▁the ▁National ▁Party , ▁although ▁these ▁parties ▁maintained ▁only ▁a ▁v estig ial ▁existence ▁in ▁the ▁circumstances ▁of ▁war . ▁ ▁When ▁Germany ▁launched ▁a ▁war ▁against ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁Polish ▁government ▁in ▁ex ile ▁established ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁against ▁Hitler ism , ▁but ▁also ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁help ▁Pol es ▁per sec uted ▁by ▁the ▁NK VD . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁the ▁Kre ml in ▁signed ▁a ▁one - time ▁am n esty , ▁extending ▁to ▁thousands ▁of ▁Polish ▁soldiers ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁taken ▁prisoner ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁by ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ▁in ▁eastern ▁Poland , ▁including ▁many ▁Polish ▁civil ian ▁prisoners ▁and ▁dep orte es ▁entra pped ▁in ▁Si ber ia . ▁The ▁am n esty ▁allowed ▁the ▁Pol es ▁to ▁create ▁eight ▁military ▁divisions ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Anders ▁Army . ▁They ▁were ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁Iran ▁and ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁des per ately ▁needed ▁by ▁the ▁British , ▁hard ▁pressed ▁by ▁R omm el ' s ▁A frika ▁Kor ps . ▁ ▁These ▁Polish ▁units ▁formed ▁the ▁basis ▁for ▁the ▁Polish ▁II ▁Corps , ▁led ▁by ▁General ▁W ład ys ław ▁Anders , ▁which ▁together ▁with ▁other , ▁earlier - created ▁Polish ▁units ▁fought ▁alongside ▁the ▁Al lies . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁war , ▁especially ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁on , ▁the ▁Polish ▁government ▁in ▁ex ile ▁provided ▁the ▁Al