1996 (continued)
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With an unpredictable Germany in the west and an ever more hostile Belarus in the east, Poland begins secret talks with Moscow. Within months this leads to a defence pact between Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The pact is signed in Warsaw and its official name is the Co-operative Security Pact. The rest of the world refers to it as the new Warsaw Pact.
Besieged by its enemies, Belarus' resistance soon crumbles and its territories are split between Poland and Russia to the world's dismay. As Poland prepares to move an occupation division into former Belarussian territory, seven German-Polish soldiers in the division refuse to cross a border which, according to Poland, doesn't exist anymore. A wave of demonstrations in western Poland by Poland's German population in honour of the "Brave Seven" is met by violent riot police, resulting in several deaths and injuries. Germany condemns the action and moves several divisions to the vicinity of the border.
In June a smallish group of high-ranking Bundeswehr officers and at least one minister begin secret talks with the home region organisations of Poland's German minority. Soon afterwards a new wave of demonstrations starts, meeting the same end as its predecessors. This time, however, some of the demonstrators respond to riot police gunfire with military weapons. Polish army units pour into the area, and soon Pomerania and Silesia appear to be in the grip of civil war. Poland claims that many of the rebels are far right-wing Germans who have crossed the border with the help of the Bundeswehr. Berlin denies any connections with the rioters but admits that it is possible that some German citizens have crossed over the border. Bundeswehr units move closer to the border in order to "improve security".
In the middle of July a number of border incidents occur between Polish and German military units. Both armies' artillery fires several times over the border. On 27 July Germany's III Army Corps cross the border in order to respond to the Polish Army's 4th Mechanized Division's "full-blown attack," as they put it. In two days history repeats itself, and Germany and Poland are officially at war.
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To be continued
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