied help.

* Polish spies obtained the Germans' Enigma coding machine and Polish cryptographers helped break the ciphers. This wasn't revealed until the 1970s.

* The Free Polish Army under Allied command was the 4th largest armed force (US, Britain, Russia) on the Allied side. Larger than the Free French Army! They played prominent roles in several Allied campaigns

I could go on with this list but don't want this review to be too long. This book despite the facts crammed into it reads very well. Individual acts of bravery and valor are juxtaposed with events at the national level. The time period where the Polish airmen were "the Glamour Boys" of England is a great period piece. The first two thirds of the book are inspiring and a fun read as new revelations about Polish military feats are presented. The last third of the book where Poland is excluded and betrayed by the Allies in the post war decisions made at Teheran and Yalta was a harder read for me. The Allies (Britian, US and Russia) insisted that France have an equal share in the post war decisions but excluded the Poles despite their many contributions to the Allied victory. The irony!! Poland who fought to the end sold out and France who barely fielded an army rewarded, ugh. The last comment I'd make is the strong character, loyalty and love of country of the Poles is an integral and moving part of this story.

A Question of Honor
I am a history buff and offen look for somethig new to learn about yesteryear. I picked this book out of curiousity and was quite surprise of the increditable achievement the polish pilots accomplished and the terrible way they were treated after the war as well as the country of Poland. Churchill and FDR lied and ignored Poland. I am neither British or Polish but ashamed of the way our country treated Poland.
Highly recommend this book

The Best Squadron of WW II ? Yes.
No. 303 ("Kosciuszko") Polish Fighter Squadron by kill ratio, No. 303 was the best performing RAF unit in the Battle of Britain.

In my opinion this was the best Squadron in WWII. What is most interesting about this story is the fact that for various reasons the allies made in most difficult for the Poles to get into the fight.

These men had already seen action long before any of the other allies and they were the best because they were willing to die because Poland had been destroyed and also they worked as a team.

What they went to just to get into the fight was

Witold Urbanowitz one of Commanding officers had an uncanny ability to see the enemy no matter where they were and the Poles were not selfish about individual kills they maximized kills by teamwork. They knew to get in close for the kill.
Later on in the war the bomber crews all wanted the Poles to fly escort with them because they were fearless and the best.
But no one knows about the 303. do they?

No Polish units were invited to march in the London Victory Parade of 1946. None.

No one knows Polish American Lieutenant Colonel Matt Louis Urban according to the Guinness Book of World Records is the most decorated American serviceman of WWII. You have never hear of him. See The Hero - We Nearly Forgot: The Matt Urban Story (Revised Limited 2nd Edition)

This great book has helped people find out some of the lost history of WWII.
Will make you proud and angry if your an American or especially a Pole.

Bravo Zulu.

Also see No Greater Ally: The Untold Story of Poland's Forces in World War II (General Military)

history repeat it's self

I am Polish I was born in Poland and grew up in communist schools and I learn the official history of Poland in WWII till I was 17 years old then I moved to U.S. but the unofficial history I learn from my parents and grandparents.
I was in U.S Army and yes I had the same questions and I had to fight the same stereotypes as the author was writing about Polish pilots in England.
My grandfather was a soldier in Polish army in 1939 and he was capture by Russians, he escape from a train heading for Siberia and it took him two months to walk home. When I ask him why he continue to fight from Prussian border to get captured by Russians the answer was " I swore to defend Poland and not to let go of my rifle, it was my honor "
My grandmother was on train to Germany to work in factory, after she escape she had to hide for two years from Germans. As I was reading this book about how Polish pilots ware treated when not needed, the propaganda machine turn on them I could noticed how similar it was before U.S. invaded Iraq and thought to times when I grew up in Poland with censorship and the my thought was who needs censorship if all news agency just report what the government wants.
After I read this book as a Polish I am even more proud o my grandfather and my heritage this book is excellent and should be taken as warning to future generations not to take anything for granted that live is too precious.

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