# Battle of the Niemen River (1920)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1920-battle-of-the-niemen-river
Location: Neman River
Categories: battle

Following up the victory at Warsaw, the Polish army defeated the Red Army on the Neman River, effectively deciding the war. Within the broader World War I & Independence period: The First World War destroyed the partitioning empires. Poland regained independence in November 1918 and fought for its borders in a series of wars and uprisings until 1921. At this point in the timeline (1920), the governing authority was Józef Piłsudski (Chief of State). Architect of independence and Chief of State; after the 1926 coup he remained Poland's dominant figure until his death in 1935. Battle of the Niemen River mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed. The event is placed here so readers can follow it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion and culture across Polish history.

## Why it matters
Battle of the Niemen River mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed.

Ruler at the time: [Józef Piłsudski](https://poland-history.com/rulers/jozef-pilsudski)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Battle of the Niemen River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Niemen_River)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Battle of the Niemen River](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Battle+of+the+Niemen+River)
- [Wikipedia — History of Poland during World War I (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_during_World_War_I)