Case White: The Invasion of Poland 1939 - Hardcover

Forczyk, Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 147283495X ISBN 13: 9781472834959

Publisher: Osprey Publishing, 2019

Synopsis

The German invasion of Poland on 1 September, 1939, designated as Fall Weiss (Case White), was the event that sparked the outbreak of World War II in Europe. The campaign has widely been described as a textbook example of Blitzkrieg, but it was actually a fairly conventional campaign as the Wehrmacht was still learning how to use its new Panzers and dive-bombers.

The Polish military is often misrepresented as hopelessly obsolete and outclassed by the Wehrmacht, yet in fact it was well-equipped with modern weapons and armour. Indeed, the Polish possessed more tanks than the British and had cracked the German Enigma machine cipher. Though the combined assault from Germany and the Soviet Union defeated Poland, it could not crush the Polish fighting spirit and thousands of soldiers and airmen escaped to fight on other fronts. The result of Case White was a brutal occupation, as Polish Slavs found themselves marginalized and later eliminated, paving the way for Hitler's vision of Lebensraum (living space) and his later betrayal and invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Using a wide array of sources, Robert Forczyk challenges the myths of Case White to tell the full story of the invasion that sparked history's greatest conflict.

About this title

Book Description:

Published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the start of World War II, this book tells the story of Case White, the German invasion of Poland in 1939.

About the Author:

Robert Forczyk has a PhD in International Relations and National Security from the University of Maryland and a strong background in European and Asian military history. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the US Army Reserves having served 18 years as an armour officer in the US 2nd and 4th infantry divisions and as an intelligence officer in the 29th Infantry Division (Light). Dr Forczyk is currently a consultant in Washington, DC.

About this edition

• Publisher: Osprey Publishing
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 147283495X
• ISBN 13: 9781472834959
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416