Map Description

History Map of WWII: Campaign in Poland, 1939


Illustrating:

Areas of Heavy Industry and Communications

Poland in 1939 had a significant but regionally concentrated heavy industrial base, primarily in Upper Silesia and parts of Lower Silesia, with key industries including coal, steel, and copper mining. These industries were essential for Poland’s military production capabilities.

The country relied heavily on its railway network for logistics and communication, which connected industrial centers to the rest of the country and was critical for mobilization and supply. However, the infrastructure was less developed and more vulnerable compared to neighboring powers, impacting Poland’s strategic situation at the outbreak of World War II.


:: Strategic Consequences ::

Vulnerability to Blitzkrieg: Flat terrain and exposed logistics made Poland ideal for German armored thrusts.
➤ Source: Citino, Robert M. The Blitzkrieg Myth: How Hitler and the Allies Misread the Strategic Realities of World War II. University Press of Kansas, 2003, pp. 28–30.

Key industrial regions (e.g., Upper Silesia, Łódź, Kraków) were located within 150–200 km of German borders, making them highly vulnerable to fast-moving Panzer divisions.
➤ Source: Zaloga, Steven J. Poland 1939: The Birth of Blitzkrieg. Osprey Publishing, 2002, pp. 18–20.

Communications breakdown was almost immediate due to Luftwaffe dominance and rapid Panzer advances.
➤ Source: Frieser, Karl-Heinz. The Blitzkrieg Legend: The 1940 Campaign in the West. Naval Institute Press, 2005, pp. 14–17.

Mobilization was incomplete by the time of invasion (Sept 1), with several units still moving via rail when attacked:
Despite partial mobilization orders in August 1939, full mobilization was politically delayed until August 30–31 to avoid provoking Germany. As a result, many units were still en route when the invasion began.
➤ Source: Davies, Norman. Rising '44: The Battle for Warsaw. Viking, 2004, pp. 18–19; also: Zaloga, Poland 1939, pp. 10–11.

Credits

Courtesy of the United States Military Academy Department of History.

Related Links

About World War 2
WWII Timelines
About Adolf Hitler
Hitler's Speech on Invading Poland - September 1, 1939