WWII Build up

[TheKingOfMercy]

Is it true that in the 1930's, the Polish were slaughtering german people living in the corridor of land ceded to poland after the great war ?

I'd never heard of this before, but my history proffessor presented it today, saying appart from teriotorial expansion, this was germanies main reason to goto war ?

[redstar2000]

There is some truth to it...but not a whole lot.

German minorities were "not popular" (to say the least) in Poland and Czecho-Slovakia. They suffered from official discrimination and, from time to time, outright persecution by the police or from mobs of angry Poles or Czechs.

But it was not Germany's "main reason" for going to war or anything even close to that.

Large scale territorial expansion to the east -- especially the conquest and destruction of the "Jewish-Bolshevik" USSR -- had been a central aim of Hitler and the Nazis from their very beginnings.

The timing of the war probably had more to do with Hitler's personal psychology than anything else. Observers noted that Hitler became concerned about his own health in 1938...and told his generals that he wanted to fight this war before he became incapacitated by poor health or old age and unable to lead the Reich to victory.

He was actually shocked and angered that England and France declared war on Germany following the invasion of Poland. It was not the war that he wanted or expected to fight.

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cool/123.gif

[Zingu]

Originally posted by [email protected] 24 2005, 01:27 PM

He was actually shocked and angered that England and France declared war on Germany following the invasion of Poland. It was not the war that he wanted or expected to fight.

True, Hitler's main, real target was the Soviet Union; his little vision of the struggle between Communism and Fascism.
Even though Stalin was more suspicous of Churchhill than Hitler before 1941, which is ironic, depsite that he got information of Germany's intentions from the Sorge Spy Ring in Japan.

[Little Mammoth]

Hitler used an excuse somewhat similar to declare war though his intentions were rather obvious. The Nazis took some of their specialists and dressed them in Polish Army uniforms and faked an attack, but the Allies saw right through this. The main reason for Hitler to go into Poland was to gain the land he needed for his Reich and as already stated to get rid of the Jews. A great book on the Jewish fight for freedom and their lives, if anyone is interested, is Mila 18 by Leon Uris. As a historical-fiction he can create a great story based on fact and real history but with a fictitional personal account . . . Great read.

[Zingu]

Originally posted by Little [email protected] 25 2005, 04:18 AM
Hitler used an excuse somewhat similar to declare war though his intentions were rather obvious. The Nazis took some of their specialists and dressed them in Polish Army uniforms and faked an attack, but the Allies saw right through this. The main reason for Hitler to go into Poland was to gain the land he needed for his Reich and as already stated to get rid of the Jews. A great book on the Jewish fight for freedom and their lives, if anyone is interested, is Mila 18 by Leon Uris. As a historical-fiction he can create a great story based on fact and real history but with a fictitional personal account . . . Great read.
Read that book, I swear it was called "Stalag 18", probably wrong, but yes, a very good book.