Poland's Communist leader Edward Gierek could hardly forget that he had been swept into power in 1970 by a wave of riots against rising food prices. So, for more than five years, he kept prices frozen even while wages rose by 40%. Such an artificial situation could not last indefinitely, and Gierek suddenly announced in June that the prices of many staples would go up an average 60%. Once again the restive Poles started fighting back.
In some 70 localities, demonstrators marched through the streets, staged sit-down strikes, even overturned a locomotive and tore up tracks on the main line...
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