THE HISTORY OF POLAND FROM 1939-PRESINT By: Nicolas Wilkey
Poland brief Reflection Back in 1939 most of Europe was still coming back from the effects of the great depression. In which case left the country of Germany who was supposed to be monitored in terms of the size of their military exploded and had its sights set forth on expansion and revenge. Poland was a adjacent country next to German and they were already looking down the sights of the gun. Though knowing war was coming they didn t predict it would come so soon. There military wasn t insufficiently supplied and underdeveloped compared to the fully mobilized Nazi army and with the help of the Russians Poland quickly fell and become a under control of foreigner occupation. Poland would pass from Germany to Russians hand then finally become free several years later.
Germany and the U.S.S.R Before the invasion of Poland, Germany and the U.S.S.R set up a agreement for a non aggression pack. Around august of 1939, the two party's would set up and agree to the non aggression pack. In turn the U.S.S.R would also invade Poland from her boarders to secure the land Germany promise in Poland and parts of the Baltic State. Germany U.S.S.R
The Invasions The invasion of Poland began on September 1, 1939. Roughly around 1.8 million troops were sent in from Germany into Poland. Though their force sizes were about double that of Poland they military was underdeveloped and quickly disposed of. Though they could hold some ground the polish forces were no match to the Germans which implemented the plain lightning war or blitzkreig. This was a armor warfare invasion which Poland hade hardly anything compared to Germanys. In over 17 days Germany pushes all the polish forces back and was on the outskirts of Warsaw. Poland who was wishing to hold out till they could counter attack found terrible news. On September 17 the U.S.S.R invaded Poland from the east and all hope was lost for Poland. Though they hade allied their self with France and Britton, little aid was giving and Poland after just 28 days on September 28 Poland surrender and Germany and the U.S.S.R were victories.
Poland's Army vs. Germanys and USSR In the polish army around that time their military was under developed and far behind the technology of Germany. They consisted of about, 435 Aircraft 1,000,000 Infantry 880 tanks Army s The Germans army (which is fully advance in technology related to warfare at that time) consisted of about 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 Poland Germany U.S.S.R 3,000 Aircraft 2,800 tanks 1,800,000 infantry Later in September 17 USSR invaded Poland on its eastern boarder with about 3,000 Aircraft 500,000 infantry 4,500 tanks 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0 Infantry Poland Germany U.S.S.R
Aftermath After the invasion of Poland by both the Germans and the Soviet Union the dealing of territory began. upon reflection of their previous agreement the Germans would divide Poland into two areas. One to Germany and the other to the U.S.S.R which was apart of the non aggregation pack they agreed upon in secret early on before the invasion began. then during from 1939-1945 Poland was under the eyes of both Germany and the Soviet Union. But in June of 1940 in the second world war, Germany would break its agreements with the U.S.S.R and completely occupy Poland and other territory's from the soviet union. Now all of Poland was under Germanys control. What fear lye's within the lions layer?
Poland and Concentration Camps During the control of the Germany they created a wide range of Death camps or to what most people refer to as Concentration camps. Here they would captured Jews or anyone who objected them from all over the country and would savagely executed them. The worst concentration camp that not only was in Poland but also was the site of the most people who were murdered was called Auschwitz. It was estimated that the death camp killed around 1.6 million people.
Poland Turn Communist After the fall of Germany in 1945 Poland became occupied by the Soviet Union and as a result, turned Poland into a communist country. Poland would remain under communist control till around 1981. The main reason for the pols turning into communist wasn t just for the fact that they liberated them but for the fact that they were neighbors with communism U.S.S.R and its influences/ propaganda it hade on Poland to insure the spread of democracy would not reach their boarders. The Soviet Union hade Poland locked on in its own sphere of influence.
Changing from communist to the third Polish Republic Though communism lasted from around 1945-1981 the world was changing. Food riots went on in the street, the soviet union was on the verge of collapse, the speed of new ideas and belief were reaching Poland people and the wanted change. With the power of the Soviet Union dwindling from the cold war, Poland was able to one of the first to liberate itself from communism. They quickly changed into the Third Polish Republic and remained so still to this day. Though switching over was good their were many difficulty's with dealing with some of the corruption and communes community's which still remained in Poland during that time.
Poland Now After the overthrow of the communism party in Poland, Poland has remained a democratic country and still remains under their polish third republic party. Since 1945 Poland has grown a lot from being a country which military was still using hoarse to fight off German panzers, to being occupied by the Nazi party and executed many of their inhabitants, and being pressured into becoming a communist country by its neighbor the Soviet Union until finally become a free country again to do as it sees fit.
References Germans invade Poland (NA). History. Retrieved on November 24 from: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland History of Poland. (April 7, 2007). Wikipedia. Retrieved on November 24 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/history_of_poland_(1945 89) Invasion of Poland ( March 24 2005) Wikipedia. Retrieved on November 24 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/invasion_of_poland The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact(NA). About.com. Retrieved on November 24 from: http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwarii/a/nonaggression.htm World War Two (1939 1945).(2009) World.ology. Retrieved on November 24 from: http://www.worldology.com/europe/world_war_2_1941.htm Images from: Concentration Camps: Major Camps (NA).JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY. Retrieved on November 24 from: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/holocaust/major_camps.html