Why did the invasion of Poland in 1939 mark the beginning of WWII and not earlier aggressive moves

by Germany?

SAMPLE IB QUESTION

Possible answers

The Versailles Treaty was too harsh and Germany should receive some additional consideration and land-Rhineland remilitarized, Anschluss (union with Austria) and Czechoslovakia (Munich Pact). Appeasement appeared logical. All these areas had sizeable German populations and were landlocked. They were not historically independent states until after WWI. Maybe a greater Germany could be an engine of growth for Europe to recover from depression. Germany was still regarded as the economic leader of Europe even in their “disgrace.” U.S. demand for war debts had allowed reparation expectations to get out of hand. (Britain and France opposed return of German colonies. One less noted reason…it would distract Germany from secret mission “Remove the Soviet Communists.”)

Answer continued….

• Poland would give Germany uninterrupted access to the Baltic Sea. The “international city” of Danzig allowed the British opportunities for trade and spying on Germany’s military activities particularly any plans for an enlarged navy. Britain was obsessively protective of their naval hegemony.

• Britain and France were still devastated from WWI. They had neither the money nor the will for another war. Earlier aggressions were not worth upsetting a relatively peaceful Europe. This view gained widespread acceptance after viewing the destruction of the new German technology in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Appeasement seemed a way to avoid war and focus Germany east and not west to France.

Answer continued….

• Britain and France could declare war on Germany for invading Poland but did not have the immediate ability to help Poland. This “phony war” would give Germany time to finish off the Communist government in the Soviet Union who had worked against European recovery from day one. Remember cancelled debts, Rapallo (which embarrassed Lloyd George), Communist International and the general Soviet attitude of autarky (Socialism in one country). Later Britain and France could mobilize to defeat Germany on the Western Front with help from the U.S. (Realpolitik)

Answer continued….

• Poland was set up as an expendable country after WWI. The corridor, Danzig and Poland’s lands east of the Curzon Line were a matador’s cape for Germany and the Soviet Union. France and Britain hoped Germany would knock out the Soviet Communist Government. The phony war would express “outrage” but not require military action on behalf of Poland.

• Poland had refused to let Soviet troops move into their territory to confront Hitler. This action by Poland could justify “the check is in the mail” strategy of Britain and France.

Answer continued…..

• Britain had established a lucrative trade with Poland. Poland sold high grade coal to Britain where it was used in the production of steel. Germany would now have access to these vast supplies of coal and it could enhance Germany’s already efficient and considerable steel production. (Germany had put up trade barriers against Poland in 1926 to show their outrage with the gerrymandering of the new Polish state.)

Answer continued….

• War was a way out of the Depression which had lingered all through the 30’s. War appeared inevitable by 1939 because the Japanese were driving south into China and were threatening Hong Kong and other British and European colonies. Colonies were considered necessary for European prosperity. Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Commintern Pact which confirmed the idea that Germany and maybe even Japan could be the forces to displace the communist government of the Soviet Union.

Answer continued….

• Hitler and Mussolini had signed the Pact of Steel (1939). This made war more likely. Hitler now had the ally the Kaiser let escape in WWI. Britain and France declared war on Poland as a way of acclimating people to the idea of war without actually having to participate immediately.

• The deceptive nature of the Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact (1939). Secret clauses in this pact called for Poland to be partitioned between Germany and the Soviet Union. Further proof of Soviet duplicity-perhaps Germany could dispose of this government while Britain and France “urgently” mobilized.

Answer continued….

• France had already decided not to resist German aggression so declaring war on Poland was more of a concession to Britain than commitment from them to fight Germany.

• Declaring war on Germany would impress the United States where there was a strong Polish-American community. Britain and France were counting on and actively lobbying for American military action against Hitler.