The main point of the day is to commemorate a battle that saw Polish Forces defeat the Bolshevik Red Army.
The 1920 Battle of Warsaw lasted from August 12 until August 25 that year and is considered the decisive battle in the Polish-Russian war which broke out shortly after the end of World War I. The Polish-Russian war finally ended in 1921 with the Treaty of Riga which gave Poland part of Belorussia and Ukraine. The treaty only lasted until the end of World War II when new borders were set out in the region.
It’s the 1920 Battle of Warsaw which sees Poland celebrate Armed Forces Day and up and down the country there were many ceremonies and displays which celebrated Poland‘s past and present Armed Forces.
In Warsaw, in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at Plac Pilskudskiego the main ceremony was to take place.
Up North in Gdansk and Gdynia navy displays were due to take place along the Baltic Coast.
The newly elected president, Bronislaw Komorowski, was due to lay a wreath under the monument of Father Ignacy Skorupka who was killed in battle on August 14. He was the chaplain of the Praga garrison.
During communist rule Polish Armed Forces day was held during what was considered to the most important holiday the National Holiday of the Rebirth of Poland. The celebration of Armed Forces was usually held on July 22.
In 1992 the date was returned to August 15 by parliament.