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The War BeginsThe War Begins
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Germany was not prepared forGermany was not prepared for
war in 1939war in 1939
• No central military HQNo central military HQ
• The command structure changedThe command structure changed
according to the situationaccording to the situation• It was essentially Hitler’s idiosyncrasiesIt was essentially Hitler’s idiosyncrasies
that decided strategythat decided strategy
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The Military LeadersThe Military Leaders
Admiral RaederAdmiral Raeder
KriegsmarineKriegsmarine
GeneralGeneral
BrauhitshBrauhitsh
WehrmahtWehrmaht
!ommander in!ommander in
!hief of the!hief of the
LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Go"ringGo"ring
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The #lan to $n%ade #olandThe #lan to $n%ade #oland
• A series of large drives through Polish A series of large drives through Polish
defencesdefences
•54 erman divisions ! including " tan#54 erman divisions ! including " tan#$%an&er divisions' and 4 motorised infantry$%an&er divisions' and 4 motorised infantry
divisionsdivisions
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#lanning#lanning
• Plans for the invasion of PolandPlans for the invasion of Poland$(%eration )hite' were discussed *y the$(%eration )hite' were discussed *y thearmy $)ehrmacht' from +arch ,-.- andarmy $)ehrmacht' from +arch ,-.- and
had *een finalised *y /unehad *een finalised *y /une• The attac# had to *e s%eedyThe attac# had to *e s%eedy
• The ma0ority of erman troo%s would *eThe ma0ority of erman troo%s would *e
committed in the 1astcommitted in the 1ast• This left the western *order againstThis left the western *order against
2rance vulnera*le2rance vulnera*le
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The #olish foresThe #olish fores
• , million men in the army $)ehrmacht 3, million men in the army $)ehrmacht 3million'million'
• Poorly eui%%ed ! lac# of industry toPoorly eui%%ed ! lac# of industry to
%roduce wea%ons%roduce wea%ons• ,6 tan#s $)ehrmacht 37666',6 tan#s $)ehrmacht 37666'
• .,. com*at aircraft $8uftwaffe 3765'.,. com*at aircraft $8uftwaffe 3765'
• No natural *ordersNo natural *orders• +ost of the Polish *orders ad0oined+ost of the Polish *orders ad0oined
ermanyermany
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#olish tatis#olish tatis
• The western areas were the most economicallyThe western areas were the most economically
vital7 so the Polish troo%s were s%read thinlyvital7 so the Polish troo%s were s%read thinly
along this *order along this *order
• The Poles only *egan mo*ilisation on 3- August9The Poles only *egan mo*ilisation on 3- August9• The :ritish and 2rench had advised againstThe :ritish and 2rench had advised against
mo*ilisation in case it antagonised ermanymo*ilisation in case it antagonised ermany
• )hen the invasion came on , ;e%tem*er7 only)hen the invasion came on , ;e%tem*er7 onlyone<third of the Polish troo%s were readyone<third of the Polish troo%s were ready
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The German atta&The German atta&
• The 8uftwaffe soon decimated the PolishThe 8uftwaffe soon decimated the Polishair forceair force
• Air stri#es on the Polish railway ham%ered Air stri#es on the Polish railway ham%ered
Polish mo*ilisationPolish mo*ilisation
• Polish cavalry with lances %roved noPolish cavalry with lances %roved nomatch for erman tan#smatch for erman tan#s
• =ee% incursions *y Pan&er divisions=ee% incursions *y Pan&er divisionsse%arated Poland into %oc#ets7 which these%arated Poland into %oc#ets7 which theinfantry soon too# control of infantry soon too# control of
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Timeline of e%entsTimeline of e%ents
• , ;e%tem*er ! the invasion *egins, ;e%tem*er ! the invasion *egins
• ,6 ;e%tem*er ! most of northern and western,6 ;e%tem*er ! most of northern and western
Poland under erman controlPoland under erman control
• ,> ;e%tem*er < the ?ussians invade from the,> ;e%tem*er < the ?ussians invade from the
east $secret %rotocol of the Na&i<;oviet Pact'east $secret %rotocol of the Na&i<;oviet Pact'
• ,> ;e%tem*er ! )arsaw surrounded,> ;e%tem*er ! )arsaw surrounded
• 3> ;e%tem*er ! )arsaw surrenders after ,63> ;e%tem*er ! )arsaw surrenders after ,6days of heavy *om*ing *y the ermansdays of heavy *om*ing *y the ermans
• 5 (cto*er ! the end of Polish resistance5 (cto*er ! the end of Polish resistance
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!onse'uenes!onse'uenes
• >67666 Poles died>67666 Poles died• ,..7666 Poles wounded,..7666 Poles wounded• >667666 Poles ta#en %risoner >667666 Poles ta#en %risoner
• ,47666 ermans died,47666 ermans died• .,7666 ermans wounded.,7666 ermans wounded• A Polish government in e@ile was formed under A Polish government in e@ile was formed under
eneral ;i#ors#ieneral ;i#ors#i
• A Polish army in e@ile was formed ! 47666 men A Polish army in e@ile was formed ! 47666 men• Poland %artitioned ! under erman and ;ovietPoland %artitioned ! under erman and ;oviet
controlcontrol
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(ar)y page 11(ar)y page 11
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General *i&ors&i and !hurhill inspetingGeneral *i&ors&i and !hurhill inspeting
#olish troops in *otland in 19+,#olish troops in *otland in 19+,
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The -renh ResponseThe -renh Response
• =uring the attac#7 they did nothing7 a%art from=uring the attac#7 they did nothing7 a%art from
declaring war on ermany on . ;e%tem*er9declaring war on ermany on . ;e%tem*er9
• 2rance failed to honour its %romise to assist2rance failed to honour its %romise to assist
Poland within ,5 days of an attac# $+ay ,-.-'Poland within ,5 days of an attac# $+ay ,-.-'• 2rance had a . to , military su%eriority on2rance had a . to , military su%eriority on
ermany’s western front7 *ut failed to launch aermany’s western front7 *ut failed to launch a
ma0or offensivema0or offensive
• The 2rench felt safe *ehind their +aginot 8ineThe 2rench felt safe *ehind their +aginot 8ine
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The British ResponseThe British Response
• =uring the attac# they did nothing7 a%art from declaring=uring the attac# they did nothing7 a%art from declaringwar on ermany on . ;e%tem*er9war on ermany on . ;e%tem*er9
htt%BBnews9**c9co9u#B,BhiBs%ecialCre%ortB,---B6B--Bworldhtt%BBnews9**c9co9u#B,BhiBs%ecialCre%ortB,---B6B--Bworld CwarCiiB4.66>,9stm CwarCiiB4.66>,9stm
• Their army was too smallTheir army was too small• Neville Dham*erlain had no desire for immediate militaryNeville Dham*erlain had no desire for immediate militaryactionaction
• He *elieved time was on the Allies sideHe *elieved time was on the Allies side• A naval *loc#ade7 com*ined with su%erior Allied A naval *loc#ade7 com*ined with su%erior Allied
resources would soon *ring ermany to its #neesresources would soon *ring ermany to its #nees:ETF:ETF• ermany had access to ;oviet resources than#s to theermany had access to ;oviet resources than#s to the
Na&i<;oviet PactNa&i<;oviet Pact
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Why.Why.
• :ritain and 2rance had gone to war7 not to:ritain and 2rance had gone to war7 not to
%rotect Poland7 *ut to %revent erman%rotect Poland7 *ut to %revent erman
domination of 1uro%edomination of 1uro%e
• Allied strategy was to wage a defensive Allied strategy was to wage a defensive
war7 so that they could continue to rearmwar7 so that they could continue to rearm
and strengthen their military resourcesand strengthen their military resources
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#eae.#eae.
• " (cto*er ! Hitler offered %eace %ro%osals" (cto*er ! Hitler offered %eace %ro%osals
to :ritain and 2ranceto :ritain and 2rance
• All they had to do was to acce%t the new All they had to do was to acce%t the new
*orders in 1astern 1uro%e*orders in 1astern 1uro%e
• :ritain and 2rance refused:ritain and 2rance refused
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Britain/s ResponseBritain/s Response
• Dham*erlain a%%ointed )inston Dhurchill asDham*erlain a%%ointed )inston Dhurchill as2irst 8ord of the Admiralty2irst 8ord of the Admiralty
• +inistries of shi%%ing7 information and food were+inistries of shi%%ing7 information and food wererevivedrevived
• ;hi%s *egan sailing in convoys;hi%s *egan sailing in convoys• News was censoredNews was censored• ?ationing was introduced?ationing was introduced
:ETF:ETF• No uniform command structure was esta*lishedNo uniform command structure was esta*lished*etween the Allies*etween the Allies
• No agreement was reached with :elgiumNo agreement was reached with :elgium
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• htt%BBwww9historyguy9comBworldwartwoBhtt%BBwww9historyguy9comBworldwartwoB
worldCwarCtwoCvideoCgermanCinvasionCof worldCwarCtwoCvideoCgermanCinvasionCof
C%oland9htm C%oland9htm
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