Case White

The Invasion of Poland 1939

Case White cover

Description

Now available in paperback, this fascinating title from renowned World War II historian Robert Forczyk tells the story of Case White, the German invasion of Poland in 1939.

The German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, designated as Fall Weiss (Case White), was the event that sparked the outbreak of World War II in Europe. The campaign has widely been described as a textbook example of Blitzkrieg, but it was actually a fairly conventional campaign as the Wehrmacht was still learning how to use its new Panzers and dive-bombers.

The Polish military is often misrepresented as hopelessly obsolete and outclassed by the Wehrmacht, when in fact it was well-equipped with modern weapons and armor. Indeed, the Polish possessed more tanks than the British and had cracked the German Enigma machine cipher. Though the combined assault from Germany and the Soviet Union defeated Poland, it could not crush the Polish fighting spirit and thousands of soldiers and airmen escaped to fight on other fronts. The result of Case White was a brutal occupation, as Polish Slavs found themselves marginalized and later eliminated, paving the way for Hitler's vision of Lebensraum (living space) and his later betrayal and invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Using a wide array of sources, Robert Forczyk challenges the myths of Case White to tell the full story of the invasion that sparked history's greatest conflict.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1: Poland is Not Lost
2: Poland Prepares for the Next Round
3: The Threat Emerges
4: Countdown to War
5: Opening Moves
6: Total War
7: Apotheosis
8: Occupation
Epilogue

Officer Rank Table
Abbreviations
Appendices
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Published Oct 27 2020
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 416
ISBN 9781472834973
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 32-page plate section in black and white
Dimensions 9 x 6 inches
Series General Military
Short code GNM
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Robert Forczyk

Robert Forczyk has a PhD in International Relation…

Resources

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