Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Council of National Defense (Poland)

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The Council of National Defense (Polish: Rada Obrony Państwa) was an extraordinary temporary governmental body created by a decree of the Sejm of the Second Polish Republic, of 1 July 1920.

Poland was then facing defeat by Bolshevik Red Armies that were approaching Warsaw. The Council was a body that was intended to make decisions more expeditiously than the Sejm. It was fully authorized to take decisions regarding the conduct and conclusion of the war.

The Council comprised:

  • Naczelnik Państwa (Chief of State) Józef Piłsudski, the Council's chair;
  • Prime Minister Wincenty Witos, deputy chair;
  • The Marshal of the Sejm;
  • Ten Sejm deputies, representing the main political parties;
  • Three ministers selected by the Council of Ministers;
  • Three representatives of the military, selected by the Chief of State. They varied, depending on the specific military matters under consideration.

    • The Chief of State was empowered to call Council meetings, chair them and set the agenda.

    The Council enjoyed very broad powers, in order to be able to exercise far-reaching autonomy and reduce bureaucratic obstacles. Its decisions were to be implemented at once.

    References

    Council of National Defense (Poland) Wikipedia
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