Was it Justified to initiate World War II over the Polish Crisis?

[Professor X]

[...]He wanted to save them, and I have read some places that he never intended to attack France, and later the UK.

I don't think he wanted to save him, I think he was doing it to manipulate the people of Germany to like him even more.

[Digger Walters]

I am not sure what made UK and France attack Germany when they entered Poland, but I know why Hitler entered Poland in the first place. And I also wonder why they reacted so strongly on Germany but no the Soviet.

Anyways, Hitler entered Poland because of the German citizen in Poland was mocked and murdered. He wanted to save them, and I have read some places that he never intended to attack France, and later the UK.

I have read that the attack on the German radio station was staged yes staged to give him a reason to attack the Poles

[KwokYuen]

I have read that the attack on the German radio station was staged yes staged to give him a reason to attack the Poles

It was stage by the SS dress as polish troops.

[King Dylan]

WWII was so secretive that we can't really get answers to many things. WWII was planned very carefully before it had even begun.

[Ikeni]

Ah, but that was never Hitler's intention. Hitler wanted a Jew-free state, but it was Heydrich and Goering in 1942 at Wannsee that convinced Hitler to begin extermination.

We don't actually know if Hitler actually issued the order to eliminate the Jews, but it was way before 1942 that he was convinced that they needed to be eradicated. His time in prison with Jewish prison guards who mocked him made him hate them, and his belief in the commonly held (at the time in Germany post-1918) theory of the "stab in the back" which attributed the blame to everyone but the Germans made him detest them even further.

And also, Danzig was part of Germany in 1914, and the Allies obviously viewed Czechoslovakia and Austria as justified, so why the big fuss over Poland?

There was a big fuss over Poland because Britain and France after failing in their appeasement strategy over previous issues decided to finally stand their ground with their guarantee of Polish independence. The Germans demanded Danzig and the Polish refused to comply, so the Germans invaded Poland upon which Britain and France reacted accordingly in line with their promise.

No the war was inevitable the fact that the Polish fought back bravely (although stupidly e.g cavalry charged tanks armed with lances) made it so, England and France also signed a pact with the Poles that in the event of Poland being invaded the British and French would come to their rescue.

Myth. Absolute myth. If I recall correctly there were Polish cavalrymen galloping, while tanks were approaching parallel to them upon which they got machine-gunned. Firstly, the myth is absolute BS. Secondly, the Polish actually had (at the time) fairly modern weaponry. Their 7-TP tank was perfectly on par with the German armour and inflicted losses on the German tank formations, and IIRC they made use of a number of imported British weaponry like 25-pounders and 2-pound anti-tank guns which were put to good use.

I am not sure what made UK and France attack Germany when they entered Poland, but I know why Hitler entered Poland in the first place. And I also wonder why they reacted so strongly on Germany but no the Soviet.

Anyways, Hitler entered Poland because of the German citizen in Poland was mocked and murdered. He wanted to save them, and I have read some places that he never intended to attack France, and later the UK.

No they weren't. He entered Poland because he wanted his strip of Danzig and was willing to take it with force. He felt that once more Britain and France would back down and he took his chances and failed. The Allies didn't react so strongly to the Soviet Union however, because they had nothing to gain by going to war with them since Eastern Europe was completely out of their sphere of influence, and the fact that they would be a useful country to manipulate against Germany in the future.

I don't think he wanted to save him, I think he was doing it to manipulate the people of Germany to like him even more.

This. There seems a strong sense of German apologism in this thread too.

I have read that the attack on the German radio station was staged yes staged to give him a reason to attack the Poles

IIRC they simply rounded up a few Poles, gave them Polish uniforms and shot them around the radio station to give the impression of a pre-emptive strike by Poland, and therefore somehow justifying a German counteroffensive.

WWII was so secretive that we can't really get answers to many things. WWII was planned very carefully before it had even begun.

Actually there are massive amounts of evidence available for both sides, and due to time passing by the archives of each nations are gradually becoming more declassified, since by now all people involved would be dead.

[armbarchris]

WWII was so secretive that we can't really get answers to many things. WWII was planned very carefully before it had even begun.

Let me guess: the Illuminati? Oh, and I suppose the Pope is in on it too.

ALL wars are secretive when they happen, at least they were until Watergate when journalists became the unscrupulous, invasive s they are today. The leaders didn't tell people what they were planning so the enemy wouldn't find out; it's standard wartime practice and has been since, well, ever.

[King Dylan]

Let me guess: the Illuminati? Oh, and I suppose the Pope is in on it too.

ALL wars are secretive when they happen, at least they were until Watergate when journalists became the unscrupulous, invasive s they are today. The leaders didn't tell people what they were planning so the enemy wouldn't find out; it's standard wartime practice and has been since, well, ever.

Haha, nice.

[BrotherhoodUK]

No the war was inevitable the fact that the Polish fought back bravely (although stupidly e.g cavalry charged tanks armed with lances) made it so, England and France also signed a pact with the Poles that in the event of Poland being invaded the British and French would come to their rescue.

Yes, but why did we sign the pact? If we hadn't signed it, then Hitler would've attacked Communism at it's heart and although Europe would be ruled by Nazi Germany, Hitler wouldn't have exterminated the Jews (only deported them) and WWII would have been avoided. Of course, Hitler intended for the Slavs and Russians to be used as slaves, so there's a stumbling block there.

Hitler never wanted a second war against the UK. He viewed Britain as the epitome of the white man's expertise in empire-building, and he dreamed of the overseas empires of the French, British, Belgians and Dutch co-existing with the juggernaut of Nazi Germany.

[Ikeni]

Yes, but why did we sign the pact?

To curb German expansion throughout Europe. Attempting to appease them with Austria and Czechoslovakia hadn't worked, so rather than letting them pounce on another country, a pact was signed with Poland which hemmed Germany in to what territories they currently held.

If we hadn't signed it, then Hitler would've attacked Communism at it's heart and although Europe would be ruled by Nazi Germany,

I think a Nazi-ruled Europe is enough of a deterrent to be honest. Corruption was rampant, the racially-driven policies were (to be blunt) retarded and there was practically nothing to gain for the "non-Aryans".

Hitler wouldn't have exterminated the Jews (only deported them) and WWII would have been avoided.

Of course he would have exterminated Jews. They were considered the problem and he wanted to eradicate them, just how he attempted to exterminate all disabled people prior to WW2. I also fail to see how "only deportation" is acceptable in your eyes, and it was precisely these, among Hitler's other policies so as to why the world united against the Axis to fight such massive injustice like Nazism.

Of course, Hitler intended for the Slavs and Russians to be used as slaves, so there's a stumbling block there.

I think you're belittling the whole concept of slavery.

Hitler never wanted a second war against the UK. He viewed Britain as the epitome of the white man's expertise in empire-building, and he dreamed of the overseas empires of the French, British, Belgians and Dutch co-existing with the juggernaut of Nazi Germany.

He would have only accepted that if it fitted within his plans at the time. The moment France, Britain, Belgium and Dutch became more of a liability, he would have simply conquered them. It's a bit like with the Waffen-SS. First the requirements for it were extremely tight, but by the end of the war practically anybody was being allowed in to it, of all nationalities, ethnicities and religions.

[SunTzu123]

Hitler had broken the Versailles Treaty a number of different ways; they should have have gone to war a lot earlier. But being right on the heels of WWI, they didn't want another war and tried "appeasement" in hopes that Hitler would be content with Rhineland, Czechoslovakia and Austria. As anyone whose ever had their lunch money taken away at school knows, appeasement NEVER work; but by the time the Allies realized this Hitler had already built up his power enough to pose a significant threat.
Nobody knew about the Holocaust until pretty much after the war was over except those few who were actually involved in it (and the victims, of course). So that would not have been a factor.



France is afraid of EVERYTHING.

the treaty of versailles was higly unfair and is directly responsible for WW2.