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95 documents on the events that represent a pivotal moment in modern Polish and world history: 16 months between August 1980 when the Solidarity trade union was founded and December 1981 when Polish authorities declared martial law and crushed the nationwide opposition movement that had grown up around the union. Transcripts of Soviet and Polish Politburo meetings give a detailed picture of the goals, motivations and deliberations of the leaders of these countries. Records of Warsaw Pact gatherings, notes of bilateral sessions of the communist camp provide additional pieces to the puzzle of what Moscow and its allies had in mind. Materials are included from Solidarity, too.

Table of Contents

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  1. Cover
  2. pp. 1-2
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  1. Series title page
  2. p. 3
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  1. Title page
  2. p. 4
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  1. Copyright page
  2. p. 5
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  1. Table of Contents
  2. pp. v-xi
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  1. Foreword: From Romanticism to Realism: Our Struggle in the Years 1980–1982
  2. pp. xiii-xvi
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  1. Editors’ Preface and Acknowledgments
  2. pp. xvii-xxii
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  1. Acronyms and Abbreviations
  2. pp. xxiii-xxvii
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  1. Chronology of Events
  2. pp. xxviii-xlviii
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  1. “The Polish Crisis: Internal and International Dimensions”
  2. pp. 1-43
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  1. Part One: The Birth of Solidarity
  1. Document No. 1: Protocol No. 13 of PUWP CC Politburo Meeting, July 18, 1980
  2. pp. 47-49
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  1. Document No. 2: Extract from Protocol No. 210 of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, August 25, 1980
  2. p. 50
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  1. Document No. 3: Cardinal Wyszyński’s Sermon at Jasna Góra Following the Outbreak of Strikes, with Reactions, August 26–28, 1980
  2. pp. 51-56
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  1. Document No. 4: Protocol of PUWP CC Politburo Meeting, August 27, 1980
  2. pp. 57-63
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  1. Document No. 5: CPSU CC Politburo Commission Order to Enhance Readiness of Military Units for Possible Use in Poland, August 28, 1980
  2. pp. 64-65
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  1. Document No. 6: The Szczecin Agreement, August 30, 1980
  2. pp. 66-69
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  1. Document No. 7: The Gdańsk Agreement, August 31, 1980
  2. pp. 70-80
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  1. Document No. 8: President Carter’s Letter to Allies on Poland, September 1, 1980
  2. pp. 81-82
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  1. Document No. 9: CPSU CC Politburo Report on Topics for Discussion with the Polish Leadership, September 3, 1980
  2. pp. 83-86
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  1. Document No. 10: Special Coordination Committee, Summary of Conclusions, “Meeting on Poland,” with Attachment, September 23, 1980
  2. pp. 87-92
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  1. Part Two: Fraternal Assistance
  1. Document No. 11: Transcript of Bulgarian (BCP CC) Politburo Meeting, October 21, 1980
  2. pp. 93-100
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  1. Document No. 12: Solidarity National Coordinating Commission Statement on Union Registration, October 24, 1980
  2. pp. 101-102
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  1. Document No. 13: Protocol of PUWP CC Secretariat Meeting, October 25, 1980
  2. pp. 103-118
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  1. Document No. 14: Transcript of Bulgarian (BCP CC) Politburo Meeting, October 25, 1980
  2. pp. 119-122
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  1. Document No. 15: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, October 29, 1980
  2. pp. 123-128
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  1. Document No. 16: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, October 31, 1980
  2. pp. 129-131
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  1. Document No. 17: Letter from Leonid Brezhnev to Erich Honecker, November 4, 1980
  2. pp. 132-133
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  1. Document No. 18: Letter from Erich Honecker to Leonid Brezhnev, November 26, 1980
  2. pp. 134-135
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  1. Document No. 19: Report of the Czechoslovak Army Chief of Staff to the Minister of National Defense, December 3, 1980
  2. pp. 136-137
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  1. Document No. 20: CIA Alert Memorandum, “Poland,” December 3, 1980
  2. pp. 138-187
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  1. Document No. 21: Message from Ryszard Kukliński on Impending Warsaw Pact Invasion, December 4, 1980
  2. pp. 139-140
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  1. Document No. 22: Minutes of Warsaw Pact Leadership Meeting in Moscow, December 5, 1980
  2. pp. 141-161
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  1. Document No. 23: Minutes of U.S. Special Coordination Committee Meeting, December 7, 1980
  2. pp. 162-164
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  1. Document No. 24: CIA Situation Report, “Poland,” December 8, 1980
  2. pp. 165-166
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  1. Document No. 25: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, December 11, 1980
  2. pp. 167-168
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  1. Part Three: From Crisis to Crisis
  1. Document No. 26: Protocol of Meeting of Leading Aktiv Members of Ministry of Internal Affairs, January 5, 1981
  2. pp. 171-175
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  1. Document No. 27: CPSU CC Instructions to the Soviet Ambassador Concerning Lech Wałęsa Visit to Italy, January 14, 1981
  2. pp. 176-179
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  1. Document No. 28: PUWP CC Report on Leonid Zamyatin’s Visit to Katowice, January 16, 1981
  2. pp. 180-183
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  1. Document No. 29: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, January 22, 1981
  2. pp. 184-187
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  1. Document No. 30: Supplement No. 1 to PUWP CC Politburo Protocol No. 657 Analyzing the Intentions of Solidarity, January 26, 1981
  2. pp. 188-192
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  1. Document No. 31: National Intelligence Estimate (NIE 12.6–81), “Poland’s Prospects over the Next Six Months,” January 27, 1981
  2. pp. 193-211
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  1. Document No. 32: Solidarity National Coordinating Commission, “Statement on the Current Social and Political Situation,” circa February 1981
  2. pp. 212-214
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  1. Document No. 33: Supplement No. 2 to PUWP CC Politburo Protocol No. 69, February 6, 1981
  2. pp. 215-217
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  1. Document No. 34: Memorandum of Conversation between Erich Honecker and Fidel Castro, February 28, 1981
  2. pp. 218-220
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  1. Document No. 35: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, March 12, 1981
  2. pp. 221-222
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  1. Document No. 36: Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs Duty Report on Preparations for Martial Law, March 16, 1981
  2. pp. 223-225
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  1. Document No. 37: Protocol No. 82 from PUWP CC Politburo Meeting, March 25, 1981
  2. pp. 226-233
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  1. Document No. 38: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, March 26, 1981
  2. pp. 234-236
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  1. Part Four: Search for a "Polish Solution"
  1. Document No. 39: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, April 2, 1981
  2. pp. 239-244
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  1. Document No. 40: CIA Alert Memorandum, “Poland,” April 3, 1981
  2. pp. 245-294
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  1. Document No. 41: East German Report of Discussion with Marshal Viktor Kulikov, April 7, 1981
  2. pp. 246-254
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  1. Document No. 42: Brezhnev’s Speech to CPCz CC Politburo, April 7, 1981
  2. pp. 255-258
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  1. Document No. 43: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, April 9, 1981
  2. pp. 259-264
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  1. Document No. 44: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, April 16, 1981
  2. pp. 265-266
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  1. Document No. 45: Extract from Protocol No. 7 from CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, April 23, 1981
  2. pp. 267-272
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  1. Document No. 46: Message from Ryszard Kukliński to CIA, April 26, 1981
  2. pp. 273-274
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  1. Document No. 47: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, April 30, 1981
  2. pp. 275-277
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  1. Document No. 48: Informational Memorandum from the L’vov District Secretary to the CPUkr Central Committee, May 7, 1981
  2. pp. 278-279
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  1. Document No. 49: Memorandum of Meeting between Leonid Brezhnev, Erich Honecker,Gustáv Husák et al, in Moscow, May 16, 1981
  2. pp. 280-293
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  1. Document No. 50: CPSU CC Letter to the PUWP CC, June 5, 1981
  2. pp. 294-298
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  1. Document No. 51: Transcript of PUWP CC Politburo Meeting during Break in CC Session, June 10, 1981
  2. pp. 299-303
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  1. Document No. 52: Memorandum from Ronald I. Spiers to the Secretary of State, “Polish Resistance to Soviet Intervention,” June 15, 1981
  2. pp. 304-306
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  1. Document No. 53: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting on Brezhnev–Kania Conversation, June 18, 1981
  2. pp. 307-309
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  1. Document No. 54:CIA National Intelligence Daily, “USSR–Poland: Polish Military Attitudes,” June 20, 1981
  2. pp. 310-311
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  1. Document No. 55: Information on Andrei Gromyko’s Talks with the PUWP Leadership, July 3–5, 1981
  2. pp. 312-314
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  1. Document No. 56: Report to HSWP CC Politburo with Verbatim Transcript of July 21 Telephone Conversation between Kania and Brezhnev, July 22, 1981
  2. pp. 315-318
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  1. Document No. 57: Notes of Solidarity National Coordinating Commission Conference in Gdańsk, July 24, 1981
  2. pp. 319-329
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  1. Document No. 58: Record of Brezhnev–Honecker Meeting in the Crimea, August 3, 1981
  2. pp. 330-333
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  1. Document No. 59: PUWP CC Assessment of Public Attitudes toward Solidarity, August 17, 1981
  2. pp. 334-341
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  1. Document No. 60: Information on Brezhnev Meeting with Kania and Jaruzelski on August 14, 1981, August 22, 1981
  2. pp. 342-347
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  1. Document No. 61: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, September 10, 1981
  2. pp. 348-349
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  1. Document No. 62: Protocol No. 002/81 of Meeting of the Homeland Defense Committee, September 13, 1981
  2. pp. 350-356
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  1. Document No. 63: CPSU CC Communication to the PUWP CC, “Intensifying Anti-Soviet Feelings in Poland,” September 14, 1981
  2. pp. 357-359
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  1. Document No. 64: Information on Brezhnev–Kania Telephone Conversation, September 15, 1981
  2. pp. 360-362
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  1. Document No. 65: Message from Ryszard Kukliński to CIA, September 15, 1981
  2. pp. 363-364
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  1. Document No. 66: Letter from HSWP CC Signed by Kádár to PUWP CC via ,September 17, 1981
  2. pp. 365-367
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  1. Document No. 67: Excerpt from CPSU CC Politburo Meeting Regarding Brezhnev–Kania Conversation, September 17, 1981
  2. pp. 368-369
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  1. Document No. 68: Report to the HSWP CC Politburo by the Hungarian Ambassador to Warsaw, September 18, 1981
  2. pp. 370-374
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  1. Document No. 69: PUWP CC, “Instructions on the More Important Activities of the Party, Organs of Power and State Administration,” September 18, 1981
  2. pp. 375-384
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  1. Part Five: Final Preparations
  1. Document No. 70: Czesław Kiszczak’s Notes for October 5 Politburo Meeting, October 4, 1981
  2. pp. 387-391
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  1. Document No. 71: Notes of Brezhnev–Jaruzelski Telephone Conversation, October 19, 1981
  2. pp. 392-394
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  1. Document No. 72: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting on Rusakov’s Trip to Eastern Europe, October 29, 1981
  2. pp. 395-399
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  1. Document No. 73: Extract from Protocol No. 37 of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, November 21, 1981
  2. pp. 400-404
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  1. Document No. 74: Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs, “Supplement No. 2: Planned Activity of the Ministry of Internal Affairs,” November 25, 1981
  2. pp. 405-408
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  1. Document No. 75: Memorandum from Alexander Haig to President Reagan, “U.S. Assistance Program for Poland, ” December 1, 1981
  2. pp. 409-411
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  1. Document No. 76: PUWP CC, “Excerpt from Motions at Meeting with CC Members on November 27, 1981,” December 2, 1981
  2. pp. 412-413
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  1. Document No. 77: Notes of Meeting of the Presidium of Solidarity’s National Coordinating Commission in Gdańsk, December 2, 1981
  2. pp. 414-416
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  1. Document No. 78: Solidarity NCC Presidium, “Position Taken by the Presidium of the National Coordinating Commission and Leaders of the NSZZ,” December 3, 1981
  2. pp. 417-419
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  1. Document No. 79: Report on the Committee of Ministers of Defense Meeting in Moscow, December 1–4, 1981
  2. pp. 420-424
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  1. Document No. 80: Protocol No. 18 of PUWP CC Politburo Meeting, December 5, 1981
  2. pp. 425-445
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  1. Document No. 81: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, December 10, 1981
  2. pp. 446-453
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  1. Document No. 82: Notebook Entries of Lt. Gen. Viktor Anoshkin, December 11, 1981
  2. pp. 454-455
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  1. Part Six: Crackdown
  1. Document No. 83: Telegram to Directors of Voivode Police, circa December 12, 1981
  2. pp. 459-508
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  1. Document No. 84: Communication from Czesław Kiszczak to Florian Siwicki, December 12, 1981
  2. pp. 460-509
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  1. Document No. 85: Protocol No. 19 of PUWP CC Politburo Meeting, December 13, 1981
  2. pp. 461-472
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  1. Document No. 86: Extract from Protocol No. 40 of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, December 13, 1981
  2. pp. 473-474
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  1. Document No. 87: Speech by Pope John Paul II Concerning Martial Law, December 13, 1981
  2. pp. 475-524
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  1. Document No. 88: CIA National Intelligence Daily, “Poland: Test of Government’s Measures,” December 14, 1981
  2. pp. 476-477
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  1. Document No. 89: Memorandum from Lawrence Eagleburger to Secretary of State, “General Wojciech Jaruzelski,” December 16, 1981
  2. pp. 478-479
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  1. Document No. 90: Appeal from Pope John Paul II to Wojciech Jaruzelski, December 18, 1981
  2. pp. 480-481
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  1. Document No. 91: Protocol No. 16 of PUWP CC Secretariat Meeting, December 19, 1981
  2. pp. 482-495
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  1. Document No. 92: Hotline Communication from Leonid Brezhnev to Ronald Reagan Regarding Martial Law in Poland, December 25, 1981
  2. pp. 496-498
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  1. Document No. 93: Report to HSWP CC Politburo on Hungarian Delegation’s Talks with Wojciech Jaruzelski, December 30, 1981
  2. pp. 499-503
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  1. Document No. 94: Transcript of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, January 14, 1982
  2. pp. 504-507
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  1. Document No. 95: Notes of Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Defense Meeting on Implementation of Martial Law, January 15, 1982
  2. pp. 508-522
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  1. Main Actors
  2. pp. 523-527
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  1. Selected Bibliography
  2. pp. 528-532
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  1. Index
  2. pp. 533-548
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  1. Back Cover
  2. p. 602
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