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Germany and the Soviet Union both regarded the Polish state as a creation of the post-WW1 system, and both had claims on Polish territory. In the summer of 1939, Adolf Hitler decided to invade Poland in a fait acompli against the Allies. In a secret agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union they agreed on dividing up the Polish state and Eastern Europe.
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» SOURCES
Böhler, Jochen: Der Überfall. Deutschlands Krieg gegen Polen. Eichborn Verlag, 2009.
Browning, Christopher R. The Origins Of The Final Solution. The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Policy, September 1939 – March 1942. University of Nebraska Press; Yad Yashem, 2004.
Ferris, John; Mawdsley: The Cambridge History of The Second World War. (Vol. 1) Fighting the War. Cambridge University Press, 2015.
Havers, Robin: The Second World War (2). Europe 1939 – 1943. Osprey Publishing, 2002.
Murray, Williamson: The German Response to Victory in Poland. A case study in professionalism. Armed Force & Society, Vol. 7, No. 2, 1981.
Piekalkiewicz, Janusz. Polenfeldzug. Hitler und Stalin zerschlagen die Polnische Republik. Bechtermünz Verlag, 1998.
Pöhlmann, Markus. “Der Panzer und die Mechanisierung des Krieges: Eine deutsche Geschichte 1890 bis 1945” Ferdinand Schöningh. 2016
Wettstein, Adrian E. „Die Wehrmacht im Stadtkampf 1939 – 1942“ Ferdinand Schöningh. 2014
Gross, Jan Tomasz. Revolution from abroad : the Soviet Conquest of Poland’s Western Ukraine and Western Belorussia (Princeton University Press, 2002)
Kochanski, Halik. The Eagle Unbowed : Poland and the Poles in the Second World War (Harvard University Press, 2012)
Moorhouse, Roger. The Devils’ Alliance: Hitler’s Pact with Stalin, 1939-1941 (Basic Books, 2014)
Лебедева, Н.С., Гловацкий, Альбин. Польша между СССР и Германией. 1939-1941 // Белые пятна — черные пятна: Сложные вопросы в российско-польских отношениях: Научное издание (Москва: Аспект Пресс, 2017. С. 202-279)
»CREDITS
Presented by: Jesse Alexander
Written by: Jesse Alexander
Director: Toni Steller
Editing: Philipp Appelt
Motion Design: Philipp Appelt
Mixing, Mastering & Sound Design: http://above-zero.com
Research by: Jesse Alexander
Fact checking: Florian Wittig
Executive Producer: Florian Wittig
Channel Design: Simon Buckmaster
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There's no such thing like "Silesian uprisings". That was Polish hybrid war against Germany, fully organised by Warsaw.
Should have mentioned that the Soviets invaded Poland at the same time the Germans did
Hearing how Germany and the Soviet Union carved up an entire nation is heartbreaking. Poland’s courage deserves endless respect.
Russia until this day denies that. They skip that part at schools
Very good indeed . Great presentation
I like how you tell in detail about German crimes, but about USSR very briefly. Seems like it is more a legend. We want facts, not western tale of big bad wolf.
And for some reason you did not mentioned that polish army Commander-in-Chief Edward Rydz-Śmigły on 17 of september ordered to polish army not to fight the red army, but to retreat, why?
Did you noticed that in Germany all had on video painters mustaches and in USSR all had Stalins hah
Don’t understand why Britain declared war on Germany but not the soviet
Soviet started the war together with German, also Soviet ended the war together with US. People need to learn from history, no true friend in politics.
Poland should not have trusted the British and be used as it's proxy. Poland should have negotiated for the corridor.