Due to its partitions and dissolution in the late eighteenth century, hundreds of thousands of Polish soldiers enlisted in distinct units in the armies of many countries - primarily those of the Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires, but also that of the German Reich and the French Republic.
All these forces were uniformed and equipped by the parent armies, though often with explicitly Polish features. The collapse of Tsarist Russia in 1917 and of the Central Powers in 1918 allowed these diverse forces to unite in a re-created Polish Army under the new-born Second Polish Republic in November 1918. With full colour illustrations of their unique and colourful uniforms as well as contemporary photographs, this is the fascinating story of the Poles who fought on both sides of the trenches in World War I and then united to fight for their freedom in the Russian Civil War.

NIGEL THOMAS PhD is an accomplished linguist and military historian, formerly at Northumbria University, now a freelance military author, translator and military uniform consultant. His interests are 20th-century military and civil uniformed organizations, with a special interest in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. He has written widely for Osprey with titles such as MAA 518 Polish Legions 1914-19 and Elite 227 Armies of the Baltic Independence Wars 1918-20. He was awarded a PhD for the study of the Eastern enlargement of NATO.

Overview of Polish forces during World War I/Organization, order of battle, combat record, uniforms and insignia of Polish Legions in the Austro-Hungarian Army, 1914-18/Organization, order of battle, combat record, uniforms and insignia of Polish Corps in Russian Army, 1914-18/Organization, order of battle, combat record, uniforms and insignia of Polish Army in France, 1914-18/Organization, order of battle, combat record, uniforms and insignia of the Greater Poland Army, 1919, formed from Polish corps in the German Army 1917-18/Plate Commentaries.