Poland after the Second World War presentation. Capture of Poland

28.12.2023 | Story

German aggression against Poland On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland without declaring war. Thus began the Second World War. Forces of the parties: German soldiers demolish a border pillar on the border with Poland. GermanyPoland Divisions6239 Tanks Airplanes –500 Guns and mortars

German aggression against Poland Military historians believe that the defeat of Poland was predetermined not so much by the number of German troops, but by their superiority in tanks and mechanization, which allowed deep breakthroughs in the vast open spaces of Poland. German troops in Poland. September 1939 W. Shirer: “This was the first experience of blitzkrieg - a sudden offensive... tank divisions, breaking through the defenses, covered 30-40 miles per day; Even the infantry developed incredible speeds - an entire army of one and a half million people rushed on wheels.”

On September 6, Krakow fell. On September 8, German tanks reached Warsaw. Most of the surviving Polish troops were surrounded near Warsaw. On September 9, the Germans began encircling the remnants of the Polish troops between Warsaw and the Bug. On September 17, they closed the second pincer south of Brest-Litovsk. German aggression against Poland

The Polish government left Warsaw on September 5 and arrived in Romania on September 17. All Polish troops who found themselves surrounded courageously resisted the Germans and were destroyed. On September 27–28, the garrisons of Warsaw and Modlin laid down their arms. Poland was defeated. A. Hitler receives a parade of German troops in Warsaw. October 4, 1939 Photographer Hugo Jaeger. German aggression against Poland

“Strange War” England and France, which provided Poland with guarantees in the spring of 1939, declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. British and French troops took up defensive positions along the Maginot Line and the Belgian border. The Anglo-French troops did not undertake an offensive that could provide real assistance to Poland. British historian J. Fuller: “The strongest army in the world sat behind fortifications of steel and concrete while its quixotically brave ally was destroyed.” Maginot Line

“Strange War” Losses on the Maginot Line for September-December 1939 (killed and wounded): Germans - 696 people, French - 1433 people, British - 3 people. General Jodl: “If we did not collapse back in 1939, it was only because during the Polish campaign 110 French and British divisions did nothing against the 23 German divisions stationed in the West.” French tanks "Hotchkiss" H-35 and Somua S-35

“Strange War” American historian Fleming: “It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that Poland was sacrificed as deliberately as Czechoslovakia. Poland meant for the Munichers another diversion of the German line of capture to the East, which was supposed to lead to a Soviet-German clash.” French soldiers on the Maginot Line play cards. ? Do you agree with Fleming? What, in your opinion, explained the passivity of the Anglo-French troops?

On September 17, when German troops approached Brest, Soviet troops crossed the border of Poland. The Belarusian and Ukrainian fronts (each consisting of 3 armies) numbered 600 thousand soldiers, 4 thousand tanks, 2 thousand aircraft, 5.5 thousand guns. "Liberation Campaign" of the Red Army

In 12 days, Soviet troops advanced 250–350 km and occupied 190 thousand km 2 of Polish territory, where 12 million people lived, incl. 6 million Ukrainians, 3 million Belarusians Soviet losses: 737 killed, 1862 wounded. There are over 230 thousand Polish soldiers in Soviet captivity.

“Liberation Campaign” of the Red Army The Polish command ordered its troops not to resist the Red Army. However, V.M. On October 31, 1939, Molotov, at a session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, spoke about the military advance of the Red Army and expressed satisfaction that Poland, “the ugly child of the Treaty of Versailles,” ceased to exist as a result of the joint strike of the Wehrmacht and the Red Army. “Soviet knife in the back. September 17, 1939" Hood. F. Adamik.

Division of Poland By the time the Red Army entered Poland, German troops had gone far beyond the demarcation line established by the pact of August 23, 1939. After the entry of the Red Army, the Germans withdrew their troops to the West. On the eve of their departure, joint parades of the Wehrmacht and the Red Army were held in Brest, Pinsk and other cities. Joint parade of German and Soviet troops in Brest. September 1939

Partition of Poland On September 25–27, negotiations between Stalin and Ribbentrop took place in Moscow. On September 28, the Soviet-German Treaty “On Friendship and Border” was signed. According to the secret protocol to this treaty, Lithuania was transferred to the Soviet sphere of influence, and the territory of Poland between the Vistula and the Western Bug was transferred to the German sphere. The Vilna region of Poland, as was decided on August 23, passed to Lithuania. Map of the division of Eastern Europe according to the secret protocol to the Soviet-German Pact from

Partition of Poland What is the meaning of the caricature by the English artist? Exchange gifts for Christmas. Cartoon of the Soviet-German Treaty “On Friendship and Borders” ?

Division of Poland The Soviet-German border in Poland ran approximately along the “Caeson Line”. The agreement meant that Germany and the USSR officially became allies. In fact, the USSR entered World War II on September 17, 1939.

Partition of Poland V.M. Molotov at the session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on October 31, 1939: “Germany is in the position of a state striving for a speedy end to the war and peace, and England and France, which only yesterday stood up against aggression, stand for the continuation of the war and against the conclusion of peace.” English cartoon on Stalin and Hitler Hitler: The scum of humanity, if I'm not mistaken? Stalin: Bloody killer of workers, I presume? ? Analyze Molotov's words

Sources of illustrations Slide 2. _Border_% %29.jpg _Border_% %29.jpg Slide 3. Slide 4. Slide 5. Slide ru/publ/interesnoe/istorija/nepristupnye_linii_oborony_xx_veka_linija_mazhino/ http:// ru/publ/interesnoe/istorija/neprist upnye_linii_oborony_xx_veka_linija_mazhino / Slide Slide 8. Slide Slide 10. Jordan D., Wiest E. Atlas of World War II operations. M., EKSMO, Slide 11.

Sources of illustrations Slide Slides 13–14; Slide go.htmlhttp://diary-news.com/intresting/17453-druzhba-froyndshaft-obraztsa go.html Slad ECTION_ID= ECTION_ID=6782 Slide 18.

Domestic policy of Poland before the Great Patriotic War.Pilsudski's policy
Constitution of 1935
"Regime of Colonels"

Piłsudski's politics

Piłsudski, Polish
statesman, marshal
(1920). One of the leaders of the Polish
socialist party. In 1919
- 1922 head of state
("chief" of the state). After
carried out by him in May 1926
year of the coup d'état
established an authoritarian regime in the country
mode, acting as
Minister of War (1926 - 1928,
1930). Was created
concentration camp in
Bereza-Kartuzskaya, passed
Brest Process (Polish.Proces
brzeski) over the oppositionists,
restrictions were introduced
freedom of press and assembly.

Constitution of 1935

Authoritarian rule
Proclamation of the thesis about the crisis of democracy
Liquidation of the opposition
Centralized State
Presidential system of government

"Colonel Regime"

After Piłsudski's death, the "colonels" became
imitate fascist models. Has been strengthened
government power and a concentration camp was set up.
They tried to create pro-government
youth organizations, but the only ones
analogues of the Hitler Youth and the Iron Guard were
opposition youth movements. Despite
to this end, parties continued to exist and
unions. They "Regime of Colonels" was neither
fascist or semi-fascist. It was
pseudo-fascist authoritarian bureaucracy without
ideology and mass support.

Foreign policy

Conflict with the USSR
Conflict with European countries
Relations with Germany

Relations with the USSR

“...that the longer in
Russia will last
confusion, the
large areas
will be able to control
Poland"
“...freedom of the lands by us
occupied
is for me
decisive
factor...We are on
we carry it with bayonets
unfortunate lands
freedom without any
reservations"

Conflicts with European countries

In the summer of 1926, the conflict with Lithuania escalated
In March 1938, the old
conflict with Lithuania
1938 Conflict with Czechoslovakia

Relations with Germany

"Non-Aggression Pact between Germany and
Poland" (also called the Piłsudski Pact -
Hitler) -1934.
On March 23, 1939, Germany was occupied without a fight.
Lithuanian province of Memel, located completely
near the Polish borders.
On March 26, 1939, the Polish Ambassador to Germany, J.
Lipsky, brought a written memorandum to Berlin
on Poland's consent to the construction of the highway,
but without the right of extraterritoriality. Ribbentrop
threatened Poland.
On March 28, 1939, Hitler tore up the Pact
non-aggression with Poland.

Poland during World War II

Fascist methods of management

"For the non-German population
The East cannot be given schools
higher than four-grade
public school. The purpose of this
there should be a public school
only to teach
a simple account does not exceed 500,
writing names, teach
the population so that they know
divine commandments were
obedient to Germany, honest,
diligent and kind. Reading
I don't think it's necessary. This
the population will be in
at our disposal as
unorganized worker
people for particularly difficult work."

German concerns followed the Wehrmacht to Poland.
With the creation of the main directorate on October 19, 1939
East in the General Government arose
state-monopoly organizations,
to which enterprises in the captured
areas. Later a broadcast was prepared
ownership of Polish enterprises, as well as
foreign monopolies to German concerns,
an opportunity for investment has been created
state treasury and the use of Polish
industry by the German economy.

Liberation of Poland

In the policy statement of the Provisional
government of January 2, 1945 stated that
its main tasks are to complete the complete
liberation of Poland and bringing the fight against
Hitler's Germany until the final victory,
restoration and development of the national economy
countries, construction and strengthening of Troops
Polish, implementation of requirements
Polish people on the establishment of Western
borders along the Oder and Neisse, development and strengthening
friendly relations with the Soviet Union and
other democratic states.

Constitution

On July 22, 1952, the Legislative Seimas adopted
new constitution of the Polish state -
Constitution of the Polish People's Republic.
The Constitution was written according to the model
Constitution of the USSR of 1936. Declared
fundamental rights, freedoms and responsibilities of citizens, in
primarily economic, social and
cultural. The constitution did not talk about private
property, but the protection of personal
property of citizens and individual
property of peasants, artisans and artisans.

“Country Moldova” - General information. Satisfy the needs of the country. Egp. Presentation on the topic “Characteristics of Moldova”. Largest cities: Chisinau, Tiraspol, Balti, Bendery. Population. There is access to the Danube. Mechanical engineering, chemical industry, metallurgy, woodworking, and light industry are developing. General characteristics of the farm.

“Central and Eastern Europe” - Third macrotype. From economics to ecology. But SO2 emissions there have almost halved. Our main conclusion: Inefficient production -. Allocations for environmental activities. Geography project. Central and Eastern Europe: Modernization -. Second macrotype. Inefficient production. - Increase the volume of partial and public.

"Eastern Europe" - Maternal mortality per 100,000 live births. Dynamics of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Number of live births per 1000 population. Eastern Europe on average. Transport accidents per 100,000. Mortality due to cervical cancer. What should you read? Mortality due to diabetes.

“Moldova” - Natural resources: The capital of Moldova is Chisinau. Country specialization. Geographical position. Population. The natural population growth of Moldova is negative (- 1.7). Moldova. The population density in Moldova is 127 people/sq. km.

"Czech Republic" - Prague Castle. Political structure. Mala Strana. Basic natural resources. Basic provisions. Famous Czech beer. Population. Czech Republic. The Charles Bridge. Geographic data. Economy. Geographical position. Administrative division. Old Town Hall and astronomical clock. Religion.

“Moldavian geography” - All elements on the shield are golden (yellow). Coat of arms of Moldova. Chisinau (Moldova. Capital - Chisinau (662 thousand people, 2002). History of Moldova. In the center, on the yellow stripe, is the State Emblem of the Republic of Moldova. The fortress became part of the defensive system of Moldova. Steppe birds: lark, field pipit, quail.

At the end of the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, establishing new borders in Western Europe. Outside the Weimar Republic there remained significant areas with a compact German population: the Sudetenland, Klaipeda and the Free City of Danzig (Gdansk). One of the main stumbling blocks in German-Polish relations was the existence in the territory of Eastern Pomerania of the so-called “Polish Corridor”, a part of Polish territory with access to the Baltic Sea, separating the main part of Germany from East Prussia. In addition to purely political issues, Pomerania has absorbed a whole range of unresolved economic problems, in particular, with the transit of German goods from Germany to East Prussia and its payment. After the occupation of the Sudetenland in October 1938, issues of German-Polish relations came to the forefront of German foreign policy. On January 6, 1939, during the visit of Polish Foreign Minister Jozef Beck to Germany, Ribbentrop in Berchtesgaden in the most decisive form demanded Poland's consent to the annexation of Danzig to Germany and the construction of transport lines through Pomerania. Poland recognized these demands as completely unacceptable. Polish Foreign Minister Beck and Hitler. German demands confused the British government. In the winter of 1938/39, it suspected that Germany would do something in the west against Holland, France, or maybe even England. Great Britain and France give Poland firm guarantees of support in the event of an attack on its independence (April 6, a Mutual Assistance Treaty is signed ). This agreement served as a pretext for Hitler to break the German-Polish non-aggression pact of 1934 on April 28. The order, issued on the night of April 4, 1939, required that secret preparations be completed by the end of September for the Weiss plan, which provided for the invasion of Polish territory and the complete capture of the country. Neville Chamberlain. Prime Minister of Great Britain

At the same time, the rapprochement between Germany and the USSR continued. On August 19, 1939, Hitler agreed to the territorial claims of the Soviet Union, including the entire eastern half of Poland up to the line of the Narew, Vistula and San rivers, as well as the territories of Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Romanian Bessarabia. On the same day, Stalin, with the approval of the Politburo, decided to conclude a German-Soviet non-aggression pact. To conclude the agreement, Joachim von Ribbentrop arrived in Moscow on a special plane via Königsberg. On the night of August 23-24, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed in the Kremlin. The secret protocols of this treaty described the division of spheres of interest in Eastern Europe. Even before the signing of the treaty, immediately after receiving Stalin’s consent on August 19, Hitler scheduled a meeting for the highest ranks of the Wehrmacht for August 22 in Berchtesgaden. On it he announced the date of the attack on Poland in accordance with the Weiss plan on August 26, 1939. However, on August 25, the German Fuhrer received news of the conclusion of the Polish-British alliance and, at the same time, of Benito Mussolini’s refusal to participate in Italy in the war. After this, the previously made decision to attack Poland was canceled. However, Hitler returned to it again on August 30, setting a new date of September 1, 1939. The new date was finally set for 0:30 on August 31. At the signing of the Pact, Hitler with officers at the map. 1939

In accordance with the Weiss plan, Germany concentrated five armies and a reserve, which included 14 infantry, 1 tank and two mountain divisions, for the invasion of Poland. Overall command of the invasion forces was exercised by Colonel General Walter von Brauchitsch. The troops entrusted to him attacked from three directions: Silesia, Slovakia, Western Pomerania and East Prussia. All three directions converged at Warsaw. Total: 56 divisions, 4 brigades, guns, 2,700 tanks, 1,300 aircraft. The number of ground forces personnel is people. Army Group North Colonel General Feodor von Bock Army Group South Colonel General Gerd von Rundstedt The military forces of the Republic of Poland included 7 armies and Task Force Narew. All Polish armed forces were subordinate to the commander-in-chief, Marshal Edward Rydz-Smigly. The main headquarters of the VP was headed by Brigadier General Vaclav Stachewicz. Already during the war, additional formations were formed: the Army “Warsaw” and the separate operational group “Polesie”. In total, the Polish army consisted of 39 infantry, 11 cavalry, 3 mountain brigades and 2 motorized armored brigades. The total number of personnel is about 1 million people.

The territory of Poland is extremely unfavorable for conducting defensive military operations. Apart from the Polesie swamps in the east and the Carpathian uplands in the south, the country had virtually no natural barriers. The Polish-German border was practically open, since Poland did not have the necessary funds to build fortifications in such a huge area, and its military doctrine was based on the rapid redeployment of troops, counterattacks and counterstrikes. Poland was inferior to the enemy both in the number of troops and in the quality of weapons. For example, only 36 twin-engine medium bombers PZL P.37 “Los” designed by Jerzy Dąbrowski could compare with German aircraft

3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Pruss 3 Army Corps Location of German and Polish troops for the year German troops Polish troops Commander-in-Chief of the VP Marshal E. Rydz-Smigly Walter von Brauchitsch

To begin implementing the Weiss plan, Germany had to find a formal reason for war. To this end, the Reich security services prepared a series of provocations at 39 border points along the entire length of the Polish-German border (the so-called Operation Himmler). The most famous pre-war provocations during Operation Himmler can be called the following: Attack on the radio station in Gleiwitz - the main part of Operation Himmler Attack on the forestry in Byczyna (Pitszyn) Attack on the customs point in Rybnik-Stodoly (Hochlinden) The head of the operation is the chief of the service Reich Security R. Heydrich

3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Prussians of the 3rd Army Corps The action in Gleiwitz was carried out by Sturmbannführer Alfred Naujoks. At about 20:00, his group, dressed in civilian clothes (in other sources in Polish uniforms), attacked the radio station of the border town of Gleiwitz. With enormous technical difficulties, the Germans managed to convey only one phrase: “The Gleiwitz radio station is in Polish hands!” At the entrance to the building, the Germans threw the body of the Silesian Fratiszek Honjok, who had previously been shot by them, known for his pro-Polish activities (other sources indicate several bodies).

At 4.45, the training battleship Schleswig Holstein attacked a Polish transit warehouse in Gdansk (Danzig). The seven-day defense of Westerplatte began. The 1st Max Immelmann Depth Bomber Division (from the 76th Luftwaffe Regiment) under the command of Captain Walter Siegel began bombing Wieluń. The attack on Wieluń killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The city was destroyed by 75%. At 5 o'clock in the morning, German troops went on the offensive along the entire length of the Polish-German border, as well as from the territory of Moravia and Slovakia. The front line was about 1600 km. Ruins of Wielun "Schleswig-Holstein" shells Gdansk German soldiers invade Poland German soldiers on Westerplatte

3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Prussians The German offensive began in full accordance with the blitzkrieg doctrine. However, already in the first days it encountered fierce resistance from Polish troops inferior to the enemy in military strength. Nevertheless, concentrating a huge mass of armored and motorized formations in the main directions, the Germans dealt a powerful blow to all Polish combat units. The border battle took place on September 1–4 in Mazovia, Pomerania, Silesia, and also on the Warta.

“Strange War”, “Sitting War” (French Drôle de guerre, English Phoney War, German Sitzkrieg) the period of World War II from September 3, 1939 to May 10, 1940 on the Western Front. The name Phony War (Russian: fake, unreal war) was first used by American journalists in 1939. The authorship of the French version of Drôle de guerre (Russian strange war) belongs to the pen of the French journalist Roland Dorgeles. Thus, the nature of hostilities between the warring parties was emphasized, their almost complete absence, with the exception of combat operations at sea. The warring parties fought only local battles on the Franco-German border, mainly under the protection of the Maginot and Siegfried defensive lines. Nadolba's Strange War on the Siegfried Line Fort on the Maginot Line In connection with the aggression against Poland, on September 3, 1939, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. They also sent an ultimatum to the German leadership demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of all Wehrmacht troops from the territory of Poland and the Free City of Gdansk. Thus, both states, in accordance with their allied obligations, found themselves in a state of war with Germany. A day earlier, on September 2, the French government announced mobilization and began to concentrate its troops on the German border. After Britain declared war on Germany, Poles staged a joyful demonstration in front of the British Embassy in Warsaw

German troops occupied positions along the Dutch, Belgian and French borders. In doing so, they used the previously created Siegfried Line. On September 7, units of the 3rd and 4th French armies crossed the German border in the Saarland and entered the forefield of the Siegfried Line. No resistance was offered to them, and the German population of the Saarland was evacuated. On September 12, a meeting of the French-British Supreme Military Council was held in Abbeville with the participation of Neville Chamberlain, Edouard Daladier and the commander-in-chief of the French army, Maurice Gamelin. During the meeting, it was decided to “maximize the mobilization of funds before the start of major ground operations, as well as limiting the actions of the Air Force.” In practice, this decision meant the cessation of the French offensive and the rejection of allied obligations towards Poland, adopted on May 19, 1939. Until the very end of hostilities in Poland, the German command was not able to transfer a single formation to the Western Front (except for the aforementioned mountain rifle division) . However, the Allies did not take advantage of their chance, which had disastrous consequences for them in 1940. French soldiers at the Maginot Line fort. French soldiers and an English pilot on the Western Front. Strange War

3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Prussians Taking advantage of the inaction of England and France and despite the resistance of the VP, the Germans increased their attacks in Poland. On September 1, the country's president, I. Moscicki, left Warsaw, and on September 4, the evacuation of government offices began. On September 5, the government left Warsaw, and on the night of September 7, so did the commander-in-chief E. Rydz-Smigly. By September 5, German troops had broken through the Polish front, which, in the absence of mobilized reserves, doomed the Polish army to defeat. On September 6, Krakow was occupied. The first German unit reached Warsaw on September 8. However, the plan for rapid encirclement was thwarted in the heroic defense of Wizna (“Polish Thermopylae”). Also on September 9, the Battle of Bzura began, where the armies of Pomerania and Poznań launched a counterattack against the advancing German troops. Only on September 12 did German troops reach the middle reaches of the Vistula in a number of sectors; they crossed the Western Bug - Narew line, covering Warsaw from the east, and advanced to San, crossing its upper reaches.

3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Prussians To the south, the advance of German troops proceeded at an even faster pace - on September 12, the 1st Mountain Division of the 18th Corps approached Lvov, and by September 14 it was completely surrounded. On September 15, units of the 14th German Army occupied Przemysl. The 22nd Corps captured Vladimirets and Grubeshov and moved further south in order to prevent the breakthrough of Polish troops into Romania. On September 7, the headquarters of the High Command of the Polish Forces was moved to Brest; on September 10, it left Brest and moved to Vladimir-Volynsky and further to Kolymia. Units of the German 21st Army Corps occupied Belsk on September 11, and Bialystok on September 15. In the afternoon of September 14, Brest was occupied. On September 15, von Bock ordered the commander of the 4th German Army to organize an offensive with the immediate task of reaching the Volkovysk-Grodno line (150 km from the Soviet border), the 19th Motorized Corps to advance to Wlodawa, Kovel. Other units transferred to the subordination of the 4th Army were given the task of reaching the Baranovichi Slonim line (50 km from the Soviet border). The plans of the German command did not include stopping the advance of the troops. At the rate of advance of German mechanized troops at that time, kilometers per day, they could occupy all of Eastern Poland (Western Ukraine and Western Belarus) within 4-8 days, that is, by September, despite the fact that there was no longer a united Polish front in front of them, just as the Polish command did not have sufficient reserves and time to form it

Polish campaign of the Red Army In this situation, the Soviet government on September 17 delivered a note to the Polish Ambassador to the USSR with the following content: “The Polish state and its government have virtually ceased to exist. Thus, the agreements concluded between the USSR and Poland ceased to be valid. Left to its own devices and left without leadership, Poland turned into a convenient field for all sorts of accidents and surprises that could pose a threat to the USSR. Therefore, being hitherto neutral, the Soviet government cannot be more neutral about these facts, as well as about the defenseless situation of the Ukrainian and Belarusian population. In view of this situation, the Soviet government ordered the High Command of the Red Army to order the troops to cross the border and take under their protection the lives and property of the population of Western Belarus and Western Ukraine.”

Line of maximum advance of German troops Belorussian Front Ukrainian Front Soviet troops Polish troops 10 battalions, 3 divisions and 1 cavalry squadron on the Belorussian Front: personnel, 3167 guns and 2406 tanks. on the Ukrainian front: personnel, 1,792 guns and 2,330 tanks.

Polish campaign of the Red Army On the morning of September 17, the movement of Red Army troops into Polish territory began (with the exception of Polesie and the southern section of the Ukrainian SSR border with Poland, where it began on September 18). It was met with little resistance from individual units of the Polish Border Guard Corps (KOP). With further advancement, the units of the regular Polish army encountered by the Red Army units mostly did not offer resistance and disarmed or surrendered, and some tried to retreat to Lithuania, Hungary or Romania. Organized resistance to units of the Red Army, which lasted more than a day, was provided only in a few cases: in the cities of Vilno, Grodno, Tarnopol, the village of Navuz, the village of Borovichi (near Kovel), in the Sarnensky fortified area. Resistance was provided mainly by the gendarmerie, KOP detachments and militia from the Poles. Polish troops on the defensive After a shootout on September 19 between German and Soviet troops in the Lvov area, at the Soviet-German negotiations that took place in September, a demarcation line was established between the German and Soviet armies, which ran along the river. Pisa before its confluence with the river. Narev, further along the river. Narev to its confluence with the Western Bug, then along the river. Bug before its confluence with the river. Vistula, further along the river. Vistula to the confluence of the San River and further along the river. San to its origins. On September 21, Soviet troops received orders to stop at the westernmost positions, reached by 20:00 on September 20, in order to begin moving to the established demarcation line on September 23 as German troops withdrew. Red Army troops in Poland

Line of maximum advance of German troops Belorussian Front Ukrainian Front On the Polish-German front, the fighting took on a focal character. In September, two battles took place near Tomaszow-Lubelski. On September 23, the troops here received orders to break up into small groups and fight their way out of encirclement into Hungary. On September 22, the Polish units surrounded near Kutno surrendered to the enemy and resistance in the Lviv region ceased. Nevertheless, Warsaw, Modlin and the troops located at Cape Hel continued to resist. On September 23, one of the last mounted battles of World War II took place. The 25th regiment of the Wielkopolska Uhlan, Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Stakhlewski, attacked the German cavalry in Krasnobrud and captured the city.

During the clearing of the rear of the Red Army from the remnants of Polish troops and armed detachments, clashes took place in a number of cases, the most significant of which was the battle on September 28-October 1 of units of the 52nd Infantry Division in the Shatsk region with units of the Polish operational group "Polesie", formed from border troops units, gendarmerie, small garrisons and sailors of the Pinsk flotilla under the command of General Kleeberg, which was retreating to the west. On September 29, after the next Soviet-German political negotiations, Soviet troops, who had not reached the previously established demarcation line in all sections, were stopped again and received an order to begin withdrawing from October 5 back to the East. The deadline for the withdrawal of Red Army units to the new border between the territories of Soviet and German interests was set on October 12. Soviet soldiers escort Polish prisoners Handshake of German and Soviet officers Polish campaign of the Red Army Soviet tanks in Lvov

Line of maximum German advance The end of September and the beginning of October put an end to the existence of an independent Polish state. Warsaw defended until September 28, Modlin defended until September 29. On October 2, the defense of Hel ended. The last to lay down their arms were the defenders of Kotsk on October 6, 1939. This ended the armed resistance of the regular units of the Polish Army on Polish territory. To further fight Germany and its allies, armed formations made up of Polish citizens were created: Polish Armed Forces in the West Anders Army (2nd Polish Corps) Polish Armed Forces in the USSR (1943 - 1944) Resistance to the German occupation regime in the territory again The created General Government was carried out by the Polish Underground State. Prince George and Wladyslaw Sikorski inspect Polish units in the UK

As a result of military actions by Germany and the USSR, the Polish state ceased to exist. On September 28, 1939, immediately after the surrender of Warsaw, the Treaty of Friendship and Border between the USSR and Germany was signed, which defined the Soviet-German border on the territory of Poland they occupied. The new border basically coincided with the “Curzon Line”, recommended in 1919 by the Paris Peace Conference as the eastern border of Poland, since it delimited the areas of compact residence of Poles on the one hand, and Ukrainians and Belarusians on the other. The territories east of the Western Bug and San rivers were annexed to the Ukrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR. This increased the territory of the USSR by 196 thousand km² and the population by 13 million people. Results of the war Germany expanded the borders of East Prussia, moving them close to Warsaw, and included the area up to the city of Lodz, renamed Litzmannstadt. By decree of Hitler on October 8, 1939, Poznan, Pomerania, Silesia, Lodz, part of the Kielce and Warsaw voivodeships, where about 9.5 million people lived, were proclaimed German lands and annexed to Germany. The small residual Polish state was declared the "General Government of the Occupied Polish Regions" under the control of the German authorities, which a year later became known as the "General Government of the German Empire". Krakow became its capital. The German satellite Slovakia returned territories seized by Poland in 1938 and annexed disputed areas ceded to Poland in 1920.

Poland Germany USSR Slovakia Dead / missing from up to 17000 / from 300 to / 30218/11 Wounded (with missing persons) from to Prisoners Aircraft 407 (of which 119 were evacuated to Romania) more than Tanks 880 about About Polish military personnel managed to evacuate to neighboring neutral states. Of those who fought: blue - against Germany, red - against the USSR, green - against Slovakia Military losses The Polish Navy was destroyed during the defense of the Coast (except for 3 destroyers (sat in England until 1.09) and several submarines (3 interned in Sweden).

Sources and illustrations Wikipedia Chronos War album Second World War History of Russia Avanta+ vol. 3 Second World War. Day after day. Russia and the USSR in the wars of the 20th century. Olma-Press The basis of the maps is the map of V.V. Nikolaev from the Chronos website

At the end of the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, establishing new borders in Western Europe. Outside the Weimar Republic there remained significant areas with a compact German population: the Sudetenland, Klaipeda and the Free City of Danzig (Gdansk). One of the main stumbling blocks in German-Polish relations was the existence in the territory of Eastern Pomerania of the so-called “Polish Corridor” - a part of Polish territory with access to the Baltic Sea, separating the main part of Germany from East Prussia. In addition to purely political issues, Pomerania has absorbed a whole range of unresolved economic problems, in particular, with the transit of German goods from Germany to East Prussia and its payment. After the occupation of the Sudetenland in October 1938, issues of German-Polish relations came to the forefront of German foreign policy. On January 6, 1939, during the visit of Polish Foreign Minister Jozef Beck to Germany, Ribbentrop in Berchtesgaden in the most decisive form demanded Poland's consent to the annexation of Danzig to Germany and the construction of transport lines through Pomerania. Poland recognized these demands as completely unacceptable. Polish Foreign Minister Beck and Hitler. German demands confused the British government. In the winter of 1938/39, it suspected that Germany would do something in the west - against Holland, France, or maybe even against England. 1939.03.31 - Great Britain and France give Poland firm guarantees of support in the event of an attack on its independence (April 6, a Mutual Assistance Treaty is concluded). This agreement served as a pretext for Hitler to break the German-Polish non-aggression pact of 1934 on April 28. The order, issued on the night of April 4, 1939, demanded that secret preparations for the Weiss plan, which provided for the invasion of Polish territory and the complete capture of the country, be completed by the end of September. Neville Chamberlain. Prime Minister of Great Britain

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At the same time, the rapprochement between Germany and the USSR continued. On August 19, 1939, Hitler agreed to the territorial claims of the Soviet Union, including the entire eastern half of Poland up to the line of the Narew, Vistula and San rivers, as well as the territories of Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Romanian Bessarabia. On the same day, Stalin, with the approval of the Politburo, decided to conclude a German-Soviet non-aggression pact. To conclude the agreement, Joachim von Ribbentrop arrived in Moscow on a special plane via Königsberg. On the night of August 23-24, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed in the Kremlin. The secret protocols of this treaty described the division of spheres of interest in Eastern Europe. Even before the signing of the treaty, immediately after receiving Stalin’s consent on August 19, Hitler scheduled a meeting for the highest ranks of the Wehrmacht for August 22 in Berchtesgaden. On it, he announced the date of the attack on Poland in accordance with the Weiss plan - August 26, 1939. However, on August 25, the German Fuhrer received news of the conclusion of the Polish-British alliance and, at the same time, of Benito Mussolini’s refusal to participate in Italy in the war. After this, the previously made decision to attack Poland was canceled. However, Hitler returned to it again on August 30, setting a new date - September 1, 1939. The new date was finally set for 0:30 on August 31. At the signing of the Pact, Hitler with officers at the map. 1939

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The forces of the parties at the beginning of the war Germany and Slovakia Poland

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In accordance with the Weiss plan, Germany concentrated five armies and a reserve, which included 14 infantry, 1 tank and two mountain divisions, for the invasion of Poland. Overall command of the invasion forces was exercised by Colonel General Walter von Brauchitsch. The troops entrusted to him attacked from three directions: Silesia-Slovakia, Western Pomerania and East Prussia. All three directions converged at Warsaw. Total: 56 divisions, 4 brigades, 10,000 guns, 2,700 tanks, 1,300 aircraft. The number of ground forces personnel is 1,800,000 people. Army Group North - Colonel General Fedor von Bock Army Group South - Colonel General Gerd von Rundstedt The military forces of the Republic of Poland included 7 armies and the Narew task force. All Polish armed forces were subordinate to the commander-in-chief, Marshal Edward Rydz-Smigly. The main headquarters of the VP was headed by Brigadier General Vaclav Stachewicz. Already during the war, additional formations were formed: the Army “Warsaw” and the separate operational group “Polesie”. In total, the Polish army consisted of 39 infantry, 11 cavalry, 3 mountain brigades and 2 motorized armored brigades. The total number of personnel is about 1 million people.

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3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Pruss 3 Army Corps Location of German and Polish troops on 09/01/1939 German troops Polish troops Commander-in-Chief of the VP Marshal E. Rydz-Smigly Walter von Brauchitsch

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3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Prussians of the 3rd Army Corps The action on August 31, 1939 in Gleiwitz was carried out by Sturmbannführer Alfred Naujoks. At about 20:00, his group, dressed in civilian clothes (in other sources in Polish uniforms), attacked the radio station of the border town of Gleiwitz. With enormous technical difficulties, the Germans managed to convey only one phrase: “The Gleiwitz radio station is in Polish hands!” At the entrance to the building, the Germans threw the body of the Silesian Fratisek Honjok, who was previously shot by them, known for his pro-Polish activities (other sources indicate several bodies).

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At 4.45, the training battleship Schleswig-Holstein attacked a Polish transit warehouse in Gdansk (Danzig). The seven-day defense of Westerplatte began. At 4.40 the 1st Max Immelmann Depth Bomber Division (from the 76th Luftwaffe Regiment), under the command of Captain Walter Siegel, began bombarding Wieluń. The attack on Wieluń killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The city was destroyed by 75%. At 5 o'clock in the morning, German troops went on the offensive along the entire length of the Polish-German border, as well as from the territory of Moravia and Slovakia. The front line was about 1600 km. Ruins of Wielun "Schleswig-Holstein" shells Gdansk German soldiers invade Poland German soldiers on Westerplatte

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3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Prussians The German offensive began in full accordance with the blitzkrieg doctrine. However, already in the first days it encountered fierce resistance from Polish troops inferior to the enemy in military strength. Nevertheless, concentrating a huge mass of armored and motorized formations in the main directions, the Germans dealt a powerful blow to all Polish combat units. The border battle took place on September 1 - 4 in Mazovia, Pomerania, Silesia, and also on the Warta.

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“Strange War”, “Sitting War” (French Drôle de guerre, English Phoney War, German Sitzkrieg) - the period of World War II from September 3, 1939 to May 10, 1940 on the Western Front. The name Phony War (Russian: fake, unreal war) was first used by American journalists in 1939. The authorship of the French version of Drôle de guerre (Russian strange war) belongs to the pen of the French journalist Roland Dorgeles. Thus, the nature of hostilities between the warring parties was emphasized - their almost complete absence, with the exception of combat operations at sea. The warring parties fought only local battles on the Franco-German border, mainly under the protection of the Maginot and Siegfried defensive lines. Nadolba's Strange War on the Siegfried Line Fort on the Maginot Line In connection with the aggression against Poland, on September 3, 1939, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. They also sent an ultimatum to the German leadership demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of all Wehrmacht troops from the territory of Poland and the Free City of Gdansk. Thus, both states, in accordance with their allied obligations, found themselves in a state of war with Germany. A day earlier, on September 2, the French government announced mobilization and began to concentrate its troops on the German border. After Britain declared war on Germany, Poles staged a joyful demonstration in front of the British Embassy in Warsaw

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“Siegfried Line” “Maginot Line” Gr.armies Central South-East. front NE. front German troops French troops Up to 110 divisions (45 divisions on the Maginot Line). About 4500 aircraft (including English ones). 33 divisions and 1,186 aircraft

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3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Prussians Taking advantage of the inaction of England and France and despite the resistance of the VP, the Germans increased their attacks in Poland. On September 1, the country's president, I. Moscicki, left Warsaw, and on September 4, the evacuation of government offices began. On September 5, the government left Warsaw, and on the night of September 7, so did the commander-in-chief E. Rydz-Smigly. By September 5, German troops had broken through the Polish front, which, in the absence of mobilized reserves, doomed the Polish army to defeat. On September 6, Krakow was occupied. The first German unit reached Warsaw on September 8. However, the plan for rapid encirclement was thwarted in the heroic defense of Wizna (“Polish Thermopylae”). Also on September 9, the Battle of Bzura began, where the armies of Pomerania and Poznań launched a counterattack against the advancing German troops. Only on September 12 did German troops reach the middle reaches of the Vistula in a number of sectors; they crossed the Western Bug - Narew line, covering Warsaw from the east, and advanced to San, crossing its upper reaches.

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German soldiers on the outskirts of Warsaw. Warsaw street destroyed by bombing.

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3 arm 4 arm 8 arm 10 arm 14 arm Gr. armies South Gr. armies of the North Arm. Pomorie arm. Poznan Arm. Lodz arm. Krakow arm. Armenian Carpathians Modlin opera. gr. Narew main reserve arm. Prussians To the south, the advance of German troops proceeded at an even faster pace - on September 12, the 1st Mountain Division of the 18th Corps approached Lvov, and by September 14 it was completely surrounded. On September 15, units of the 14th German Army occupied Przemysl. The 22nd Corps captured Vladimirets and Grubeshov and moved further south in order to prevent the breakthrough of Polish troops into Romania. On September 7, the headquarters of the High Command of the Polish Forces was moved to Brest; on September 10, it left Brest and moved to Vladimir-Volynsky and further to Kolymia. Units of the German 21st Army Corps occupied Belsk on September 11, and Bialystok on September 15. In the afternoon of September 14, Brest was occupied. On September 15, von Bock ordered the commander of the 4th German Army to organize an offensive with the immediate task of reaching the Volkovysk-Grodno line (150 km from the Soviet border), the 19th Motorized Corps to advance to Wlodawa, Kovel. Other units transferred to the subordination of the 4th Army were given the task of reaching the Baranovichi - Slonim line (50 km from the Soviet border). The plans of the German command did not include stopping the advance of the troops. With the rate of advance of German mechanized troops at that time being 25-30 km per day, they could occupy all of Eastern Poland (Western Ukraine and Western Belarus) within 4-8 days, that is, by September 21-25, despite the fact that the Polish united front was no longer in front of them, just as the Polish command did not have sufficient reserves and time to form it

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Line of maximum advance of German troops Belorussian Front Ukrainian Front Soviet troops Polish troops 10 battalions, 3 divisions and 1 cavalry squadron on the Belorussian Front: 200,802 personnel, 3,167 guns and 2,406 tanks. on the Ukrainian Front: 265,714 personnel, 1,792 guns and 2,330 tanks.

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Polish campaign of the Red Army On the morning of September 17, the movement of Red Army troops into Polish territory began (with the exception of Polesie and the southern section of the Ukrainian SSR border with Poland, where it began on September 18). It was met with little resistance from individual units of the Polish Border Guard Corps (KOP). With further advancement, the units of the regular Polish army encountered by the Red Army units mostly did not offer resistance and disarmed or surrendered, and some tried to retreat to Lithuania, Hungary or Romania. Organized resistance to units of the Red Army, which lasted more than a day, was provided only in a few cases: in the cities of Vilno, Grodno, Tarnopol, the village of Navuz, the village of Borovichi (near Kovel), in the Sarnensky fortified area. Resistance was provided mainly by the gendarmerie, KOP detachments and militia from the Poles. Polish troops on the defensive After the exchange of fire between German and Soviet troops in the Lvov area on September 19, at the Soviet-German negotiations held on September 20-21, a demarcation line was established between the German and Soviet armies, which ran along the river. Pisa before its confluence with the river. Narev, further along the river. Narev to its confluence with the Western Bug, then along the river. Bug before its confluence with the river. Vistula, further along the river. Vistula to the confluence of the San River and further along the river. San to its origins. On September 21, Soviet troops received orders to stop at the extreme western positions, reached by 20:00 on September 20, in order to begin moving to the established demarcation line on September 23 - as German troops withdrew. Red Army troops in Poland

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Line of maximum advance of German troops Belorussian Front Ukrainian Front On the Polish-German front, the fighting took on a focal character. On September 17 - 26, two battles took place near Tomaszow Lubelski. On September 23, the troops here received orders to break up into small groups and fight their way out of encirclement into Hungary. On September 22, Polish units surrounded near Kutno surrendered to the enemy and resistance in the Lviv region ceased. 09/20/39 09/22/39 09/23/39 09/22/39 Nevertheless, Warsaw, Modlin and the troops located at Cape Hel continued to resist. On September 23, one of the last mounted battles of World War II took place. The 25th regiment of the Wielkopolska Uhlan, Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Stakhlewski, attacked the German cavalry in Krasnobrud and captured the city.

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During the clearing of the rear of the Red Army from the remnants of Polish troops and armed detachments, clashes took place in a number of cases, the most significant of which was the battle between September 28 and October 1 of units of the 52nd Infantry Division in the Shatsk region with units of the Polish operational group "Polesie", formed from border units, gendarmerie, small garrisons and sailors of the Pinsk flotilla under the command of General Kleeberg, which was retreating to the west. On September 29, after the next Soviet-German political negotiations, Soviet troops, who had not reached the previously established demarcation line in all sections, were stopped again and received an order to begin withdrawing from October 5 back to the East. The deadline for the withdrawal of Red Army units to the new border between the territories of Soviet and German interests was set on October 12. Soviet soldiers escort Polish prisoners Handshake of German and Soviet officers Polish campaign of the Red Army Soviet tanks in Lvov

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Line of maximum German advance 09/28/39 09/29/39 10/02/39 The end of September and the beginning of October put an end to the existence of an independent Polish state. Warsaw defended until September 28, Modlin defended until September 29. On October 2, the defense of Hel ended. The last to lay down their arms were the defenders of Kotsk - October 6, 1939

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Polish weapons captured by the Germans in Warsaw Polish envoys during the surrender of Modlin

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This ended the armed resistance of regular units of the Polish Army on Polish territory. To further fight Germany and its allies, armed formations made up of Polish citizens were created: Polish Armed Forces in the West Anders Army (2nd Polish Corps) Polish Armed Forces in the USSR (1943 - 1944) Resistance to the German occupation regime in the territory again The created General Government was carried out by the Polish Underground State. Prince George and Wladyslaw Sikorski inspect Polish units in the UK

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As a result of military actions by Germany and the USSR, the Polish state ceased to exist. On September 28, 1939, immediately after the surrender of Warsaw, the Treaty of Friendship and Border between the USSR and Germany was signed, which defined the Soviet-German border on the territory of Poland they occupied. The new border basically coincided with the “Curzon Line”, recommended in 1919 by the Paris Peace Conference as the eastern border of Poland, since it delimited areas of compact residence of Poles on the one hand, Ukrainians and Belarusians on the other. The territories east of the Western Bug and San rivers were annexed to the Ukrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR. This increased the territory of the USSR by 196 thousand km², and the population by 13 million people. Results of the war Germany expanded the borders of East Prussia, moving them close to Warsaw, and included the area up to the city of Lodz, renamed Litzmannstadt. By decree of Hitler on October 8, 1939, Poznan, Pomerania, Silesia, Lodz, part of the Kielce and Warsaw voivodeships, where about 9.5 million people lived, were proclaimed German lands and annexed to Germany. The small residual Polish state was declared the "General Government of the Occupied Polish Regions" under the control of the German authorities, which a year later became known as the "General Government of the German Empire". Krakow became its capital. The German satellite Slovakia returned territories seized by Poland in 1938 and annexed disputed areas ceded to Poland in 1920.

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Line of maximum advance of German troops To Lithuania To Slovakia

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About 80,000 Polish troops managed to evacuate to neighboring neutral states. Of those who fought: blue - against Germany, red - against the USSR, green - against Slovakia Military losses The Polish Navy was destroyed during the defense of the Coast (except for 3 destroyers (sat in England until 1.09) and several submarines (3 interned in Sweden).

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Sources and illustrations

Wikipedia http://ru.wikipedia.org/ Chronos http://www.hrono.info/ War album http://waralbum.ru/ Second World War http://www.weltkrieg.ru/ History of Russia Avanta+ t 3 World War II. Day after day. Russia and the USSR in the wars of the 20th century. Olma Press. 2001 The basis of the maps is the map of V.V. Nikolaev from the Chronos website

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