The attack on activists in Bydgoszcz was a test for whether one could already hit at “Solidarity”. Had they met with a soft response, the crackdown on the Union would have taken place quickly. Mobilisation of entire society made them step back and surely took them aback. We were in a good starting position for negotiations. The way they tried to intimidate us with Soviet tanks indicated that they feared Soviet invasion more than society did. To me this meant that they were afraid of losing their own jobs and that fear of theirs made us strong. Intervening forces always replace those currently in power. If we are determined to strike, the strike will not take place because they must accept our conditions. That was a war of nerves: who will hold out longer.