Member-only story

The Invasion of Poland to the Fall of France: A Comprehensive Look at the Beginning of World War II

Jerome Blair

·18.5k Followers· Follow

Published in Blitzkrieg: The Invasion Of Poland To The Fall Of France

6 min read · 2 weeks before

235 View Claps

13 Respond

Save

Listen

World War II, the most destructive conflict in human history, began on September 1, 1939, with the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany. The war ended six years later with the surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945. In between, the world witnessed some of the most horrific atrocities in history, including the Holocaust, in which Nazi Germany murdered six million Jews.

The invasion of Poland was the culmination of a series of aggressive acts by Nazi Germany under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. In 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany and immediately began to rearm the country in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, which had been signed at the end of World War I. In 1935, Germany reintroduced conscription and in 1936, it remilitarized the Rhineland, which had been demilitarized under the Treaty of Versailles.

Blitzkrieg: The Invasion of Poland to the Fall of France

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	127331 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	541 pages

In 1938, Germany annexed Austria and then, in September of that year, it demanded the Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia that was home to a large German-speaking population. The British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, met with Hitler at Munich and agreed to give him the Sudetenland in exchange for a promise of peace. However, Hitler continued to make demands and in March 1939, Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia.

The invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, was the final straw. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. The Phoney War, as it was called, lasted until May 10, 1940, when Germany invaded France. The French army was quickly defeated and the British were forced to evacuate from Dunkirk. On June 22, 1940, France surrendered.

With the fall of France, the war entered a new phase. Germany now controlled most of Europe and was preparing to invade the Soviet Union. The Battle of Britain, which began in July 1940, was the first major air battle in history. The British Royal Air Force (RAF) defeated the German Luftwaffe and prevented Germany from invading Britain.

In June 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union. The Soviet army was unprepared for the invasion and suffered heavy losses. However, the Soviets were able to stop the German advance at the Battle of Moscow in December 1941.

The war in the Pacific began on December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. The United States declared war on Japan the next day. The war in the Pacific was fought primarily between the United States and Japan. The United States eventually defeated Japan in August 1945 after dropping atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

World War II ended on September 2, 1945, with the surrender of Japan. The war had a profound impact on the world. It led to the deaths of millions of people and the destruction of much of Europe. It also led to the creation of the United Nations and the beginning of the Cold War.

Key Events in the Invasion of Poland to the Fall of France

September 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland, starting World War II.
September 3, 1939: Britain and France declare war on Germany.
September 28, 1939: The Soviet Union invades Poland from the east.
October 6, 1939: Warsaw, the capital of Poland, surrenders to the Germans.
October 28, 1939: The Soviet Union and Finland sign a peace treaty, ending the Winter War.
April 9, 1940: Germany invades Denmark and Norway.
May 10, 1940: Germany invades France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
May 26, 1940: The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) begins to evacuate from Dunkirk.
June 4, 1940: The BEF completes its evacuation from Dunkirk.
June 10, 1940: Italy declares war on France and Britain.
June 22, 1940: France surrenders to Germany.

Key Figures in the Invasion of Poland to the Fall of France

Adolf Hitler: The Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945. He was the leader of the Nazi Party and the mastermind behind the invasion of Poland and the Holocaust.
Neville Chamberlain: The Prime Minister of Britain from 1937 to 1940. He was a supporter of appeasement, the policy of giving in to Hitler's demands in Free Download to avoid war.
Winston Churchill: The Prime Minister of Britain from 1940 to 1945. He was a strong advocate for fighting against Hitler and the Nazi regime.
Charles de Gaulle: The leader of the Free French Forces during World War II. He was the President of France from 1959 to 1969.
Hermann G

Blitzkrieg: The Invasion of Poland to the Fall of France

4.7 out of 5