USA

On August 28, 2024, a ceremony took place in Fort Worth, Texas, which went down in history of the Polish Air Force. Poland officially received its first F-35A "Husarz" (Winged Cavalryman) fighter plane.

I just finished watching the US presidential debate. Unfortunately, I didn't learn anything new. Apart from the familiar slogans from previous speeches by both candidates, the debate lacked any specific programmatic elements.

The life of Felix Paul Wierzbicki (1815-1860) is a remarkable tale of resilience, patriotism, and diverse accomplishments. Born in Volhynia, Ukraine, he abandoned his initial pursuit of medicine to join the November Uprising in 1830-1831, actively participating in pivotal battles for Polish independence. Forced into internment and later exile, he immigrated to the United States, leaving an indelible mark on various fields.

The Polish American Congress (PAC, Kongres Polonii Amerykańskiej, KPA) was the largest Polish organization in the world. It was founded in June 1944 in Buffalo, New York. Over 2,500 Polish activists and Polish priests from 26 states participated in the founding meeting.

The NATO summit, held in Washington from July 9-11, occurred amid the alliance’s 75th anniversary and significant geopolitical tensions. The outcomes were mixed, particularly regarding critical issues like Ukraine’s potential membership.

Recently, the Bydgoszcz publishing house “Koronis” published Józef Kuffel’s book “The Phantom of Freedom” (Widmo wolności), dedicated to the participant Mrs. Stanisława “Stella” Calińska (née Walasek). She died in Petaluma in northern California in mid-July 2022.

Unfortunately, when the first partially free elections were held in Poland in June 1989, Americans, with the exception of the Polish community in the United States, were generally unaware of the nature of what was happening in Europe at that time. Nor did they understand the importance of Poland's role in the whole process of the fall of communism. Unfortunately, the only thing that captured the collective imagination was the fall of the Berlin Wall.

On June 9, citizens of the European Union voted in election to the European Parliament. For the first time, the euro progressive coalition, which dominated this Parliament for about 30 years, was being challenged by what some call “populist” parties.

A female doctor with Polish roots played an important role in the American history of medicine in the 19th century. Americans owe Dr. Zak modern treatment standards and the founding of the first women's hospital.

Understanding this historic and unwavering Russian expansionist commitment should help us formulate a winning strategy for stopping them in Ukraine today, the strategy that is missing in our debates. Believing that we can appease Russians with anything is a mistake. They consider any appeasement a sign of weakness, and it motivates them to continue their conquest.

On 12 March 1999, Poland, alongside the Czech Republic and Hungary, officially became a member of NATO.