On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, which would soon slip into World War II. What started as an attack on a region of the world soon evolved into the largest and bloodiest conflict in the history of mankind, drawing in countries from every continent. This victory is commemorated as the day when Europe’s peace gave way to war that would remake nations, societies, and the course of the 20th century.
The Road to War
The invasion of Poland in 1939 didn’t happen on a whim; it was the culmination of years of diplomatic strife, failed attempts at peace, and an escalating European aggression. After the end of World War I, Germany was crushed by the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed territorial losses, disarmament of Germany’s military, and harsh reparations. The humiliation was felt by many of the Germans, and this fostered the groundwork for the emergence of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in the 1930s. Hitler promised to restore German honor, to repair the economy, and to recover lost territories, and won overwhelming support at home.
As Hitler came to power, he started to boldly violate the Versailles Treaty. Germany rebuilt its military and enacted acts of aggression without great consequence. For example, in 1936, German troops marched into the Rhineland, then a demilitarized zone by treaty. Two years later, in 1938, Hitler incorporated Austria in a so-called Anschluss. Soon, he turned his attention to Czechoslovakia, and using the Munich Agreement, Britain and France permitted Germany to annex the Sudetenland on the pretense that by appeasing Germany, they could avert a larger war.
This appeasement policy, largely caused by Britain and France, was to ensure peace on the continent, but it only provoked Hitler to do more. In 1939, Hitler signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact with the Soviet Union, a secret agreement which allowed both countries a free hand to carve up Eastern Europe between them. This agreement meant that Germany no longer had to suddenly worry about a two-front war, and that meant that the invasion of Poland was feasible.
The world hovered on the edge of war, and while some leaders hoped that Hitler’s ambitions would be satisfied with Poland, others saw that his expansionist goals would only increase. Now the stage was set for a war that would very soon sweep across the entire planet.
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The Invasion of Poland
On the morning of September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany launched a massive military invasion of Poland using a military strategy known as Blitzkrieg or “lightning war.” This was a technique that depended on rapidly moving tanks, planes, and foot soldiers to strike suddenly and overwhelm defenses before the enemy could mobilize an effective counterattack. German bombers targeted cities, railroads, and communications lines, and ground forces swept across the Polish borders. Within days, the Polish army was finding it difficult to contain the onslaught.
Poland was a brave and determined nation, but it was at a great disadvantage. Its armed forces were far less advanced, and less fast and powerful than Germany’s modern war machine. Poland was also attacked from several sides, which further complicated its defense. About 15 days later, on September 17, 1939, the Soviet Union launched a surprise invasion of Poland from the east under the terms of the secret Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. This left Poland between two powerful enemies with little likelihood of survival.
This lightning-fast and devastating attack on Poland was the fuse that lit World War II. Within days of the fighting, the war crossed the borders of Poland, and other countries were also called upon to stand up against Germany’s aggression.
Great Britain, and France Join the War
When Germany invaded Poland, Britain and France realised their policy of appeasement had failed. For years, they had let Hitler increase his territory in the hope of preventing another ruinous war like World War I. But the invasion of Poland proved that Germany was not going to rein in its aggression.
On September 3, 1939, Britain and France both declared war on Germany. This was an important turning point because it effectively started World War II in Europe. However, in spite of their declarations, the military help to Poland was very limited in the beginning. The Allies were unable to provide timely, effective support because of the distance, speed of Germany’s Blitzkrieg, and lack of planning.
The early period of the war is sometimes referred to as the Phony War or Sitzkrieg, as though Britain and France had declared war, but there had been little actual fighting on the Western Front in the first several months. However, the statements of Britain and France were important as they proved that the actions of Germany could no longer be ignored.
The Conflict’s Spread
What started with the invasion of Poland did not stay contained to Europe for long, becoming truly a world war. After Poland was conquered in the east, Hitler carried on with his aggressive expansion across the continent. Within months, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France were under German control, to the amazement of the world that he had won over Europe so quickly. Britain was the only Western European power to withstand German attacks in the air during the Battle of Britain in 1940.
Meanwhile, the Soviet Union was also on the move, enlarging its territory. It then invaded Finland in the Winter War and occupied the Baltic states and parts of Poland. In June 1941, however, Hitler violated his pact with the Soviets and invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, with Operation Barbarossa, the largest invasion in history. This provoked the Soviet Union to enter the war on the Allied side, and led to the opening of a vast Eastern Front, which became the bloodiest theatre of the war. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr_-HjefPi0
Soon, the war expanded to other continents as well. In Asia, Japan had already been battling in China since the 1930s and was growing its empire across the Pacific. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, drew the United States directly into the war. Soon, battles could be fought not only in Europe, but in Africa, the Middle East, and the vast Pacific Ocean.
Other colonies and smaller countries got pulled in, by force and also by alliances. Fighting alongside the larger powers, the conflict was truly global, with the participation of soldiers from Africa, India, Australia, Canada, and many other parts of the world.
Lesson from September 1, 1939
The invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, was not just the beginning of a military conflict; it was the point at which the world entered the deadliest war in history, a war that would last six years and change the world. One day was the beginning of a series of events that pulled dozens of countries into the fight, killed over 70 million people, and destroyed more than the world had ever seen.
Today, this date is known as the moment when the modern world was catapulted into a conflict that would alter political borders, bring new powers, and prepare the way for the existence of such international organizations as the United Nations. September 1, 1939, is a warning and reminder that peace is fragile and that we must work together and put our shoulder to the wheel to protect it.
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