80 likes | 213 Views
The Polish Crisis 1939. By Danny Noh, Joon Kyu Lee and Anthony Gokianluy. Why Poland:. Danzig/Polish Corridor (Treaty of Versailles, cuts off East Prussia) Posen (Agricultural lands, want to increase resources) Lebensraum (Living space) Common border for the invasion of Russia
E N D
The Polish Crisis 1939 By Danny Noh, Joon Kyu Lee and Anthony Gokianluy
Why Poland: • Danzig/Polish Corridor (Treaty of Versailles, cuts off East Prussia) • Posen (Agricultural lands, want to increase resources) • Lebensraum (Living space) • Common border for the invasion of Russia • Base for future attacks on Eastern Europe
History of the Crisis (A Timeline): • October 1938: Hitler demanded that the Danzig (of Gdansk) region of Poland be ceded to Germany • Port area had been under Polish administration since the Potsdam agreement. • March 1939: Poland refused to cede Danzig, and in March of 1939, negotiations began between Germany and Poland • March 30, 1939: Both France and Great Britain pledged to defend Poland in the event of a German attack. • April 1939: German troop concentrations on the Polish border began. • April to June 1939: Hitler makes several statements about Polish "atrocities" to German citizens in Danzig • August 1939: Signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact • September 1, 1939: Invasion of Poland • September 3, 1939: Great Britain and France declare war on Germany, beginning of the Second World War
The Polish Crisis: • The conflict between Germany and Poland (supported by Britain and France) over the Danzig territory
Significance of the Crisis • The Spark to WW2 • Aggressive German Foreign Policy • Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in action • Marked failure of Appeasement