Germany Invasion of Poland in 1939 Flashcards
Germany and Poland History of Enmity (hostility)
TOV gave Land to Poland+800000 Germans
Polish corridor and free port of Danzig to give Poland access to sea was resented
Poland inherent weaknesses
Had been dismembered and rebuilt thus a range of minority groups so communication systems/railways were unable to communicate with each other
Poland couldn’t trust its neighbours as they were surrounded by USSR and Germany who both wanted Poland’s land
Mutual pact with France at Locarno treaties 1925 - didn’t really matter, similar to Cezechoslovakia (France didn’t back them because Britain and League of Nations didn’t care)
Western powers geographically placed unfairly if Germany was to invade
Army not. Mechanised and still had cavalry + horse drawn artillery (only built light tanks in 1939)
Nazi relations with Poland up till 1936
EXAMPLE OF HITLER TAKING THE REIGNS HIMSELF (like during Blomberg Fritsch, Sudetenland, ignored advice of generals etc)
1934 - non-aggression pact with Poland to stop Russia from attacking Germany ; acted as a buffer zone
Hitler faced outspoken opposition in Reichstag to make the pact ; rearming was more important than securing Danzig and Polish corridor
Evidence of planning + Hitler also diverted attention away from the Nazis in Danzig who established control of the city - important trading port, very inconvenient that it split East Prussia from the rest of Germany
Would Hitler have been happy with Poland as a satellite state?
Minimum requirement - from 1935 onwards Nazis presented themselves diplomatically and wanting to sort out the problems of the Polish corridor and Danzig ; Nazis pressed the non-aggression pact into an alliance but Poland resisted knowing that Germany will make it into a satellite state which it did not want to risk (wanted to be Russia’s ally too)
Nazis wanted to build roads and rail connections to east prussia
How did relations change after 1936?
Nazis remilitarised Rhineland in 1936 and Poles expected France to fight back against Germany so it offered troops under the 1921 Mutual Assistance Pact but this did not happen and
Poland exposed itself as willing to fight Germany
France + Britain + League of Nations unwilling to fight Germany
Hitler became more confident and know had a justification to take Poland + other areas by force
How did Poland’s resistance change?
Invasion of Austria in 1938 and Czechoslovakia in 1939 meant Hitler was more confident he would not meet resistance when using force to get the land he wanted
He displayed opportunism by exploiting events in those countries and taking over ; agreed to Poland getting Teschen when Czechoslovakia was divided in 1939 but alliance term was that they must join the Anti-Comintern Pact (WOULD’VE SET OFF A SOVIET INVASION - PACT WAS HITLER’ LITMUS TEST OF OBEDIENCE) ; HITLER KNOWINGLY OFFERED A PEACEFUL ALLIANCE ON TERMS THEY KNEW POLAND WOULD REFUSE
Anti-Comintern Pact
Pact against the international communist organisation set up by USSR to spread ideas of “permanent revolution” worldwide ; Germany, Japan and Italy concluded it in 1936-1937
What two treaties did Hitler sign that strengthened his position?
Pact of Steel
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Pact of Steel
22nd May 1939 - Pact of Steel between Italy and Germany committed both to close economic ties and mutual military aid ; now he could rely on Mussolini’s military support and no longer feared Italy
Nazi-Soviet Pact
23rd August 1939 - seen as a cynical alliance that would last temporarily ; many people mocked it (Britain france USA) but this shifted the balance firmly to Eastern Europe where allies sandwiched Poland on either side ; THIS INCLUDED A SECRET CLAUSE WHERE GERMANY AND USSR AGREED TO INVADE POLAND AND DIVIDE IT BETWEEN THEM (signatories did not reveal this)
Why was Hitler confident in invading Poland?
Because he did not believe the British and French guarantee to defend Poland
Britain and France had backed down when he had invaded Czechoslovakia so why should they attack now?
No evidence that they had been introducing conscription of transferring troops and equipment to Poland (especially with tricky geography)
Thus on 1st September 1939 German Troops invaded Poland and 2 days later they declared war on Germany
Did Hitler intent to start a world war in Poland?
Yes - he was aware of the repercussions if he did invade because Britain and France promised Poland military aid
No - speeches and negotiations with Italy he talked about war being in the early 1940s when Czechoslovakia would be “Germanised” etc . May have seen Britain and France as bluff and his increased hostility towards Jews with Kristellnadht + Sudetenland changed feelings in Britain and France
Did other countries play a part?
Policy of appeasement may have been done on purpose to buy more time for armament production and troop build up as they had swung to the view that war was the only way to stop Hitler
Also Hitler may have been too buoyed up with USSR that he was actually not scared of the west and was ready for a war where the Red Army would help ; he may very well have thought this was the right time for war too with the successes he had and how he though Britain and France were spineless
