What Happened During the Invasion of Poland in 1939?

• The attack began on September 1, 1939.
• Germany used a tactic called blitzkrieg, or lightning war.
• Poland was caught between Germany and the Soviet Union.
• The invasion led to the start of World War II.
• Great Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later.

Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, wanted more land in Europe. They looked toward Poland to grow their empire. Meanwhile, Germany and the Soviet Union made a secret deal to split Poland between them. This agreement made Poland feel very unsafe.

On September 1, 1939, German forces crossed the border into Poland. They used fast tanks and airplanes to move quickly through the country. This new way of fighting was called lightning war. The Polish army tried to fight back, but they were not strong enough. Soon, the Soviet Union attacked Poland from the other side. By early October, the fighting was mostly over. Poland was defeated and divided by the two powerful nations.

This invasion was the spark that started World War II. It forced countries around the world to choose sides in a huge conflict. Millions of people would suffer because of the fighting that started here. It changed the borders of Europe for many years.

• German Wehrmacht
• Polish Army
• Soviet Red Army