For decades before WW1, Poland had been militarily partitioned by the Russians and the Germans. Poles were forced to learn Russian and German and adapt to the foreign culture in their respective regions. As industrialization was thrust upon Poles by their occupiers, manufacturing and mining industries began to permeate the landscape as did foreign aristocrats and barons. With the spread of urbanization and a mass scale campaign to coax peasants from agriculture to industry, so began the emigration of millions of poles to different parts of the world primarily the US.

The new perspectives on wealth ignited turmoil among the working class. The contrast between the workers and their overlords was extremely stark and prompted reasonable unrest. The former noble class became the new professional class, enjoying the jobs and lifestyles of their noble past. When beguiled Poles arrived to their cities in pursuit of better lives they found no work, for it had been taken by German immigrants.

The hardships and grievances of the workers perpetually led to the institution of a socialist party. With the rise of the party came a rise to political activity and the notion of an independent Poland. With the advent of WWI and hopes of a reunited Poland, nationalism was furvent. When war broke out Russian Poles donned Russian uniforms and those in the German territories donned German uniforms all in the name of patriotism and the legacy of a renewed Polish republic.