Reasons for Invading Poland

How Hitler's Invasion of Poland Led to WW2

Hitler wanted Poland to be part of his Third Reich. Arguably, he did not anticipate this to trigger war with Britain and France.

Lebensraum

Following his conquests of Austria and Czechoslovakia, Hitler turned his sights to Poland.
He wanted Poland to become part of his Reich.

The Nazi-Soviet Pact

The Nazi and Soviet ambassadors Ribbentrop and Molotov negotiated a pact in August 1939.
The Nazis and Soviets agreed to simultaneously invade Poland and split the spoils.
The Nazis invaded from the west on 1 September 1939, the Soviet Union invaded from the east on 17 September 1939.

Underestimating the British and France

Following the invasion of Czechoslovakia, Britain and France signed the ‘Polish Guarantee’.
This guaranteed Britain and France would enter help defend Polish independence if Hitler invaded Poland.
Hitler did not take this seriously and believed Britain and France would continue to appease him.

Declaration of war

On 1 September 1939, the British and French sent Hitler an ultimatum. If he did not withdraw his troops from Poland they would declare war against Nazi Germany.
On 3 September 1939, Chamberlain announced to the British public that he had declared war with Germany.
AJP Taylor (1961): “I agree that there was no clear dividing line in [Hitler’s] mind between political ingenuity and small wars, such as the attack on Poland. The one thing he did not plan was the great war often attributed to him.”

Evaluation of Hitler’s actions

Historians disagree over whether Hitler planned a large scale conflict across Europe.
Harris (2015): “The National Socialists’ foreign policy was, from the outset, focused on incorporating all ethnic Germans into the greater Reich, as well as destroying Bolshevism during the move east in search of greater Lebensraum, or living space. Hitler was under no illusions that the quest for European dominance would require war.”
Flint (2015): “Historians debate how far Hitler truly wanted a global conflict at [the invasion of Poland]; some argue that he hoped that he would only have to fight a small scale local war.”

Domestic Pressure to Declare War on Poland

Arguably, the domestic situation in Nazi Germany pressured the invasion of Poland.

Demands of the Four Year Plan

Germany did not have enough raw materials to sustain the Four Year Plan plan.
- The Nazis needed a new source of raw materials.
The focus on ‘guns’ not ‘butter’, meant that living standards were declining. This was rousing dissatisfaction and low morale in Germany.
Mason (1971): “The economic social and political tensions within the Reich became steadily more acute after the summer of 1937...the only ‘solution’ open to the regime of the structural tensions and crisis...was more dictatorship and rearmament, then expansion, then war and terror, the plunder and enslavement.”

A lightning war

Some historians argue that Hitler intended a Blitzkrieg meaning a lightning war.
By this, they mean that the war against Poland was meant to be short and effective.
The German population would be united by the war effort and would benefit from the resources in Polish territory.
This suggests that the Nazis did not intend a protracted and full-scale war in Europe.

Pressure from the Nazi Government for War

Historians point to the radicalisation of the Nazi government over the 1930s.

Role of leading Nazis

Alongside Hitler, individuals such as Goering drove the Reich towards war.
Goering was in charge of the Four Year Plan and the Luftwaffe (air force).
Goering primed the German economy for war and was a leading figure in the Anschluss.
Historians have argued that Goering concealed the shortcomings of the Four Year Plan and the Luftwaffe to convince Hitler to go to war.

The government

The radicalisation of Nazi policies between 1933 and 1939 is clear.
E.g. the radicalisation of anti-Semitic policy and the increasing aggression of foreign policy.

Inability to restrain Hitler and the Nazis

Whilst Nazis drove more ambitious and bellicose policies, conservatives had little power to stop them. Due to the Enabling Act and the creation of a totalitarian dictatorship, Hitler could not be held accountable by any institution.
Overy (1989): “The problem that the majority of more moderate German nationalists faced in the 1930s was the difficulty of creating a domestic political environment that would restrain Hitler.”

1Political & Governmental Change, 1918-1989

1.1Creation & Collapse of Weimar, 1918-1932

1.1.1Creation of a Republic

1.1.2Strengths & Weaknesses of Weimar Constitution

1.1.3Overcoming Challenges to the Constitution

1.1.4The Great Depression

1.1.5The Collapse of Democracy

1.1.6The Collapse of Democracy 2

1.1.7Hitler Becomes Chancellor

1.2Nazi Dictatorship, 1933-1945

1.2.1Establishing a Dictatorship

1.2.2Consolidating Power

1.2.3Nature of Government

1.2.4Government in Wartime

1.2.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Political & Governmental Change

1.3Return to Democratic Government, 1945-1989

1.3.1Creation of the FRG, 1945-1949

1.3.2Consolidation Under Adenauer

1.3.3Consolidation Under Erhard

1.3.4Maintaining Stability Under Brandt

1.3.5Maintaining Stability Under Schmidt

1.3.6Maintaining Stability Under Kohl

1.3.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Return to Democratic Government

2Opposition, Control & Consent 1918-1989

2.1Opposition to Government, 1918-1989

2.1.1Impact of Versailles

2.1.2Political Extremism & Crises, 1918-1932

2.1.3Opposition & Dissent in Nazi Germany, 1933-1945

2.1.4Political Dissent from the Left, 1949-1989

2.1.5Political Dissent from the Right, 1949-1989

2.1.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Opposition to Government 1918-89

2.2Controlling the People, 1918-1989

2.2.1Attempts to Control Extremism

2.2.2Repression, 1933-1945

2.2.3Censorship & Propaganda, 1933-1945

2.2.4De-Nazification Policies of Western Allies, 1945

2.2.5Constitutional & Legal Response to Extremism, 1949

2.3Popular Support, 1918-1989

2.3.1The Nature of Support for the Weimar Government

2.3.2Support for the Nazi Regime

2.3.3The Nature of Support for Democracy, 1945-1989

2.3.4Top Grade AO2/3 - Controlling the People

3Economic Developments & Policies, 1918-1989

3.1Reacting to Economic Challenges, 1918-1932

3.1.1Economic Crises & Government Response, 1918-1923

3.1.2Economic Loans, 1924-1928

3.1.3Policies for Recovery, 1924-1929

3.1.4The Great Depression

3.1.5Change in Living Standards

3.1.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Reacting to Economic Challenges

3.2Controlling the Economy, 1933-1945

3.2.1Attempting Economic Recovery

3.2.2Creating a Command Economy

3.2.3Change in Living Standards

3.2.4Impact of War

3.2.5Impact of War 2

3.2.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Controlling the Economy

3.3Creating the Social Market Economy, 1945-1989

3.3.1Economic Recovery, 1945-1955

3.3.2The Economic Miracle, 1955-1966

3.3.3Surviving the Recession, 1960-1969

3.3.4The Oil Crisis

3.3.5Integration into the European Economy

3.3.6Change in Living Standards

3.3.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Creating Social Market Economy

4Aspects of Life, 1918-1989

4.1Attitudes Towards Women, 1918-1989

4.1.1Role & Status of Women in the Weimar Republic

4.1.2Impact of Kinder, Küche, Kirche

4.1.3Impact of WW2 on Women

4.1.4Role & Status of Women in the FRG

4.1.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Attitudes Towards Women

4.2Education & Cultural Developments, 1918-1989

4.2.1Education in Weimar

4.2.2Cultural Experimentation in Weimar

4.2.3Education Under the Nazis

4.2.4Nazi Culture

4.2.5Education in the FRG

4.2.6Generational Conflict

4.2.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Education & Cultural Development

4.3Position of Ethnic Minorities, 19189-1989

4.3.1Ethnic Minorities in the Weimar Republic

4.3.2Nazi Racial Policies, 1933-1939

4.3.3Nazi Racial Policies During the War

4.3.4Ethnic Minorities in the FRG

4.3.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Position of Ethnic Minorities

5Historical Interpretations

5.1Influence of German History

5.1.1Influence of German History

5.2Hitler & Foreign Policy

5.2.1Hitler & Foreign Policy

5.3Contribution of Other Nations to WW2

5.3.1Weak Nations

5.3.2Appeasement

5.3.3The Rise of Fascism

5.4Reasons for Invading Poland

5.4.1Reasons for Invading Poland

5.4.2Top Grade AO2/3 - Historical Interpretation

Jump to other topics