In 1942, a band of Polish soldiers freshly released from prisons and work camps stumbled upon an unlikely mascot when they traded goods for a Syrian brown bear cub. Drawn to his friendly demeanor and his outspoken antics, the Polish troops who adopted the young cub came to think of him as one of their own. As the war progressed and the men strode into combat, the cub who would grow up to become Wojtek the military bear was right by their side.