Showing posts with label 9-03-1939. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 9-03-1939. Show all posts

Bloody Sunday

On September 3, 1939, two days after the beginning of the German invasion of Poland, highly controversial killings occurred in and around the Polish city of Bydgoszcz, with a sizable German minority, located in the Pomeranian Voivodeship.

According to the traditional Polish version, the incident is related to the activities of groups of German saboteurs attacking Polish troops behind the front lines. As a contingent of the Polish Army from Pomerania was withdrawing through Bydgoszcz it was attacked by German irregulars from within the city and reported to be engaging enemy snipers. In the ensuing fight both sides suffered some casualties; captured German nonuniformed armed insurgents were executed on spot and some mob lynching was also reported.

The killings were followed by German reprisals and oppression, including a "de-Polonisation" campaign. In an act of retaliation, hundreds of Polish civilians were picked at random and executed by German military, including by units of Einsatzgruppen, Waffen SS and Wehrmacht, with further reprisals soon to follow. After attacks by Polish snipers on German troops in Bydgoszcz continued for several days, German governor, General Walter Braemer, ordered the execution of 80 Polish hostages over the next few days. By September 8, 1939, between 200 to 400 Polish civilians had been killed.

more at Wikipedia

Sept. 3, 1939 - Phony War

On September 3rd the Allied governments declared war on Germany starting "Strange" or "Phony" war. It was called "Phony" because western allies failed to provide any meaningful support, most notably the failed to respond with an overland invasion from the West as agreed upon with Poland. Great Britain and France did however enforced a naval blockade on Germany and seized German ships.

According to the Franco-Polish military convention on the 15th day of the mobilization (that is on September 16), the French Army was to start a full scale assault on Germany.
more on Phony War