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The War Begins
Target was land. Hi er demanded the city of Danzig, which was German-speaking, and a hig and rail line ac ss e Polish Corridor. In March 1939 Chambe ain, outraged e conquest of Czechos­ lovakia and at last alizing that Hitler had no intention of abiding by any agreement or comp mise, announced at his gove ent would guaran e land's independence.
On gust 23 Germa and e U.S.S.R. concluded e Ribbentrop ct, an agreement that neither country would go to r against the other. This s a stab in the back to England and France, who had counted on Stalin's opposition to Nazism. But the pact was made r mpo ry expediency by both sides, especially Ge any. Bo S lin and Hitler were il dic rs who had no spect r human li and were sponsible r the deaths of millions of innocent people. England and France should h e expected that the t men would come to an agreement. In tu r p mising to stay out of any war with Germany, Stalin was guaran ed part of land.
On September 1, 1939, Hitler sent his army ac ss the lish bo er in a Bli krieg (ligh ing ), with planes, ks d st-m ing men. Hi er's army s so advanced and the lish ar so outdated that e Poles didn't h e a chance, though they ught he ically. When land s almost beaten, the Soviets moved in r eir share, getting half of land almost without ring a shot. The Communists p ceeded murder 10,000 lish army o cers in the n Forest Massacre and to deport thousands of les slave labor camps.
England and F nce declared war on Sep mber 3, though th g e no mili assistance to the les. A er the surrender of land, nothing happened r several months, e ept r some sea engagements as Britain blockaded the German ports. This inaction is known as the Sitzkrieg or phony war. But when the Blitzkrieg st ck again, it proved as power l as be re. On April 9 Denmark was errun, and a w d s later, Nor though the Norwegians put up he ic resistance. In M paratroopers con­ quered Holland in ve d s. On M 28 Belgium surrendered. this point the German army had trapped the British oops and could h e m ed in wipe them out. But Hi er was still hoping to negotiate a peace with Great Britain so that he could tum his attention elsewhe . He sent his commanding generals a secret message o ering them mporarily hold their positions d not m e in on the British army.
As Hitler sent his message, he was una re at the British we