Excuse for German attack on Poland?

I have heard of this reason of this excuse for Germany to declare war on Poland. The reason that i heard is that Germany executed some of their prisoners that were already in prison and put those people into Polish uniforms. Then, they placed the bodies outside of a German radio station claiming that the Polish attacked them so they had every reason to declare war on Poland.

So i was just wondering if this has already been confirmed by some other sources or if this reason is false.

 

Hello General,

Yes, what you have heard is true. This event is reffered to as the Gleiwitz Incident. A google search of this turns up numerous results. It seems at the time the "attack" was viewed as a German fake (TIME magainze article from 1940 as proof is listed below)

Gleiwitz incident - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blitzkrieg September 1, 1939: a new kind of warfare engulfs Poland - TIME
Radio-station in Gleiwitz

On a slightly different note, while pulling up these websites, I found that there were numerous "commando" operations conducted by the Germans behind Polish lines in the leadup to the invasion. I wasn't aware of this - I guess we learn something new everyday.

 

Apparently there were numerous propaganda based incidents inside Poland - wikipedia says 21 of a variety ranging from house burnings to the Gleiwitz incident - I haven't found any references to true 'Commando' type raids with a direct military purpose anywhere, although it would seem to be a good idea and easily achievable given the ethnic mix in the border regions.

 

Perhaps "commando" wasn't the right term to use. Most seem to be ordinary sabotage (some are borderline terrorism), and as you said, without a direct military purpose. So far, this is the one exception to that I have found: Jabłonków Incident - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I know Wikipedia isn't exactly the most desirable source, but this is the most complete account I can find on the internet right now. I have also seen references to this a few times on Amazon and Google Books.

 

Great. I was unaware of most of these actions, and would like to brush up on them. I'll be sure to check for it.

 

Here is a pretty concise overview of operations "Canned Goods/ Konserve" and "Himmler"

 

Wasn't Canned goods an incorrect operation name for op Himmler after the prisoners that were executed being called 'canned goods'?

I look forward to reading more when you post it - incidentally does anyone have much info on why the Germans did not use parachute or glider troops in the opening of the Polish campaign - obviously they were used effectively in Scandinavia and the low countries, and it would seem that they could have been very useful ahead of the German advance into Poland?

 

Absolutely correct

Operation Himmler and the "Canned Goods"

 

Sounds intriguing, but I am sure you know white isn't a colour! :eyebrows: Perhaps 'The Color (and shade) Book Wars" would be more appropriate

 

Gut gesagt! Ihre namen sind trocken, aren't they? 'Case White', 'Case Red', Wacht am Rhine' - compare those to 'Overlord', 'Downfall', 'Iceberg', 'Shingle'.

 

Don't forget the inspired 'Case Yellow' and 'Case Green' and the unfeasibly original 'Case Blue'

 

Are the German color books roughly campaign plans, much like the USN rainbow plans? (Should look into that, but associating the colors with different countries suggests that to me.) Some specific German operational names were quite poetic. I'm particularly fond of Rosselsprung und Paukenschlag. For the record, Pauken aren't just any old drums; they're timpani. Thus Paukenschlagen are particularly ominous and lovely. I'm all about the timps.

 

Not just complete countries every time - some large operations in the same country were called by different colours - Example 'Fall Blau' was the 1942 summer offensive in Southern Russia.