PRINTER'S NO. 3360
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
487
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY HADDOCK, PASHINSKI, HILL-EVANS, GUENST, VENKAT,
PROBST, CONKLIN, HARKINS, HOHENSTEIN, KINSEY, GIRAL,
SCHLOSSBERG, KHAN, JOZWIAK AND GALLAGHER, JUNE 21, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 21, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Designating September 1, 2024, as "Polish Resistance in World
War II Commemoration Day" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, World War II, humanity's most destructive and deadly
conflict, forever changed the world when it began 85 years ago;
and
WHEREAS, On September 1, 1939, Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany
began World War II when they launched an unprovoked attack on
Poland, and two days later, on September 3, Great Britain and
France declared war on Germany; and
WHEREAS, The heavily fortified and armed German military
suddenly commenced the invasion of Poland and broke through
Polish defenses to advance on Warsaw; and
WHEREAS, Despite their disadvantageous deployment, the Polish
army fought tenaciously and inflicted serious casualties on the
Germans; and
WHEREAS, On September 28, 1939, after a month of valiant
resistance against German tyranny, the Polish army in Warsaw was
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forced to surrender after experiencing heavy shelling and
bombing; and
WHEREAS, The United States formally entered World War II
after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, forcing
our nation into the war in both the Pacific and European
theaters; and
WHEREAS, In 1943, a series of planned uprisings known as
Operation Tempest transpired throughout German-controlled cities
in Poland; and
WHEREAS, Warsaw was not part of the initial operation, but
after the city's government was usurped in July 1944, civilians,
including women and children, took it upon themselves to defend
their city against the German army in what became known as the
Warsaw Uprising; and
WHEREAS, During the 63-day uprising, civilians took action to
protect their city and support their military by delivering
arms, supplies and messages and constructing defensive barriers;
and
WHEREAS, Warsaw faced relentless airstrikes and subsequent
fires, forcing civilians from their homes; and
WHEREAS, Women cared after the soldiers but were also
involved in the fighting and made up one in seven combatants;
and
WHEREAS, Morale among civilian volunteers waned as the battle
continued, and German forces regained control over parts of
Warsaw in September 1944, leading to the end of the uprising in
October; and
WHEREAS, Many civilians who had been caught in the crossfire
during the uprising were separated from their families or even
killed, as the death toll in this event exceeded 180,000 with
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more than 11,000 Polish Home Army soldiers taken as prisoners of
war; and
WHEREAS, World War II lasted six years and spanned across
Europe, Africa and Asia, ending on September 2, 1945, after the
Allies, consisting of the United States, the Soviet Union, the
United Kingdom, China and Poland, among other signatory nations,
successfully defeated the Axis powers; and
WHEREAS, The Government of Poland, in a 1947 report, stated
that 6,028,000 Poles died as a result of World War II; and
WHEREAS, There are approximately 800,000 people of Polish
descent living in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The United States Census previously identified
Luzerne County as the only county in the United States where a
plurality of residents report Polish heritage; and
WHEREAS, In 2021, Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties were among
the top six United States counties with the highest percentage
of their populations reporting Polish ancestry; and
WHEREAS, It is essential that we remember World War II and
the sacrifices and bravery of the Polish and Allied soldiers,
civilians, and all those who helped secure freedom and democracy
as we know it today; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate
September 1, 2024, as "Polish Resistance in World War II
Commemoration Day" in Pennsylvania.
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