Why would Poland, a communist country at the time, allow this train to cross its border?
The soldiers on the train were instructed to shoot any passengers trying to leave the train. At the end, they leave the train with the passengers without obeying their orders. Why?
Not sure on the first point, but I'll hazard a guess on the second. By the time the rear section of the train had been decoupled and stopped just in time, it would have become apparent to the soldiers that THEY would have been killed along with everyone else on the train. If you had just realized that your military command had intended that to happen, I think you might be inclined to question the whole operation and to disobey the orders you had been given.
Well considering the circumstances, the first half of the train had just plummeted to its demise with all its passengers.
Wouldn't you be running for your life too?
**Accio Harry's virginity!**
The first question.
Actually, if we assume the action takes place around 1976, communist Poland at the time was undergoing some political and economical changes - the so-called "opening the window on the world". (Around that time, Poland established regular passenger transatlantic flights to the USA - first time in their history.) The side effect of those changes was a heavy international debt of the country. (Large part of this debt was cancelled in early 90s, when Polish intelligence officers helped several American intelligence officers escape from Iraq safely - a feat which was found impossible by intelligence agencies in Western Europe and US, but the Poles managed to accomplish this.) Supposedly the Polish government would allow the train to enter Poland and establish a temporary hospital encampment there in exchange for some economical or political benefits. But I think such agreement would take some time in the late 70s, not a matter of hours.
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