The pact signed in Moscow between Hitler and Stalin gave a green light for war against Poland.

On September 1, 1939 the Wehrmacht launched its Blitzkrieg, and a couple of weeks later, the Red Army stabbed the overwhelmed Polish Army in the back, splitting Poland in half along a prearranged line.

Less then two years later, Hitler?s surprise attack on Russia forced Stalin to turn to the West for help. This gave the Polish government-in-exile in London a chance to negotiate the release of Polish prisoners held in the Gulag. Out of almost two million held there, less then 75,000 prisoners were released from prisons and labor camps. They joined the recruiting centers and waited, sick and hungry, for the arms that Stalin has promised their prime minister in London, but few were delivered. General Wladyslaw Anders, just released from the notorious Lubyanka prison, knowing the Russians well, was very apprehensive and suspicious about Stalin's designs on Poland. Being aware of his plans to control the newly organized army militarily as well as politically, Anders worked out a plan of evacuation to Iran Under pressure of the Wehrmacht advance to the gates of Moscow in late 1941. Stalin panicked and dropped his guard, allowing several divisions of Polish volunteers to join the British 10th Army in the Middle East.

Welcome there, they were fed, dressed, armed and trained. By mid 1943 the 2nd Polish Corps was ready for action just in time to help with a stalled advance at the Gustav Line barring advance to Rome during five months of heavy Allied fighting. The Gustav Line crossing the Apennine peninsula was anchored on the towering Monte Cassino, with its thousand year old Benedictine monastery on top.

As in ancient times, the mountain was vital to the German's defenses. It was providing a perfect observation point to which the Germans added an elaborate system of bunkers and tunnels. From this fortified vantage point, the Germans commanded the valley of the river Liri, and the road to Rome. Built by Romans, now Highway 6, ancient Via Casillina was originally constructed to facilitate the movement of Roman troops in their march North to expand the Roman Empire. Now, twenty-five centuries later, troops of the allied forces, including the Polish Free Army, used the same road on their way to victory.

Before the 2nd Corps took positions, the Allies in preparation for storming the Monte Cassino attempted to eliminate the town of Cassino, located at its foot. Now in ruins, and almost totally destroyed on the surface, it still represented a formidable obstruction with its underground bunkers.

The New Zealanders under Gen. Friberg suffered huge losses attacking again, and the frustrated general called for destruction the of the monastery from the air. 500 American bombers pulverized the ancient abbey.

The New Zealanders, supported by Indian troops, attacked once more, and again were driven off by the Germans, who had taken advantage of the rubble to create new defense positions.

In the beginning of April , the Polish 2nd Corps was deployed to the front at Monte Cassino. The offensive started one hour before midnight on May 11, 1944. In his Order of the Day, Gen. Anders addressed his apprehensive troops: "Soldiers, the time to defeat our ancient enemy has come. With faith in God's justice, tonight at 11 o'clock, we are going into battle beginning our last march to victory and on to our country, Poland."

Against all odds, during the battle which lasted a week, with infantry battalions decimated, the Poles beat the Germans into submission, and on the morning of May 18th. the Polish flag was finally hoisted over the ruins of the monastery.

One of the greatest confrontations with the enemy during WW II was ended, the road to Rome opened and the Americans and the Anzio bridgehead relieved. With this breakthrough victory in Italy was assured

The Poles paid their share of victory at Monte Cassino: over one thousand killed, and three thousand wounded.

Gen. Anders, commander of the 2nd Corps, before he died in London in 1972, expressed his wish to be laid to rest with his fallen soldiers near the monastery. After the war a cemetery was built at the foot of the Abbey by surviving soldiers of the 2nd Corps.

At its entrance, the engraved epitaph depicts their bravery and dedication to Poland.

In four languages it reads:

"We, Polish soldiers

For our freedom and yours

Have given our souls to God

Our bodies to the soil of Italy

And our hearts ? to Poland"

by Zdzislaw J. Starostecki