By early 1939, Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Germany, was determined to invade and occupy Poland. This ambition set the stage for a global conflict, as Poland had secured guarantees of military support from both France and Britain in the event of German aggression. However, before making his move on Poland, Hitler needed to address a potential obstacle: the Soviet Union and its possible resistance to a German invasion of its western neighbor.
To neutralize this threat, Germany engaged in secret negotiations with the Soviet Union, culminating in the signing of the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact on August 23-24 in Moscow. This pact, beyond its public declarations, included a secret protocol that shocked Europe even without its full disclosure. Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to divide Poland, allocating the western part to Germany and the eastern two-thirds to the U.S.S.R.
With the Soviet Union effectively removed as a deterrent, Hitler believed he could proceed with his plans for Poland without risking Soviet or British intervention. He initially ordered the invasion to commence on August 26. However, the signing of a formal treaty of mutual assistance between Great Britain and Poland on August 25, which strengthened a previous temporary agreement, gave Hitler pause and led him to postpone the start of hostilities for a few days.
Despite diplomatic efforts from western powers to dissuade him, Hitler remained resolute. Finally, at 12:40 pm on August 31, 1939, he issued the definitive order to attack Poland, setting the invasion for 4:45 am the following morning. The German invasion of Poland began as planned. In direct response to this act of aggression, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, at 11:00 am and 5:00 pm respectively. These declarations marked the official beginning of World War II, a conflict that would engulf the globe.
