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And now, when all these advantages and all this help have been lost and rejected, England, leading France, proposes to guarantee the integrity of Poland - the same Poland that only six months ago, with greed of a hyena, took part in the robbery and destruction of the Czechoslovak state. Winston Churchill
After Lithuania, Poland returned to the Czechoslovak question. Adolf Hitler almost immediately announced a program to restore the unity of the German nation. In 1937, despite the resistance of part of the German military, who feared a war with France and England and a natural defeat (the Wehrmacht was still extremely weak), Hitler pushed through the final decision to dismember Czechoslovakia. Immediately after the Anschluss of Austria, the activity of the Sudeten Germans from Czechoslovakia, who were supported from abroad, increased sharply. At the congress of the pro-German Sudeten Party in April 1938 in Karlovy Vary, a demand was made for the unification of a number of border regions of Czechoslovakia with Germany. Also, the Sudeten Germans demanded that Czechoslovakia terminate the mutual assistance treaties with France and the USSR.
Initially, the Czechs were ready to fight. The Czechoslovak army was a tough nut to crack. And the German armed forces were still in their infancy. The Czechoslovak government planned to defend itself, relying on powerful border fortifications. And also to move the Skoda military factories inland, to begin the mobilization of industry and food resources, including the introduction of round-the-clock work at 8 aircraft factories.
Its outcome is known. First, England, France and Italy seized the Sudetenland in favor of Germany (Munich Agreement of September 30, 1938), and in March 1939 Czechoslovakia was liquidated. Germany sent its troops into Bohemia and Moravia and declared a protectorate over them (Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia). Slovakia remained autonomous, but essentially became a vassal of Germany.
This is known quite well. In the USSR, the Munich Agreement was directly called a conspiracy and well revealed the essence of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia by the Western powers, which had previously guaranteed its security. However, they preferred not to focus on the role of Poland in these events, since Poland was an ally of the USSR, was a member of the socialist bloc and the Warsaw Pact.
The fact is that Warsaw had territorial claims, not only to the USSR, Germany, Lithuania and Danzig, but also to Czechoslovakia.
The Poles from the very creation of the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth claimed the so-called. Cieszyn Silesia. Poland's policy towards Czechoslovakia was based on the words of the founding father of the Second Commonwealth, Pilsudski, that "the artificially and ugly created Czechoslovak Republic is not only not the basis of European equilibrium, but, on the contrary, is its weak link."
Another surge of anti-Czechoslovak sentiment in Poland occurred in 1934. The Polish press launched a campaign about the need to return the original Polish lands. And the Polish army conducted large military maneuvers near the border of Czechoslovakia, working out the scenario of the collapse of Czechoslovakia or its surrender to Germany. In 1935, relations between the two European countries were still at the Cold War level. Warsaw and Prague were canceled by "courtesy", sending ambassadors "on leave". In January 1938, Warsaw and Berlin held consultations on the future of Czechoslovakia. The meeting between Adolf Hitler and Polish Foreign Minister Jozef Beck marked the beginning of fruitful cooperation between the two countries on the Czechoslovak issue. In 1938, Warsaw, copying the policy of Berlin, created a “Union of Poles” in the Teszyn region,
When, after the Anschluss of Austria, Hitler made demands to Prague "to ensure the rights of the Sudeten Germans", Warsaw supported him, presenting similar demands regarding the Cieszyn Poles. When on May 12, 1938, the USSR announced its readiness to support Czechoslovakia, provided that the Red Army troops pass through Poland or Romania, Warsaw announced that the Polish state would immediately declare war on the Soviet Union if it tried to send troops through Polish territory to help Czechoslovakia.
At the same time, the Poles were rude to their traditional allies, the French. Jozef Beck said quite clearly that in the event of a conflict between Germany and France over Czechoslovakia, Poland would remain neutral and would not comply with the Franco-Polish treaty, since it only provided for defense against Germany, and not an attack on it. France was also reproached for not supporting Poland in March 1938, when there was a question about the future of Lithuania. At the same time, Poland categorically refused to support Czechoslovakia, which faced the threat of a direct German invasion.
The Poles were much more amiable with the Germans.
Warsaw not only confirmed the promise not to let the Red Army through its territory, and not to allow the Soviet Air Force to fly over to assist Czechoslovakia, but proposed its own plan for the division of the Czechoslovak Republic: the Teszyn region was to go to Poland, Transcarpathia and Slovakia - to Hungary, the Czech Republic and everything else - Germany.
In September 1938, the Sudetenland Crisis reached its climax. In early September, 300 thousand reservists were called up in France, and on the night of September 24 another 600 thousand people, vacations in the eastern garrisons were canceled, the Maginot line was equipped with all technical means. Six French divisions were advanced to the border with Germany, then their number was increased to 14. By the end of September, 1.5 million people were mobilized, and 35 divisions, 13 cavalry regiments and 29 tank regiments were deployed on the border with Germany. In the USSR in the middle of the summer of 1938, they were actively preparing to provide assistance to Czechoslovakia. The command decided to form six army groups in the Belarusian and Kiev military districts. Vitebsk, Bobruisk, Zhytomyr, Vinnitsa, Odessa and cavalry army groups were formed.
The Soviet government, in accordance with the Soviet-French-Czechoslovak treaty, expressed its readiness to come to the aid of Czechoslovakia if Prague asked for it, and even if France remained neutral. In addition, Moscow announced that in the event of an invasion of Polish troops into Czechoslovakia, the USSR would denounce the non-aggression pact concluded with Poland in 1932.
In September, the "Volunteer Corps for the Liberation of Teshin" was formed. In September 1938, large-scale maneuvers of the Polish army took place in Volyn, under the cover of which Polish troops began to be drawn to Teshin. On the border with Czechoslovakia, Warsaw deployed a separate operational group "Shlensk" consisting of three infantry divisions, two cavalry brigades. By the beginning of October, the Polish group consisted of about 36 thousand people, 270 guns, more than 100 tanks and armored vehicles, over 100 aircraft.
German and Polish fighters began active provocations on the border. They attacked the Czechoslovak military and police, military and government facilities. With the response of the Czech military, Polish and German gangs hid in their territories. Polish planes regularly intruded into Czechoslovak airspace. At the same time, Germany and Poland launched a campaign of political and diplomatic pressure on Czechoslovakia.
The Polish ambassador to France told his American colleague: “A religious war is starting between fascism and Bolshevism, and if the USSR provides assistance to Czechoslovakia, Poland is ready for war with the USSR shoulder to shoulder with Germany. The Polish government is confident that within three months the Russian troops will be completely defeated, and Russia will no longer even be a semblance of a state.
It is worth noting that in 1938 the Red Army had complete superiority over the German and Polish troops and could alone defeat the combined armies of Germany and Poland. However, the Soviet government could not act alone, risking a "crusade" of the Western powers against the USSR. Independent actions of Moscow could be declared aggression. In addition, it is worth keeping in mind that in the summer of 1938 the Red Army fought hard battles with the Japanese troops on Lake Khasan and was on the verge of a major war with the Japanese Empire. Moscow remembered the threat of a big war on two fronts and tried to avoid such a dangerous situation. At least the neutrality of France and England was necessary. But the British and French elites simply surrendered Czechoslovakia. Paris at first bent its line, but soon succumbed to the influence of London, which ultimately led to the collapse of France.
On September 20-21, the British and French envoys in Czechoslovakia told the Czechoslovak government that if Prague did not accept the Anglo-French proposals, Paris would "not fulfill the treaty" with Czechoslovakia. In addition, the British and French hinted that if the Czechs united with the Russians, then “the war could take on the character of a crusade against the Bolsheviks. Then it will be very difficult for the governments of England and France to stand aside.” At the same time, Poland presented an ultimatum to Czechoslovakia about the "return" of the Teszyn region to them. On September 27, the Polish government repeated its ultimatum. As a result, Prague capitulated. September 30, 1938 Chamberlain, Daladier, Mussolini and Hitler signed the Munich Agreement. On the same day, Warsaw sent another ultimatum to Prague and, simultaneously with the German troops, sent its army into the Teszyn region.
Thus, Germany and Poland, with the consent of Italy, France and England, began the partition of Czechoslovakia.
As Churchill noted, Poland "with the greed of a hyena took part in the plunder and destruction of the Czechoslovak state." The Teshino region was a relatively small territory, but it had a developed industry. At the end of 1938, the enterprises located in Teszyn produced more than 40% of the pig iron smelted in Poland and almost 47% of the steel. It was a tasty morsel. In Warsaw, the capture of the Teszyn region was perceived as a national victory. Jozef Beck was awarded the highest Order of the White Eagle. The Polish press called for new "accomplishments".
In Warsaw, they did not understand that they had signed their own death warrant. The dismemberment of Czechoslovakia sharply increased the potential of Germany and allowed Hitler to begin solving the next task - the Polish one. As early as November 1938, Hitler rejected Warsaw's proposal to transfer Moravian Ostrava and Witkovich to Poland. He no longer planned to share with Poland.
Hitler initially wanted to win concessions from Poland over Danzig and a transport corridor to East Prussia. However, here Warsaw made a second fatal mistake - it balked, hoping for its strength and the help of England and France. At the same time, arrogant Poles rejected the helping hand offered by the USSR.
Warsaw did not protest against the liquidation of Czechoslovakia, although it was offended by the fact that during the partition of the Czechoslovak Republic, the Poles got too small a piece. Even before the capture of the Czech Republic, in January 1939, a meeting between Hitler and Beck took place in Berchtesgaden. At this meeting, the German Fuhrer raised the issue of the reunification of Danzig with Germany, in accordance with the will of the population of the "free city", taking into account the economic interests of Poland. Danzig, politically, was to become German, and economically, to remain under the control of Poland. Hitler also raised the issue of the Polish corridor. The Fuhrer noted that the connection of Poland with the Baltic is necessary. However, Germany also needs a connection with East Prussia. Hitler proposed to reconsider the status of the Polish corridor. The Polish minister did not give Hitler a clear answer to these proposals.
In March 1939, German troops occupied Memel. After that, London declared that it was ready to support Warsaw if it was attacked and offered resistance. In April, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced that not only England, but also France would come to the aid of Poland. Moscow offered to help in the fight against the aggressor. In July, the Soviet government repeated the proposal to conclude a military convention. London and Paris agreed to start negotiations on this topic, but they were clearly in no hurry. Their representatives arrived in Moscow only on 11 August. In addition, the British mission did not have the authority from their government to sign the relevant agreements.
In general, the envoys of England and France were engaged in dragging out time and wanted to shift all responsibility in the fight against Germany to the USSR.
The main problem, due to which the negotiations in Moscow finally reached an impasse, was the unwillingness of Romania and Poland to let the Red Army through their territory. The Soviet Union did not have a common border with Germany and could provide assistance to France, England, Poland and Romania only if the Red Army passed through the Polish and Romanian territories. At the same time, Moscow strictly limited the zone of passage of its troops: the Vilna region (Vilna corridor) and Galicia. Warsaw, like Bucharest, consistently refused to accept any help from Moscow. However, England and France were in no hurry to exert all possible pressure on Poland, so that in the event of a war with Germany, she let the Soviet troops through.
Poland's unwillingness to let the Red Army through at such a dangerous moment was due to several reasons:
Firstly, it is hatred for the USSR and Russians in general.
Warsaw did not want to cooperate with the hated Russians, let alone allow Soviet troops to pass through its territory. As Polish Marshal E. Rydz-Smigly stated on August 19: "Regardless of the consequences, not a single inch of Polish territory will ever be allowed to be occupied by Russian troops." Poland categorically did not want Russian help and until the last moment pursued an anti-Soviet and anti-Russian policy, still hoping for the defeat of Russia and its dismemberment in favor of the Second Commonwealth.
Secondly, the Polish leadership was afraid that the Western Russian population would simply rise up at the sight of Soviet tanks, which would force Moscow to reconsider its attitude towards Poland and seize the moment to annex Western Belarus and Galicia. This was possible, since the Poles treated the Russians as "claps" (slaves), and the Russian lands as a colony.
Thirdly, the Polish lords once again in history were let down by arrogance and self-confidence.
Thus, the French Foreign Minister Bonnet, in a conversation with the Polish ambassador in Paris, Lukasiewicz, noted that the threat of a clash with Germany makes Poland need the help of the USSR. To this, the Polish ambassador self-confidently declared that "not the Germans, but the Poles will break into the depths of Germany in the very first days of the war!" When the French continued to insist on their own, the Polish Minister Beck said that Poland did not want to have a military treaty with the USSR.
It must be said that such ideas that “the Polish cavalry will take Berlin in a week” were very common in Poland. The idea of a victorious "march on Berlin" was based on the short-sightedness and arrogance of the Polish military-political leadership. Warsaw remembered the devastation and economic, political weakness of Germany after the defeat in the First World War. Then the really numerous Polish army was stronger than the German army.
However, in Germany, literally in a matter of years, fundamental changes took place. Finance and industry, thanks to Anglo-Saxon capital, got stronger. A strong Wehrmacht was created. Germany achieved the Anschluss of Austria, the annexation of the Sudetenland and the liquidation of Czechoslovakia, these victories inspired the army and the population.
Poland, in the 1930s, was never able to achieve visible success in consolidating the people, developing the economy and improving the armed forces. Almost all plans for the modernization of the Polish army remained on paper.
Therefore, the Wehrmacht's invasion of Poland will be a terrible revelation for the Polish military-political leadership, the public and the people, showing all the rottenness and weakness of the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, it will be impossible to change something for the better.
Fourthly, in Warsaw they believed that "the West will not leave them."
Indeed, if the powerful French army, which in 1939 had complete superiority over the Wehrmacht (especially on the Western Front), struck, and the Anglo-French Air Force began to deliver powerful blows to the main political and economic centers of Germany, this would lead to a military political disaster of the Third Reich. This was known to the German generals, who tried to stop Hitler, warning of the impossibility of a war on two fronts. However, Hitler knew for sure that France and England would limit themselves to verbal threats, there would be no real war on the Western Front.
And so it happened. When Germany smashed Poland on the Western Front, there was a "strange war" - British and French soldiers drank wine, played various sports games, and the Allied Air Force "bombed" Germany with leaflets. Poland was simply merged, like Czechoslovakia, although they rattled their weapons. Western leaders believed that after the defeat of Poland, the Wehrmacht, perhaps after a short pause, would strike at the USSR. However, Hitler did not repeat the mistakes of the Second Reich, initially he wanted to destroy the strong French army that hung over West Germany. Thus, the Polish leadership miscalculated, believing that France and England would come to their aid. Poland was easily sacrificed.
The Polish leadership had two chances to save the country.
First, it was possible to enter into an alliance with the USSR. The joint Soviet-Polish forces, with the threat of Germany from the western direction of the French army plus the British expeditionary forces and fleet, would stop the outbreak of a big war in Europe. Hitler was a smart man, he knew how to count. He would not go to war with such a coalition. However, Warsaw rejected the Soviet offer of assistance. Seeing the attitude of Poland, as well as the frivolous attitude of England and France to a potential military alliance, Moscow chose the only right strategy - it concluded a non-aggression pact with Germany.
Secondly, Poland could agree with Germany on the problem of Danzig and the corridor to East Prussia. As a result, Poland could join the Anti-Comintern Pact, become Hitler's ally in a future war with the USSR. Warsaw itself has long dreamed of a joint "crusade" against Moscow. This scenario was destroyed by the pride and stupidity of the Polish leadership. In Warsaw, they did not want to negotiate with Berlin, the Poles were confident in their strength, the support of England and France, they did not believe that Germany would start a war.
Therefore, already on the eve of the Wehrmacht invasion of Poland, Warsaw began to put pressure on Danzig.
It all started with a scandal with Polish customs officers who were fond of assault, going beyond their official duties. On August 4, 1939, the Polish diplomatic representative in Danzig delivered an ultimatum to the president of the Free City Senate. Poland promised to cut off the import of all food products into the city if the Danzig government did not agree to never again interfere in the affairs of Polish customs.
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