1 . 5 ▁million ▁Polish ▁citizens , ▁including ▁the ▁intellig ents ia , ▁academ ics , ▁pri ests ▁and ▁Jewish ▁Pol es ▁to ▁forced - l abor ▁cam ps ▁in ▁Si ber ia . ▁ ▁In ▁German ▁and ▁Soviet ▁war ▁propag anda , ▁Pol es ▁were ▁mock ed ▁as ▁in e pt ▁for ▁their ▁military ▁techniques ▁in ▁fighting ▁the ▁war . ▁Naz i ▁fake ▁news re els ▁and ▁for ged ▁pseudo - document aries ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁Polish ▁caval ry ▁" bra v ely ▁but ▁fut ile ly " ▁charged ▁German ▁t anks ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁Polish ▁Air ▁Force ▁was ▁w ip ed ▁out ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁on ▁the ▁opening ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁Ne ither ▁tale ▁was ▁true ▁( see : ▁M yth s ▁of ▁the ▁Polish ▁September ▁Camp aign ). ▁German ▁propag anda ▁st aged ▁a ▁Polish ▁caval ry ▁charge ▁in ▁their ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁re el ▁called ▁" G esch w ader ▁L üt z ow ". ▁ ▁I nex per ien ced ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁command ers ▁initially ▁s tere ot yp ed ▁veter an ▁Polish ▁f ighter ▁pil ots ▁as ▁in e pt ▁and ▁reck less , ▁ref using ▁to ▁let ▁them ▁fly ▁combat ▁miss ions ▁until ▁they ▁chose ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁against ▁orders ; ▁they ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁achieve ▁a ▁celebrated ▁record ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Britain . ▁British ▁military ▁command ers ▁Bernard ▁Mont gom ery ▁and ▁Frederick ▁Brow ning ▁sc ap ego ated ▁Polish ▁troops ▁and