The invasion of Poland in September 1939 became the first major test of the German military methods later associated with Blitzkrieg. Behind the image of overwhelming speed stood a campaign shaped by political calculation, propaganda, mobile armoured units, air support and a Polish army forced to defend a strategically exposed country.
Hitler’s pact with Stalin gave Germany freedom to attack from the west while the Soviet Union prepared to occupy eastern Poland. The assault began with fabricated provocations, including the attack on the Gleiwitz radio station, followed by the shelling of Westerplatte and coordinated advances towards Warsaw. Yet the Wehrmacht was far less mechanized than the Blitzkrieg myth suggests, with only a small proportion of its forces forming the armoured spearheads.
The campaign also marked a transition towards a more radical form of warfare. Civilians, Jewish communities and members of the Polish intelligentsia faced persecution and murder as German forces advanced. By mid-September, Poland was fighting two invading powers, while Britain and France had declared war but provided no direct military relief.
Discover how Germany’s rapid victory created a military myth that did not fully reflect the reality of the campaign.
Documentary: The Blitzkrieg Myth EP1 : The Leap into the Dark
Directed by: Michael Kloft and Andreas Hancke
Production: SPIEGEL TV (2023)
#documentary #freedocumentary #blitzkrieg #invasionofpoland #poland1939 #worldwar2 #wwii #hitler #wehrmacht #westerplatte #warsaw #militaryhistory #warpropaganda #historydocumentary