The national movement in western Ukrainian was as strong as in other eastern European countries, and the Ukrainian government was able to mobilize over 100,000 men, 40,000 of whom were battle-ready.>Ludwik Mroczka writes that despite the strength of the Ukrainian nationalist forces, they received little support and enthusiasm from the local Ukrainian population, in general the attitude was often that of indifference, and male Ukrainian population often tried to avoid the service in its military During the Polish-Ukrainian War, the army of the West Ukrainian People's Republic was able to hold off Poland for approximately nine months but by July 1919, Polish forces had taken over most of the territory claimed by the West Ukrainian People's Republic.