During the Polish-Soviet War of 1920 the city of Lwów was attacked by the forces of Aleksandr Yegorov. Since mid-June 1920 the 1st Cavalry Army of Semyon Budyonny was trying to reach the city from the north and east. At the same time Lwów was preparing the defence. The inhabitants raised and fully equipped three regiments of infantry and two regiments of cavalry as well as constructed defensive lines. The city was defended by an equivalent of three Polish divisions aided by one Ukrainian infantry division. Finally after almost a month of heavy fighting on August 16 the Red Army crossed the Bug river and, reinforced by additional 8 divisions of the so called Red Cossacks, started an assault on the city. The fighting occurred with heavy cassualties on both sides, but after three days the assault was halted and the Red Army retreated. With the crushing defeat of main forces of the Red Army in the battle of Warsaw, and the Polish vitories at Komarów at Zadwórze , Russian forces were forced to retreat from Lwów.
For the heroic defence with large units of localy raised volunteers the city was awarded with the Virtuti Militari medal on 11 November 1920.
Lwów theater of operations
Commanders and forces
Polish commanders included Czesław Mączyński, Domaszewicz (240), Zagórski (240), Tatar-Trześniowski (240), Abraham (cavalry), Krynicki, Śniadowski (artillery), Wit Sulimirski. Rómmel (1st Cavalry Division). Units: 240 Volunteers. Size: volunteers ~12,000. 1st Cavalry Division.
Soviet commanders included Semyon Budyonny, Jakira (cavalry), Kotowski (cavalry). Budionny's insistence (bordering on insubordination) on capturing Lwów has led to weakening Soviet forces near Warsaw and was a factor in their eventual defeat.
The battle
Around the time of Battle of Radzymin in mid-August, Polish line of defence in the upper Bug river region has been breached by the Red Army. Polish units in that region have begun a series of delaying manevrouvers (like the battle of Zadówrze ) and retreated towards Lwów.
Polish 1st Cavalry Division engages Soviet units under Budionny near Artasowo and Żółtańce. Soviet units attempt to swing north, but are reached by the news that that the main Soviet forces have been defeated near Warsaw.
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