Editing Second Polish Republic (section)

===Formation of the Republic===
[[File:Coat of arms of Poland2 1919-1927.svg|130px|left|thumb|Coat of arms of Poland, 1919-1927]]

In 1918–1919, over 100 [[Workers' Councils in Poland|workers' councils]] sprang up on Polish territories;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Rady-Delegatow-Robotniczych-w-Polsce;3965576.html |title=Rady Delegatów Robotniczych w Polsce |publisher=Internetowa encyklopedia PWN |access-date=30 July 2015 |archive-date=5 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005112619/http://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Rady-Delegatow-Robotniczych-w-Polsce;3965576.html |url-status=live }}</ref> on 5 November 1918, in [[Lublin]], the first [[Soviet of Delegates]] was established. On 6 November socialists proclaimed the [[Republic of Tarnobrzeg]] at Tarnobrzeg in Austrian [[Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria|Galicia]]. The same day the Socialist, [[Ignacy Daszyński]], set up a [[Provisional People's Government of the Republic of Poland]] (''Tymczasowy Rząd Ludowy Republiki Polskiej'') in Lublin. On Sunday, 10 November at 7 a.m., [[Józef Piłsudski]], newly freed from 16 months in a German prison in [[Magdeburg]], returned by train to Warsaw. Piłsudski, together with Colonel [[Kazimierz Sosnkowski]], was greeted at Warsaw's railway station by Regent [[Zdzisław Lubomirski]] and by Colonel [[Adam Koc]]. Next day, due to his popularity and support from most political parties, the Regency Council appointed Piłsudski as Commander in Chief of the Polish Armed Forces. On 14 November, the Council dissolved itself and transferred all its authority to Piłsudski as Chief of State (''[[Naczelnik Państwa]]''). After consultation with Piłsudski, Daszyński's government dissolved itself and a new government formed under [[Jędrzej Moraczewski]]. In 1918, the [[Kingdom of Italy]] became the first country in Europe to recognise Poland's renewed sovereignty.<ref>Andrzej Garlicki (1995), ''Józef Piłsudski, 1867–1935''.</ref>
[[File:Polish-soviet war 1920 Polish defences near Milosna, August.jpg|right|thumb|Polish defences at [[Miłosna, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship|Miłosna]], during the decisive [[Battle of Warsaw (1920)|Battle of Warsaw]], August 1920]]

Centres of government that formed at that time in [[Galicia (Eastern Europe)|Galicia]] (formerly Austrian-ruled southern Poland) included the National Council of the [[Principality of Cieszyn]] (established in November 1918), the [[Republic of Zakopane]] and the [[Polish Liquidation Committee]] (28 October). Soon afterward, the [[Polish–Ukrainian War]] broke out in [[Lwów]] (1 November 1918) between forces of the [[West Ukrainian People's Republic|Military Committee of Ukrainians]] and the Polish irregular units made up of students known as the [[Lwów Eaglets]], who were later supported by the Polish Army (see [[Battle of Lwów (1918)]], [[Battle of Przemyśl (1918)]]). Meanwhile, in western Poland, another war of national liberation began under the banner of the [[Greater Poland uprising (1918–1919)]]. In January 1919, [[First Czechoslovak Republic|Czechoslovak]] forces attacked Polish units in the area of Trans-Olza (see [[Polish–Czechoslovak War]]). Soon afterwards, the [[Polish–Lithuanian War]] (ca 1919–1920) began, and, in August 1919, Polish-speaking residents of [[Upper Silesia]] initiated a series of three [[Silesian Uprisings]]. The most critical military conflict of that period, however, the [[Polish–Soviet War]] (1919-1921), ended in a decisive Polish victory.<ref>Norman Richard Davies, ''White Eagle, Red Star: the Polish-Soviet War, 1919–20'' (2nd ed. 2003)</ref>