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

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)

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.

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

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)