The Council of National Defense (Polish: Rada Obrony Państwa) was an extraordinary temporary governmental body created by a decree of the Sejm of the Second Polish Republic, of 1 July 1920.
Poland was then facing defeat by Bolshevik Red Armies that were approaching Warsaw.
The Council was a body that was intended to make decisions more expeditiously than the Sejm.
It was fully authorized to take decisions regarding the conduct and conclusion of the war.
The Council enjoyed very broad powers, in order to be able to exercise far-reaching autonomy and reduce bureaucratic obstacles.