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Posts Tagged ‘invasion of poland’

When Was World War Two?

28 Jun

http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/when_was_world_war_2.htm

 Marco Polo Bridge

Japanese soldiers at Marco Polo Bridge.

When Was World War Two?

When was World War Two? This seems like an easy question, but it can be an elusive answer. There are several answers to that question, as many historians debate when World War Two began. The end of World War Two is fairly simple to answer, as the Japanese surrendered on September 2, 1945 in Tokyo Bay.So, when did World War Two begin? Depends on which part of the war you look at.

There are several competing dates for the starting point. If we look at World War Two as a truly global war (which of course it was), and not looking at it from the European or Western point of view, we can pin the answer down to only two dates:

September 18, 1931–The Mukden Incident (also known as the Manchurian Incident) was a pretext for the Japanese invasion and occupation of the region of China known as Manchuria.

July 7, 1937–the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. This is when Japan (one of the Axis powers of World War Two) began its massive invasion of China

Many historians prefer the 1937 date over the 1931 incident as the Marco Polo Bridge incident led to a major war between China (which became one of the Allies of World War Two), and Japan and Germany had already, in November of 1936, signed an Anti-Comintern Pact that made them allies against the democracies and against the Soviet Union.

The start of the European part of World War Two is a bit clearer, as most historians put the start date with the German Invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939.

 

Venezuela War and Conflict Page Online

23 Dec

A new page listing the wars, conflicts, and many coups in Venezuelan history is now online at http://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_venezuela.htm, including information about the ongoing conflict between Venezuela and Colombia.

 

Joseph Stalin: History’s Villain

22 Dec
Joseph Stalin-Soviet Dictator and Mass Murderer

Joseph Stalin-Soviet Dictator and Mass Murderer

Joseph Stalin’s 130th birthday is today.  That he was ever born and lived out his evil, bloody life is a cause for despair and sadness.  Joseph Stalin was, without a doubt, one of the vilest, most villainous dictators in history.  Only Hitler surpasses Stalin in the annals of war and genocide.

Russia’s remaining Communists, though, choose to ignore his crimes (or, perhaps they actually applaud them.  Being Communists, you never know what they truly believe), and instead want to celebrate the birth of their long-lost hero.  For those who may not be fully aware of what Stalin did in his criminal career to deserve this status just below Hitler in

 
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Posted in History, russia, Soviet Union, Tibet, world war two

 

01 Sep

 

Warsaw Burning During the German Invasion of 1939

Warsaw Burning During the German Invasion of 1939

 

The German Invasion of Poland (September 1, 1939-October 6, 1939)–Germany invaded Poland on September 1, and Britain, France, and Canada, declared war on Germany on September 3. The Soviet Union joined the war on Germany’s side on September 17, with the Soviet Invasion of Poland from the east. The German Invasion of Poland (called Operation Case White/Unternehmen Fall Weiss by the Germans), marks the beginning of World War Two in Europe.

For more information, links, images, and videos, see:

http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/german_invasion_of_poland_1939.htm

http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_video_german_invasion_of_poland.htm and http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_images_invasion_of_poland.htm

 

German Invasion of Poland Images and Video

31 Aug

Two new pages with pictures and video related  to the German Invasion of Poland in 1939 are now online.  See them at: http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_video_german_invasion_of_poland.htm and http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_images_invasion_of_poland.htm

 

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (also known as the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty)

23 Aug

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (also known as the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty)

Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a Non-Aggression treaty on August 23, 1939. This treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union set the stage for the German invasion of Poland a week later, which was the opening round of World War Two in Europe. The second part of this treaty remained secret, and called for the division of Eastern Europe between Hitler and Stalin.

By getting Stalin to agree to not oppose an invasion of Poland, Hitler was assured of a fairly easy war, or so he thought.  The agreement to divide Eastern Europe between them ensured that Moscow would not join the British and French in a defense of Poland.  The Soviet victory four days earlier in the short border war with Japan (See Battle of Khalhkin Gol) allowed Stalin to free up forces for his own aggression against Poland, the Baltic States, and Finland.

Had these two bloody-minded tyrants not signed this treaty, Hitler may not have invaded Poland, thereby triggering the European phase of World War Two.

 

Wars of Poland

23 Aug

 

The Flag of Poland

The Flag of Poland

New page now online which looks at the wars of Poland from about 1600 to the Present.

At: http://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_poland.htm

 

World War Two Document Pages Now Online

11 Apr

Several new pages are now online in the History Guy’s World War Two Section with text and images related to several important documents involving the Axis Powers of Germany, Japan, and Italy, and the origins of the Second World War.

 

The Anti-Comintern Pact (Signed November 25, 1936)

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (Signed August 24, 1939)

Text of Adolf Hitler’s Proclamation to the German Army announcing war with Poland (September 1, 1939)

The Tripartite Pact (Signed September 27, 1940)