The reasons for the German invasion of Poland in 1939.

The idea

The German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 was the outcome of Hitler's long-term ideological goals, medium-term diplomatic and economic pressures, and short-term strategic calculations. Ideologically, Lebensraum in the east and the destruction of the Versailles settlement drove expansion. Diplomatically, the Nazi-Soviet Pact of August 1939 removed the risk of a two-front war and partitioned Poland. Strategically, Hitler believed Britain and France would not fight, and that a quick victory would provide resources and security. The immediate trigger was the fabricated Gleiwitz incident, used to justify retaliation. Thus, the invasion combined racial imperialism, opportunism, and miscalculation about Allied resolve.

What earns the marks

• Explains how Hitler's ideology of Lebensraum and racial hierarchy made eastern Europe, especially Poland, a target for conquest and colonisation.
• Analyses the diplomatic impact of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, including the secret protocol dividing Poland and removing the threat of Soviet intervention.
• Assesses the strategic calculation that Britain and France would not honour their guarantee to Poland, based on the precedents of remilitarisation and appeasement.
• Evaluates the economic motive of securing Polish resources and territory to sustain German rearmament and autarky.
• Discusses the immediate pretext of the Gleiwitz incident and the broader propaganda narrative of German victimhood.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating the invasion as solely caused by the Nazi-Soviet Pact.

  Put it right: The pact was a facilitating condition, not the underlying cause, and must be linked to longer-term aims.

• Assuming Britain and France had no commitment to Poland.

  Put it right: They had issued a guarantee in March 1939, and Hitler's belief that they would not act was a miscalculation, not a fact.

• Ignoring the domestic economic pressures.

  Put it right: Rearmament and the need for resources and food supplies were significant drivers that should be integrated into the explanation.

Exam tips

• Plan your answer around distinct factors (ideology, diplomacy, strategy, economics) and make explicit links between them rather than listing them.
• Use precise dates and terms, such as 23 August 1939 for the Nazi-Soviet Pact and 1 September 1939 for the invasion, to demonstrate contextual knowledge.