HISTORY IN IMAGES: Pictures Of War, History , WW2: Germany Invades Poland: September 1939: In Images

This is how WW2 started. On September 1, 1939, German soldiers removed the barrier on the German-Polish border

This is how American cartoonist Herb Block saw the invasion of Poland, Germany signed the Non-Aggression Pact with Russia in August 1939 which paved the way for the dismemberment of Poland.

Wehrmacht soldiers break the border post on the German-Polish border

German soldiers march into Poland

A Luftwaffe bomber pilot readies to fire upon a Polish military column

German bombers fly over Polish skies

A German bomber bombs Warsaw

A Portuguese cartoon saw the invasion thus

This is what German bombardment did to Warsaw

A forlorn Polish boy sits in the ruins of his house in Warsaw

Dead Polish soldiers

Dead defenders of Warsaw

Bombed Polish air defences

A bombed out Polish airfield and a Polish airplane

Commander of the Luftwaffe Hermann Goering with the pilots on the front line

A Polish girl weeps besides the body of her sister who was killed in the German bombing

German battleship Schleswig-Holstein "fires a volley at the fort in Gdynia

German soldiers search houses in Warsaw

Men of the Wehrmacht in action on the streets of Warsaw

Hitler waits impatiently on the outskirts of the Polish capital

German soldiers move forward

Polish artillery waits for the German blitzkrieg

Horses against tanks! Polish cavalry counter-attacks

Surrendered Polish defenders at Gdansk

Captive Polish soldiers after the surrender of Westerplatte

The Polish soldiers surrender

A Polish tank destroyed; near it lies a dead Polish soldier

Piles of weapons of surrendered Polish soldiers in the main square of Warsaw

Hitler takes a parade in a conquered Warsaw

German soldiers salute Hitler in Warsaw

This is how British cartoonist David Low saw the dismemberment of Poland by Germany and Russia

This cartoon by David Low turned out to be prophetic

Points To Ponder

WHY WAS THE FIGHTING ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT SO FIERCE DURING WW2?

It is difficult to distinguish between the quality of both the German and Russian soldiers. Both were motivated by their love for their motherland. But there were others factors that drove the two sides to such desperate fighting.

One, both sides knew that this was a no-holds bar war. Not fighting was thus not an option.

Second, both Hitler and Stalin had squads that killed any deserter. Turning away from fighting was just not possible.

Thus was seen some of the most bitter, brutal and desperate fighting on the WW2 eastern (Russian) Front.

Quotes....

"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
--Hermann Goering