This is consistent with later Soviet treatment of many Home Army soldiers, who were usually imprisoned, tortured, and executed. See Operation Tempest for aftermath of other actions of that operation The decision to begin the Uprising can be viewed more as a political one (a demonstration to show the Soviets and the Western Allies that the Polish government-in-exile had control over the country) than a military one (since the military situation was worsening, as German troops in Warsaw were being strengthened and reinforced). The decision to start the Uprising was rushed several times: first on 20 July, when plans for Operation Tempest were changed to include Warsaw (after the series of reports on aggressive actions by Soviets toward Home Army units in the eastern territories), then on 31 July when exaggerated reports of approaching Russian forces convinced some decision makers that if they did not start the Uprising soon it would be too late to aid the Russians and 'make a stand'. Due to this rushed change of plans, personnel and ammunition available at the time of "W-hour" in Warsaw were not optimal. Fate of the Warsaw civilians Most civilians were not killed and many were released into the country west of Warsaw, but some were sent to concentration camps or subjected to slave labour. The entire civilian population of Warsaw was expelled from the city and sent to a transit camp Durchgangslager 121 in Pruszków. Out of 350,000–550,000 civilians who passed through the camp, 90,000 were sent to labour camps in the Third Reich, 60,000 were shipped to death and concentration camps (including Ravensbrück, Auschwitz, and Mauthausen, among others), while the rest were transported to various locations in the General Government and released. Fate of the fighters Most fighters were sent to POW camps in various parts of Germany. Depending on where they were sent, they were later liberated by U.S., British or Soviet forces. This would have a big effect on their later lives. References Warsaw Uprising