The Start of World War II on September 1939


Eighty years ago today, Adolf Hitler's Germany staged a fake attack on a radio station by German prisoners dressed as Polish soldiers. A few hours later, German planes bombed the Polish town of Wieluń and World War II was underway.
The blow fell particularly heavily on Poland, which was woefully unprepared for Germany's assault. At one point, Polish horse cavalry went up against German panzers -- a futile, suicidal attack that spoke more to the Polish army's valor than it did to their common sense.
The war ended in May 1945, but not until 50 million had died. Six million of that total were killed in Poland. And today, 80 years after Germany deliberately and knowingly started a world war, the German president apologized to Poland for his nation's sins.

Start of World War II: September 1939-March 1940 On Sep­tember 1, 1939, just before Adolf Hitler's invasion of Poland that marked t­he beginning of World War II, Zygmunt Klukowski, a young Polish doctor, confided in his diary that everyone was talking about war. "Everybody," he continued, "is sure that we will win."

World War II Timeline: September 1-September 6


September 1: World War II begins as the Germans invade Poland with a three-front Blitzkrieg. They attack the Polish army with an overwhelming force of 1.5 million troops backed by tactical aircraft in the sky and mobile armor on the ground.
September 2: Poland pleads for assistance from sworn allies Britain and France. They respond the following day by demanding Nazi Germany's withdrawal and declaring war against the Nazi regime. India, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (and soon South Africa) issue their own declarations of war.

September 3: Conservative parliamentarian Winston Churchill is named first lord of the admiralty.

Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) carries out the first propaganda air raid of the war, salting northern Germany with six million pamphlets.

Without warning, a German U-boat torpedoes the Athenia, a British passenger ship carrying 1,400 civilians from England to Canada, killing 118.

September 4: The first RAF air assault is a disaster, with only eight of 29 bombers striking German naval bases. Ten of the RAF bombers get lost, seven are shot down, three attack one of Britain's own ships, and one attacks neutral Denmark.

Spain's General Francisco Franco offers his support to the Axis while publicly declaring neutrality.

September 5: The Nazis occupy the medieval Polish city of Kraków.

The United States officially declares its neutrality.

September 6: RAF Hurricanes and Spitfires that scramble during a false air raid alert end up shooting at each other, with the Spitfires downing the Hurricanes.

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