The Invasion of Poland
Notes:
- Germans attack using Blitzkrieg warfare (Panzers)
- British and French declare war on Sept. 3, 1939
- Russia joins and occupies eastern half on 17 September, 1939
- War ends on 29 September 1939
- April 8 and 9 1940 Hitler invades Denmark and Norway
- Purpose is two fold for Hitler:
- 1) The British had landed in Norway declaring their help for Finland = Threatened the steel that came from Sweden
- 2) It provided a much more forward base for German U-boats
- Provides the word Quisling to the English dictionary
- All Norwegian shipping goes to the British
- Hitler begins his attack on the west in the neutral ‘Low Countries’ May 10, 1940
- Times to surrender:
- Netherlands = 4 days
- Belgium = 18 days
- Luxembourg = 2 days
- The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and French try to defend Belgium but arrive too late
Summary: Germans used Blitzkrieg Warfare which causes the British and French to declare war. The war ended on September 29 1939, and the Phony War followed after.
Subjunctive question: What would happen if there was no Phony War and there was conflict?
Quote: "Poland, of course, was the key country. I remember Stalin telling me that the plains of Poland were the invasion route of Europe to Russia and always had been, and therefore he had to control Poland." - Agnieszka Radwanska
Picture:
Cartoon
Video clip: