In 1939, Germany invaded Poland within minutes and used overwhelming force that included tanks, fighter planes, and artillery. It marked the start of World War II and the beginning of a conquest mostly completed within four weeks. What motivated the German attack on its neighbor? How did the German military achieve such success so quickly? How did Poland manage to slow the German attack and prolong the campaign?
The German invasion of Poland began on September 1, 1939 following a number of complex and difficult political negotiations. At the heart of the invasion were Nazi Germany’s territorial claims and ambition for further expansion. Adolf Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy included appeasing his allies, occupying Poland, and then turning eastward against the Soviet Union. The Munich Agreement freed Germany’s borders to the east in return for the German occupation of the remainder of Czechoslovakia. The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact gave Germany a free hand in Poland and included a secret protocol for dividing Poland between Germany and the USSR.
Preparations for the invasion began with the Geoblock, or strategic plan for knocking out or isolating the Polish forces. The plan included a massive deployment of troops into the disputed territory and Germany’s strategic deployment of tanks and air squadrons. On Friday 1 September 1939 the German forces crossed Poland’s border at 0445 hours. The Luftwaffe burned hundreds of Polish towns and villages, and in one case bombed the University of Warsaw library. On the ground, the Germans used their superiority in numbers and advanced technology to quickly overwhelm the Polish forces and gain control of the whole of southern and western Poland.
Poland did manage to slow down the German attack, and prolong the campaign through a number of measures. Units of the Polish army managed to hold back the Germans from crossing the Vistula river and so preventing a German breakthrough into central Poland. Ultimately, however, the disintegration of the Polish forces was inevitable and Poland’s resistance began to crumble by 9 September. On 17 September, in Lublin, the Germans and the Soviets agreed on the division of Poland. On 28 September, the Germans completely occupied the country and the German military declared that it had achieved its goal of conquering Poland within four weeks.
From a military perspective, the German attack on Poland was remarkable and highly significant. The German military had evolved from a militia-style army in 1918 to a professional, well-equipped, mobile force that could move quickly into and take possession of new territories. Their success was due not only to the strength of their military forces, but also their efficiency in deploying these forces effectively, outmaneuvering the Polish forces, and using tactical maneuvers to keep the enemy off-balance.
From a political perspective, the invasion of Poland in 1939 has had far-reaching consequences. It was a defining moment in the modern history of Europe and an event which set in motion a chain reaction leading ultimately to the outbreak of the Second World War.
Influence on politics in Europe
The Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939 impacted politics in Europe in many ways. It unquestionably inaugurated a new era in European history, one in which dictatorships triumphed over constitutional governments. The lesson Hitler had learnt from the First World War – that democracies could not competently defend themselves – was tested to the full with the invasion. Politically, it symbolized the triumph of Fascism over democracy in Europe. And it was a dramatic demonstration of the capacity of totalitarian regimes to seize and brutally subjugate large territories in a very short time.
Moreover, the invasion of Poland gave Nazi Germany an opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of Blitzkrieg tactics. These were tactics designed to deliver a concentrated, overwhelming, and swiftly moving attack. The Nazis proclaimed Blitzkrieg to be the “ultimate weapon”, and proclaimed it a success. In reality, the Blitzkrieg was less successful than it was portrayed. But the Nazi propaganda machine ensured that the myth of Blitzkrieg was kept alive as a symbol of German military might and invincibility.
The invasion of Poland served as a warning to other countries in Europe. After attacking Poland, Nazi Germany annexed Austria, Czechoslovakia, and parts of the Soviet Union. Hitler began to openly talk about establishing a permanent German world empire, which left other European countries fearful of what was to come. The invasion of Poland demonstrated the capacity of totalitarian regimes to wage war, and the power of propaganda to rally nationalist sentiment and support for a political cause.
The Impact on Battlefields
The invasion of Poland was an important milestone in the evolution of modern battlefield tactics. The attack was an example of a “blitzkrieg” attack, an approach to combat that would be imitated and improved upon in other wars. It also marked the first major employment of mechanized forces in combat. The German army used tanks, artillery, and aircraft to devastating effect, demonstrating the effectiveness of a combined arms approach.
The German attack was made all the more effective by the mobility of their forces. The Germans used their superior motorized vehicles to race across Poland and seize key points of resistance. This enabled them to create encirclements that cut-off the retreating Polish forces, preventing them from regrouping and reforming.
The success of the German invasion of Poland also highlighted the importance of air power. The Luftwaffe – German Air Force – played a major role in subduing Poland. The Luftwaffe was able to bomb and strafe key points of resistance, such as factories, warehouses, and military bases. This enabled the Germans to quickly gain control of the skies, and create the conditions for the success of their ground forces.
The invasion of Poland provided an opportunity for Hitler to observe and assess how the Wehrmacht (the German armed forces) could be used to its full effect. The experience gained from the invasion of Poland enabled Hitler to refine and improve the tactics and strategy that he employed during the second world war.
Influence on technology
The invasion of Poland also made an important contribution to military technology. It marked the first time that the Germans used mechanized forces, including tanks and aircraft, in combat. The Germans were the first military to recognize the potential of mechanized forces for waging war, and the invasion of Poland was the first instance in which they used them to remarkable effect.
The effectiveness of the mechanized forces was partly due to the technological advances that had allowed for their design and manufacture. In particular, the invention of the internal combustion engine had enabled the Germans to mass-produce a range of powerful vehicles, such as tanks, that had the mobility to cross rough terrain quickly and with relative ease.
The Germans also made use of other technological innovations, such as radio and Morse code, to send messages quickly between commanders in the field. This allowed for the coordination and direction of large forces over great distances, as well as allowing for effective communication between individual units.
The effectiveness of the mechanized forces during the invasion of Poland marked a turning point in warfare. Mechanized forces have since become an indispensable part of modern militaries, and have played an essential role in major conflicts including the Gulf War, Iraq War, and War in Afghanistan.
Impact on population
The invasion of Poland was accompanied by a wave of violence and oppression that left its mark on the country for years afterwards. The German forces carried out a systematic campaign of violence and terror against the populations of the occupied territories, particularly against the Jews and Poles. The Gestapo and other Nazi organizations imprisoned and executed thousands of people, confiscated property, and imposed severe restrictions on freedom of movement.
The German forces also carried out a policy of deliberate starvation, blocking access to food and other necessities of life. This resulted in a massive increase in civilian deaths, with hundreds of thousands of people dying of hunger and disease. This death toll was in addition to the civilian casualties caused by the military operations themselves.
The invasion of Poland also had an important psychological impact on the populations of the occupied territories. The German forces created an atmosphere of fear and oppression, which was sustained fear by the uncertainty of what the future would bring. The Nazi regime sought to break the spirit of the occupied populations by subjecting them to daily humiliations and terror, and by denying them their basic rights and freedoms.
The results of the German invasion of Poland were devastating. The country was occupied for six years and its people subjected to systematic oppression and violence. The physical and psychological scars of the invasion of Poland have still not been erased even eighty years later.
