Upper Silesia was the scene of grave troubles (see SILESIA). Art. 88 of the Treaty of Versailles provided that the inhabitants of this area, except in its purely German portions, should vote by plebiscite for adherence to Germany or Poland. Allied troops occupied the districts in the meantime. At the polls, 717,422 votes were cast for Germany, 483,514 for Poland. The towns and industrial districts voted German. In consequence of a rumour that only two districts were to be assigned to Poland, Korfanty, a prominent Pole, occupied south-eastern Upper Silesia with an armed force. A commission of the Council of the League of Na tions on Oct. 20, 1921 awarded the south-eastern districts, includ ing 75% of the aggregate material wealth of the disputed territory, to Poland. A convention signed at Geneva between Poland and Germany May 15, 1922 provided guarantees for the continuity of the economic life of the country and the protection of minori ties during a transitional period of 15 years.
Simultaneously with the campaign in Eastern Galicia, Poland was engaged in war with Soviet Russia. The German troops of occupation had evacuated the White Russian and Little Russian territory in Cheim and Volhynia in such a way that the Bolshevik troops were able to occupy it before the Poles, to whom the in habitants appealed for aid, could come up. In this year Soviet Russia was engaged in war with most of her neighbours and with various expeditions, such as those of Kolchak or Denikin. Polish forces, as the largest and most successful of those opposed to Russia, enjoyed considerable support in Western Europe. All the Allies desired a strong Poland; but British statesmen considered that this aim would be best achieved if Poland's frontiers were not excessively extended. In the autumn, Russia suggested an armistice which was declined.
The "Curzon line," of Dec. 8, attempted to define Poland's eastern frontier. It drew a line roughly following the ethnographi
cal frontier and thus running some way further west than the actual line then occupied by Polish troops. The district of Vilna (Wilno), which the Poles had occupied in April 1919, was assigned to Lithuania.
In the spring of 192o efforts were made to secure peace with Russia, but came to nothing. On April 25, having settled differ ences with Petlura in the Ukraine by a treaty dated April 22, Poland opened a strong offensive. On May 8 the Polish troops entered Kiev. The Soviet army, however, having defeated Kol chak and Denikin, concentrated against Poland and opened a counter-offensive. By July the Polish forces were in a serious position. Poland appealed to the Allies for mediation ; and the Allies suggested that Poland should retire to the Curzon line and that representatives of Poland, Russia, Finland, Lithuania and Latvia should meet in London to arrive at a general peace settle ment of eastern Europe. Russia refused this offer, but agreed to negotiate directly with Poland. The beginning of these negotia tions, however, was delayed by Russia, who believed that the mili tary situation would become more advantageous to herself with delay. The Russian forces were actually at the gates of Warsaw when the Allies at last became perturbed by the Russian advance, and a French mission under General Weygand arrived in Warsaw to assist the Polish General Staff. The Government issued an appeal to the country, which responded nobly. On Aug. 14 Pilsud ski opened a counter-offensive, and drove the Russians back in confusion. Poland, backed by the Allies, was now able to reject the crushing peace terms which the Russian delegates at Minsk had suggested. The conference was moved to Riga, where the pre liminary treaty of peace was signed on Oct. 12. The final treaty was signed at Riga on March 18, 1921 and ratified by the Seym on April 17.
Both parties recognized each other's sovereignty and agreed to refrain from propaganda and from harbouring organizations di rected against the other party. All art collections, libraries, his torical documents, etc., which had been carried out of Poland since the first partition, and all industrial installations evacuated during the Russian retreat in the World War, were to be restored to Poland. Russia was to pay 30,000,00o roubles in gold as Poland's share in the assets of the former Russian empire. A number of mixed commissions were set up to carry out the terms of this treaty ; but considerable difficulty was experienced in re covering the art and literary treasures, and hardly any progress made in recovering the industrial material or obtaining cash pay ments.