Polish cavalry charged German tanks in 1939
| Polish cavalry charged German tanks in 1939 | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "In September 1939, Polish cavalry armed with lances and sabers charged German tanks, showing how backward Poland's army was." | |
| Domain | War, Conflict & Geopolitics |
| Tactic | Propaganda Technique False Context |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | September 1939 |
| Origin | Italian and German war correspondents after the charge at Krojanty on September 1, 1939, later repeated by German propaganda |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on War, Conflict & Geopolitics | |
The image of Polish cavalry charging German tanks is one of the most persistent myths of World War II. It grew out of the charge at Krojanty on September 1, 1939, when Polish cavalrymen charged German infantry and were then fired on by armored vehicles that arrived on the scene. German propaganda used the episode to portray Poland as hopelessly outdated.
The claim
The story says Polish horsemen, believing tanks were made of cardboard, charged them with lances.
What the evidence shows
- Infantry target. At Krojanty, the 18th Pomeranian Uhlans charged a German infantry battalion and scattered it. German armored cars then opened fire on the cavalry.
- Mounted infantry. Polish cavalry usually rode to battle and fought on foot. Its units carried anti-tank rifles and light guns.
- Spread by propaganda. Foreign journalists shown the site reported a charge against tanks, and German propaganda repeated it.
Why it matters
The myth served the invader's story of a modern army defeating a backward enemy, and it outlived the war.
Sources
- Steven J. Zaloga, Poland 1939: The Birth of Blitzkrieg (Osprey Publishing, 2002).
- Wikipedia, "Charge at Krojanty."