Invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland was the spark that ignited the world’s largest war in history. Even though Germany had already annexed the Sudetenland and Austria, this was the last straw because France and Britain had guaranteed Poland’s borders. If they had lost them, France and Britain’s credibility would almost be depleted and the rest would lie with their homeland ("Invasion of Poland"). Germany had invaded Poland on September 1st but Poland was very reluctant to go to war and was even willing to forget the invasion if Germany had retreated by September 3rd ("Why Germany invaded"). Naturally, the Germans were already committed to the invasion and refused to retreat. France and Britain had also alerted Germany that they would declare war against the Germans if they did not withdraw from Poland by September 3rd. This invasion played a primary role in the creation of World War Two because it forced the Allies to declare war on Germany. It was a long process that lead up to the German invasion of Poland. There were numerous reasons as to why Hitler invaded Poland. Among them was the possibility to gain land. Poland was a great place for the “racially superior” Germans who would colonize there ("Germans Invade Poland"). The land would supply living space and they would make slaves of the natives who already lived there. In the land they would conquer was an area known as the Polish Corridor. The Polish Corridor was a strip of land that cut straight through Germany and led to the sea. This would have a major impact because it would give the Germans a connection to the sea alongside the resources that it provided ("Why Germany invaded"). The corridor would also give Germany relations with other regions on either side of the corridor which would help with trade ("Why Germany invaded"). This strip of land would have helped to rebuild Germany’s navy giving them a militaristic benefit as well.
Another reason Hitler wanted to invade Poland was because of an eventual attack on
Another reason Hitler wanted to invade Poland was because of an eventual attack on
Cited: Clare, John D. “Eight Reasons Hitler Invaded Poland.” GCSE Modern World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. . “Germans Invade Poland.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2012. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. . “Invasion of Poland, Fall 1939.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Holocaust Encyclopedia, 6 Jan. 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. . “The Nazi Occupation of Poland.” Eyewitness to History. Ibis Communications, Inc., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. . “1939: Germany invades Poland.” BBC News. BBC, 2005. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. . “The Second World War.” Kasprzyk. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. . “Why Germany invaded Poland.” WhyCenter.com. WhyCenter, 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .