the reasons for the German invasion of Poland in 1939 Flashcards
what were the reasons for the German invasion of Poland in 1939?
Hitler’s ideological vision
Hitler’s political miscalculations
The impact of domestic economic problems
how do some historians view the invasion of Poland in 1939?
some historians see it as the final realisation of Hitler’s grand, premeditated plan for war, specifically to acquire Lebensraum and prepare for an eventual attack on the USSR
what did Hitler believe about Britain’s support for Poland?
he believed Britain would not honor its gurantee to defend Poland, as they had previously failed to support other nations in challeges to the Treaty of Versailles
what was Hitler’s belief about the possibility of Britain and France intervening in Poland?
he believed Britain and France would not intervene in Poland, esp after the Munich Agreement and Britain’s hesitations
what was the Nazi-Soviet Pact and how did it relate to the invasion of Poland?
it was a non-aggression pact between Germany and the USSR
it allowed Germany to invade Poland without fear of Soviet intervention, but it complicated Britain’s ability to counter Germany’s actions
what was Tim Mason’s ‘flight into war’ argument regarding the German invasion of Poland?
he argued that economic problems, such as shortages of raw materials and labour, pressured Hitler to launch a war to secure resources and distract from domestic crises
what were the economic problems faced by Nazi Germany before the invasion of Poland?
Germany faced shortages of raw materials like steel, labour shortages, and inflation
there was also growing social unrest, which led to the regime pursuing aggressive foreign policies to maintain social peace
what was Hitler’s assessment of Britain’s rearmament in 1939?
Hitler underestimated British rearmament, believing that Britain had only engaged in propaganda and had not significantly strengthened its military forces
how did Hitler miscalculate the British response to the invasion of Poland?
he was shocked by the British ultimatum demanding withdrawal from Poland
he expected Britain to back down as it had done previously
what role did Poland’s military strength play in Hitler’s invasion?
he underestimated Poland’s willingness to resist.
despite being militarily weaker than Germany, Poland was resolved to defend itself after Britain’s guarantee of support
what did Hitler want from Poland in terms of territorial control?
hitler wanted to regain territories such as the Polish Corridor and Danzig, which were taken from Germany by the TofV, and to use Poland as a stepping stone toward invading the USSR
how did Richard Overy argue against the view that economic problems led to the invasion of Poland?
he argued that the invasion was not caused by economic pressures but by Hitler’s desire for a localised war at that time, believing that Britain and France would not intervene.
He also noted that Germany could handle its economic problems without resorting to war
what was the significance of the pact of steel in the context of Hitler’s invasion of Poland?
it boosted Hitler’s confidence and helped him believe that Britain and France would not intervene in his plans
what did the Hossbach Memorandum of 1937 suggest about Hitler’s plans?
it indicated that Hitler viewed aggressive action as necessary to resolve Germany’s economic crisis and secure lebensraum
how did domestic problems in Nazi Germany contribute to the timing of the war with Poland?
economic and social crises in Germany led Hitler to seek a foreign conflict to maintain domestic stability and address resource shortages, which may have influenced the decision to invade Poland
