Poland, Solidarity, Walesa

Why Poland? Background to Crisis Influence of Polish-Soviet Relations Origins of the Polish Kingdom The Partitions Polish Nationalism Re-establishment of Poland Polish-Soviet War Anti-Sovietism World War II Resistance Rebirth of the Polish Communist Party The Communists Take Power Stalinism and Russian Control The 1956 Riots A Cultural Renaissance Disappointed Expectations Edward Gierek and "Dynamic Growth" The Church in PolandThe Peaceful Revolution A New Movement in Eastern Europe The First Strikes Western Reaction Shortcomings of the Gierek Regime The Police and Public Reaction The Party's Attitude to the Strikes The Gdansk Agreement and the Fall of Gierek Revolutionary Innovations Solidarity The Intellectuals' Involvement Struggle within the Party Provocation of Solidarity Restructuring the Party Economic Problems The Relationship with RussiaLech Walesa: Symbol of the Polish August Walesa as a Revolutionary Symbol His Rise to Prominence Meeting Walesa in Gdansk The Principle of Solidarity Walesa's Childhood and Youth Move to Gdansk and Marriage The Lessons of 1970—1976 The "Baltic Committee" Consequences for Walesa The "Polish August" His Style of Leadership Problems of Celebrity Walesa and the Church Crisis: Bielsko-Biala and Bydgoszcz Walesa's AchievementPicture CreditsIndex