WWII: Germany Invades Poland

7/23/2019 WWII: Germany Invades Poland

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The War BeginsThe War Begins



Germany was not prepared forGermany was not prepared for

war in 1939war in 1939

• No central military HQNo central military HQ

• The command structure changedThe command structure changed

according to the situationaccording to the situation• It was essentially Hitler’s idiosyncrasiesIt was essentially Hitler’s idiosyncrasies

that decided strategythat decided strategy



The Military LeadersThe Military Leaders

Admiral RaederAdmiral Raeder

KriegsmarineKriegsmarine

GeneralGeneral

BrauhitshBrauhitsh

WehrmahtWehrmaht

!ommander in!ommander in

!hief of the!hief of the

LuftwaffeLuftwaffe

Go"ringGo"ring



The #lan to $n%ade #olandThe #lan to $n%ade #oland

• A series of large drives through Polish A series of large drives through Polish

defencesdefences

•54 erman divisions ! including " tan#54 erman divisions ! including " tan#$%an&er divisions' and 4 motorised infantry$%an&er divisions' and 4 motorised infantry

divisionsdivisions



#lanning#lanning

• Plans for the invasion of PolandPlans for the invasion of Poland$(%eration )hite' were discussed *y the$(%eration )hite' were discussed *y thearmy $)ehrmacht' from +arch ,-.- andarmy $)ehrmacht' from +arch ,-.- and

had *een finalised *y /unehad *een finalised *y /une• The attac# had to *e s%eedyThe attac# had to *e s%eedy

• The ma0ority of erman troo%s would *eThe ma0ority of erman troo%s would *e

committed in the 1astcommitted in the 1ast• This left the western *order againstThis left the western *order against

2rance vulnera*le2rance vulnera*le



The #olish foresThe #olish fores

• , million men in the army $)ehrmacht 3, million men in the army $)ehrmacht 3million'million'

• Poorly eui%%ed ! lac# of industry toPoorly eui%%ed ! lac# of industry to

%roduce wea%ons%roduce wea%ons• ,6 tan#s $)ehrmacht 37666',6 tan#s $)ehrmacht 37666'

• .,. com*at aircraft $8uftwaffe 3765'.,. com*at aircraft $8uftwaffe 3765'

• No natural *ordersNo natural *orders• +ost of the Polish *orders ad0oined+ost of the Polish *orders ad0oined

ermanyermany





#olish tatis#olish tatis

• The western areas were the most economicallyThe western areas were the most economically

vital7 so the Polish troo%s were s%read thinlyvital7 so the Polish troo%s were s%read thinly

along this *order along this *order

• The Poles only *egan mo*ilisation on 3- August9The Poles only *egan mo*ilisation on 3- August9• The :ritish and 2rench had advised againstThe :ritish and 2rench had advised against

mo*ilisation in case it antagonised ermanymo*ilisation in case it antagonised ermany

• )hen the invasion came on , ;e%tem*er7 only)hen the invasion came on , ;e%tem*er7 onlyone<third of the Polish troo%s were readyone<third of the Polish troo%s were ready



The German atta&The German atta&

• The 8uftwaffe soon decimated the PolishThe 8uftwaffe soon decimated the Polishair forceair force

• Air stri#es on the Polish railway ham%ered Air stri#es on the Polish railway ham%ered

Polish mo*ilisationPolish mo*ilisation

• Polish cavalry with lances %roved noPolish cavalry with lances %roved nomatch for erman tan#smatch for erman tan#s

• =ee% incursions *y Pan&er divisions=ee% incursions *y Pan&er divisionsse%arated Poland into %oc#ets7 which these%arated Poland into %oc#ets7 which theinfantry soon too# control of infantry soon too# control of



Timeline of e%entsTimeline of e%ents

• , ;e%tem*er ! the invasion *egins, ;e%tem*er ! the invasion *egins

• ,6 ;e%tem*er ! most of northern and western,6 ;e%tem*er ! most of northern and western

Poland under erman controlPoland under erman control

• ,> ;e%tem*er < the ?ussians invade from the,> ;e%tem*er < the ?ussians invade from the

east $secret %rotocol of the Na&i<;oviet Pact'east $secret %rotocol of the Na&i<;oviet Pact'

• ,> ;e%tem*er ! )arsaw surrounded,> ;e%tem*er ! )arsaw surrounded

• 3> ;e%tem*er ! )arsaw surrenders after ,63> ;e%tem*er ! )arsaw surrenders after ,6days of heavy *om*ing *y the ermansdays of heavy *om*ing *y the ermans

• 5 (cto*er ! the end of Polish resistance5 (cto*er ! the end of Polish resistance

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/media_fi.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005137&MediaId=203





!onse'uenes!onse'uenes

• >67666 Poles died>67666 Poles died• ,..7666 Poles wounded,..7666 Poles wounded• >667666 Poles ta#en %risoner >667666 Poles ta#en %risoner

• ,47666 ermans died,47666 ermans died• .,7666 ermans wounded.,7666 ermans wounded• A Polish government in e@ile was formed under A Polish government in e@ile was formed under

eneral ;i#ors#ieneral ;i#ors#i

• A Polish army in e@ile was formed ! 47666 men A Polish army in e@ile was formed ! 47666 men• Poland %artitioned ! under erman and ;ovietPoland %artitioned ! under erman and ;oviet

controlcontrol



(ar)y page 11(ar)y page 11



General *i&ors&i and !hurhill inspetingGeneral *i&ors&i and !hurhill inspeting

#olish troops in *otland in 19+,#olish troops in *otland in 19+,



The -renh ResponseThe -renh Response

• =uring the attac#7 they did nothing7 a%art from=uring the attac#7 they did nothing7 a%art from

declaring war on ermany on . ;e%tem*er9declaring war on ermany on . ;e%tem*er9

• 2rance failed to honour its %romise to assist2rance failed to honour its %romise to assist

Poland within ,5 days of an attac# $+ay ,-.-'Poland within ,5 days of an attac# $+ay ,-.-'• 2rance had a . to , military su%eriority on2rance had a . to , military su%eriority on

ermany’s western front7 *ut failed to launch aermany’s western front7 *ut failed to launch a

ma0or offensivema0or offensive

• The 2rench felt safe *ehind their +aginot 8ineThe 2rench felt safe *ehind their +aginot 8ine





The British ResponseThe British Response

• =uring the attac# they did nothing7 a%art from declaring=uring the attac# they did nothing7 a%art from declaringwar on ermany on . ;e%tem*er9war on ermany on . ;e%tem*er9

htt%BBnews9**c9co9u#B,BhiBs%ecialCre%ortB,---B6B--Bworldhtt%BBnews9**c9co9u#B,BhiBs%ecialCre%ortB,---B6B--Bworld CwarCiiB4.66>,9stm CwarCiiB4.66>,9stm

• Their army was too smallTheir army was too small• Neville Dham*erlain had no desire for immediate militaryNeville Dham*erlain had no desire for immediate militaryactionaction

• He *elieved time was on the Allies sideHe *elieved time was on the Allies side• A naval *loc#ade7 com*ined with su%erior Allied A naval *loc#ade7 com*ined with su%erior Allied

resources would soon *ring ermany to its #neesresources would soon *ring ermany to its #nees:ETF:ETF• ermany had access to ;oviet resources than#s to theermany had access to ;oviet resources than#s to the

Na&i<;oviet PactNa&i<;oviet Pact

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/08/99/world_war_ii/430071.stm








Why.Why.

• :ritain and 2rance had gone to war7 not to:ritain and 2rance had gone to war7 not to

%rotect Poland7 *ut to %revent erman%rotect Poland7 *ut to %revent erman

domination of 1uro%edomination of 1uro%e

• Allied strategy was to wage a defensive Allied strategy was to wage a defensive

war7 so that they could continue to rearmwar7 so that they could continue to rearm

and strengthen their military resourcesand strengthen their military resources



#eae.#eae.

• " (cto*er ! Hitler offered %eace %ro%osals" (cto*er ! Hitler offered %eace %ro%osals

to :ritain and 2ranceto :ritain and 2rance

• All they had to do was to acce%t the new All they had to do was to acce%t the new

*orders in 1astern 1uro%e*orders in 1astern 1uro%e

• :ritain and 2rance refused:ritain and 2rance refused



Britain/s ResponseBritain/s Response

• Dham*erlain a%%ointed )inston Dhurchill asDham*erlain a%%ointed )inston Dhurchill as2irst 8ord of the Admiralty2irst 8ord of the Admiralty

• +inistries of shi%%ing7 information and food were+inistries of shi%%ing7 information and food wererevivedrevived

• ;hi%s *egan sailing in convoys;hi%s *egan sailing in convoys• News was censoredNews was censored• ?ationing was introduced?ationing was introduced

:ETF:ETF• No uniform command structure was esta*lishedNo uniform command structure was esta*lished*etween the Allies*etween the Allies

• No agreement was reached with :elgiumNo agreement was reached with :elgium





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WWII: Germany Invades Poland