ABSTRACT
The Red Army opened its offensive on 22 June 1944; three years to the day after the Wehrmacht had first loosed its stunning surprise attack on the Soviet Union. When Soviet armies shattered Army Group Centre, they achieved their greatest single military success on the Eastern Front. In London Stanislaw Mikolajczyk and the Prime Minister studied the implications of the 'Volhynian agreement' enacted between the Red Army and the Armija Krajowa (AK). Stalin was 'favourably disposed' towards Mikolajczyk and Romer, but as far as 'collaboration' between the Polish underground and the Red Army was concerned thought that Mikolajczyk should beware the 'fairy tales of his own intelligence service'. Mikolajczyk declared for intensifying AK activities, submitting proposals to Soviet commanders for co-operation in local administration and settling for the arrangement while postponing the main issues. On 12-13 August both the Prime Minister and Mikolajczyk approached Stalin with requests for immediate Soviet help with arms-drops.
