The Invasion of Poland

What was the invasion of Poland?

In September 1939 Hitler was in a position to invade Poland in order to achieve his aim of Lebensraum.

When was the invasion of Poland?

Hitler invaded Poland on the 1st September 1939.

Why did the invasion of Poland happen?

There were 4 key reasons why Hitler invaded Poland in September 1939 including:

• ❖ Hitler believed he could defeat Poland quickly and it was an important step in achieving Lebensraum.
• ❖ Hitler had promised Germany to overturn the Treaty of Versailles and Volksdeutsche (unite all German peoples). Danzig in Poland was a German port but it was made independent under the treaty, however 90 percent of the population were German.
• ❖ Hitler's relationship with the USSR was strategic. Signing the Nazi-Soviet pact meant he would not need to fight a war on two fronts making the invasion of Poland possible.
• ❖ Hitler's previous dealings with Chamberlain and Daladier and their policy of appeasement had convinced him that his actions would go unchallenged.

What were the key events in the invasion of Poland?

There were 6 key events in the invasion of Poland including:

• ❖ 31st March 1939 Chamberlain declared he would protect Poland's borders if Hitler launched an invasion.
• ❖ 1st September at sunrise German naval forces attacked the Polish port of Danzig.
• ❖ The Germans next launched a full scale invasion on the ground and in the air. They quickly destroyed the Polish air force.
• ❖ Poland asked for Britain and France to support them against the German attack.
• ❖ Britain and France spent the next 3 days trying to get Hitler to stand down.
• ❖ When Hitler ignored all demands to stand down Britain and France declared war on the 3rd September.

What were the results of the invasion of Poland?

The invasion of Poland resulted in Britain and France abandoning the policy of appeasement and they were forced to engage more aggressively with Hitler.

What was the significance of the invasion of Poland?

The invasion of Poland was the trigger cause of the Second World War. Nations like Britain and France could no longer turn a blind eye to HItler's actions and had to fight against him.