WORLD WAR II BEGINS | 83 YEARS AGO TODAY

83 years ago today, on September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, triggering the outbreak of World War II. For the first time, the German blitzkrieg was put into action. Although the Polish army fought hard to defend their country, they were unprepared and quickly overwhelmed by numbers and superior tactics. In less than a month, the entire nation had been overrun and occupied.

The Allies had severely underestimated the German war machine and were ill-prepared. Although Britain and France declared war on Germany after the invasion of Poland, subsequent military support never came, leaving the Polish army to fight alone. Although the Germans considered the Polish campaign a huge success, there were heavy losses and many lessons to be learned.

Giving the Past a Future, One Story at a Time."

WWII Veterans History Project