Three Identity Types Shaping Popular Attitudes towards the Army in the Polish Eastern Borderlands during the September Campaign

Abstract This article re-examines the intricate relationship between society and military forces, challenging the conventional view that reduces these groups to monolithic entities. Focusing on the Polesie Army Group’s journey during the September campaign of 1939, it investigates how the Polish army moving through ethnically and culturally diverse regions of the Second Polish Republic encountered a wide range of civilian responses. Drawing on archival records, this analysis reveals a complex spectrum of local reactions, from fervent patriotism to overt hostility, deeply shaped by deep-rooted cultural and ethnic differences. By framing these interactions as part of a broader, long-term process of societal development, the article offers fresh insights into the fluid and often contested boundaries between different types of identity, highlighting the powerful influence of local contexts.