Invasion of Poland
Before
Earlier Nazi Aggression was only a taste of things to come. As soon as he had assurances that Soviet Union would not stand in his way (the Nazi-Soviet Pact), Hitler told his general to plan an offensive into Poland for September 1939. Hitler would once again ignore the British and French pledges of support for Polish independence for he had no respect for either nation after the appeasement at the Rhineland, during the Austrian "Anschluss," and in Czechoslovakia. He would also disregard a nonaggression pact he had signed five years earlier with Poland. The successful invasion of Poland would start World War II and begin a domino effect as nation after nation fell.
the Belligerents
The German army was large and strong, but rearmament had not complete. However, the Polish army was weaker and outdated (they still used divisions of cavalry), so they would not be able to hold back the Germans for long. The German air force (the Luftwaffe) was ten times a powerful as small Polish one and the Germans had far more of tanks, which they knew how to use to their advantage. The modern German blitzkrieg "lighting war" tactics would strike the Polish, British, and French generals unprepared. The coordinated, quick thrusts were unprecedented in the history of modern war, far different from the slow, trench warfare of World War II.
Blitzkrieg "Lighting War"
On September 1st, 1939, a million and a half soldiers in 54 divisions (40 infantry, 14 mechanized) rushed across the borders from the north, south, and west, while the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) preemptively destroyed Polish aircraft and facilities. Most Polish aircraft were caught on the ground and the Luftwaffe achieved air superiority on the first day. The Luftwaffe also “terror bombed” homes, bridges, railroad, and industries to create a fleeing mass of civilians, which clogged the roads for Polish reinforcements. On the 3rd, Great Britain and France honored their promise to Poland, by declaring war on Germany at noon and 5:00 p.m. likewise. World War II had begun. Meanwhile, German tanks punched through the Polish lines allowing the infantry thrust deep into the Polish heartland, capturing major and strategic cities. Cracow fell on September 6th and the Siege of Warsaw lasted 18 days, beginning after German Panzar tank divisions arrived on the 8th and lasting until the 27th. Earlier that month the gigantic Battle of Burza (the largest in the campaign) drove the Polish to the southeast. On October 2nd to 5th, the Battle of Kock ended the invasion with Polish defeat.
The Soviet INvasion
On the 17th, the Soviet Union had taken advantage of the confusion and leapt into the fray seizing their promised share (the Baltic countries). Hitler had promised them a share of Poland in the Nazi-Soviet Pact and the Soviets intended to take it. They took eastern Poland as well as the Latvia and Estonia. After some convincing Germany gave up Lithuania in exchange for parts of Poland. During the "Winter War," the Soviets started a costly campaign into Finland, which result in the capture of only a small portion of the nation and heavy loses of Soviet soldiers. The invasion was so bloody, because Soviet leader Joseph Stalin had purged his generals so many were inexperienced or incompetent.
Strategic MAps:
Photos
Aftermath
After Germany conquered Poland, it set up a Nazi-controlled Polish government and annexed several Polish territories, which had been taken away from Germany after World War I. The Polish were heavily persecuted by the Germans who thought they were Untermenschen (sub-human) and Polish Jews even heavier. Thousands of Poles were executed, because they were considered dangerous to the Nazi rule. Millions more evicted from their homes to make way for German settlers and placed others in concentration camps. If a family were unlucky, they might even have the children taken away from them to be Germanized (only if the child was fair-haired, blue-eyed, and a pale-skinned). A few, lucky persons were purposefully smuggled out of the country or left to support the Allied cause. For example, 100,000 Polish military members were smuggled to Romania and the Baltic nations and the Polish code-breaking team to France.