The Rise of the Third Reich

September 1, 1939, 7:45 pm.

It has been 15 hours since the Second World War began, but for many German officers who participated in the last World War, it seems that 15 days have passed. Because what the German Wehrmacht achieved in just 15 hours was greater than the first 15 days of the last world war.

Two of the four armies on the Polish Western Front were completely collapsed!

The Coastal Group Army was broken through from the center of the defense line by the 19th Armored Corps, and 1 Division and 2 Brigades out of 5 divisions and 3 brigades were almost completely wiped out. The 27th Division on the northernmost line was almost surrounded, and its rear was being attacked by the 10th Armored Division (also attached to the 19th Armored Corps). The 9th Division on the southern front began to abandon its position and move south to avoid the annihilation of the entire army. The backs of the two divisions of the Eastern Tactical Group of the Coastal Army were also completely exposed, and they were in a desperate situation of being attacked from both sides.

From a military point of view, the Polish Coastal Army with 100,000 troops has now completely collapsed, and all units except the 9th Division will be completely annihilated within three or four days.

The fate of the Polish Krakow Group Army deployed on the southern front was even more miserable. The group army with up to 6 divisions and 3 brigades was fiercely attacked by the German 10th Group Army and the 14th Group Army. Breaking through from the edge of the northern line (the junction of the Polish Army Krakow and Army Group Lodz), the 15th Armored Army broke through the frontal defense of Army Group Krakow, and the 22nd Armored Army broke through from the edge of the southern line of Army Group Krakow (and The junction of the Carpathian Army) broke through, and the 8th Army with the 5th Armored Division and the 8th and 28th Infantry Divisions stormed the border defense line of the Krakow Army in eastern Upper Silesia - as of the afternoon of September 1 At 7:45, the German mechanized units participating in the battle against the Krakow Army included the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Armored Divisions, and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Light Armored Divisions.

Therefore, the fate of the Krakow Army Group can be imagined. The entire Army Group has been cut into three sections. The breakthrough German armored forces and air force have turned the rear assembly area of ​​the Army Group into a mess. The entire command system is also completely chaotic, and most regiments and battalions are fighting on their own.

The situation of the Rhodes Group Army was slightly better. Although the 16th Armored Corps that broke through from its southern flank was very powerful, after the breakthrough, the Armored Corps did not entangle with the Rhodes Group Army. Instead, it advanced in depth, trying to fight with the wave. The Fourth Army that invaded Poland from the Melania direction (the group where the 19th Armored Army is located) joined forces to complete the encirclement of the Polish Poznań Army and the Lodz Army. At the same time, it was completed with one unit to cooperate with the 15th Armored Army. A major siege of Army Group Krakow and Army Group Prussia (Polish Army General Reserve).

Therefore, those directly responsible for attacking the Lodz Army were only the 4 divisions and 1st flag units of the German 8th Army (the 10th, 17th, 24th, and 30th Infantry Divisions) and the motorized SS "Adolf" commanded by Joseph Dietrich. "Hitler's Leibstandarte"), which was relatively weak in strength. As of 7:45 p.m., most of the Rhodes Army's defense lines were still intact. However, a powerful German armored force broke in from its southern flank, and the forward assault in depth still put the Rhodes Army into crisis.

As for the Poznan Army Group, it did not encounter any powerful attacks from the ground. The 4 infantry divisions and 2 cavalry brigades of the Army Group were all intact.

Compared with the near-total collapse of the Western Front, the situation on the Polish Northern Front was pretty good. The offensive of the German 3rd Army was still relatively "traditional", so it did not form a fatal breakthrough. The defense lines of the Polish Army Modlin (2nd Division, 3rd Brigade) and the Narew Tactical Group (2nd Division, 2nd Brigade) are still intact.

Moreover, behind Modlin Group Army and Narew Tactical Group there is a newly established Veshkov Tactical Group (3 infantry divisions) as the northern line general reserve. Therefore, the defense on the northern front seems to be relatively stable now.

The situation on the Polish army's southern front is also considered good. Except for the 22nd Armored Corps belonging to the German 14th Army, which broke through the right wing of the Carpathian Army (the junction with the Krakow Army), the main defense lines are also intact.

In addition, there is a "Lithuanian battlefield" in the Polish campaign in this time and space. The German Baltic Army Group was responsible for the attack, while the Polish Lithuanian Army Group (mainly the Lithuanian Civil Defense Force) was responsible for the defense. Although the German Baltic Army Group did not have armored or light divisions in its organization, their progress was still very fast because the defending Lithuanians had no intention of fighting. Fifteen hours after the war began, the troops belonging to the Baltic Army Group had advanced the front 10 to 15 kilometers into Lithuania.

On September 1, at 7:45 pm, just after the third German Air Force air raid on Warsaw ended, Polish Army Commander Rez Himigwi arrived by car at the Warsaw Castle, the official residence of the Polish President.

And his mood at this time can actually be expressed as "not bad". Because in his opinion, such an onslaught by the German army cannot last long. When their offensive energy is exhausted, the Polish army can play its trump card-having 3 infantry divisions, a semi-mechanized cavalry brigade and an armored group ( Division level) Lublin tactical cluster!

"Everything is under the control of our army. Although the Germans achieved breakthroughs in the northwest and southwest directions, they paid a heavy price for it (hundreds of casualties!). They traded casualties in exchange for breakthrough speed. , and therefore unsustainable.”

This is how the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army reported the latest battle situation to Polish President Ignacy Mościicki. He did not lie intentionally, but the news reported by his subordinates was very confusing. Perhaps in order to reduce the responsibility for the defeat, the commanders of the Coastal Army Group and the Krakow Army Group reported exaggerated results - this is very common in war, but Smigły also took it for granted that the German breakthrough was based on huge losses, so he did not discount the results reported by his subordinates and believed them completely.

"Their losses are heavy?" asked the Polish president. "How many?"

"The Primorsky Army reported that 20,000 Germans were killed, and the Krakow Army reported that 22,000 were killed. The Lodz Army reported that 7,000 were killed, and the Modlin Army and the Carpathian Army reported about 3,000. The Lithuanian Army reported that 2,000 Germans were killed."

"57,000 killed?" Ignacy Moscicki asked, "Is that really that many?"

"Maybe you have to give a discount," said Rez-Smith, "This is normal, and the reports below will always exaggerate some results. But considering that the Germans launched two major battles and three smaller-scale attacks at the same time, their losses on the first day of the attack should not be less than 40,000."

This is completely the thinking of World War I. The breakthrough of the attacking side was exchanged for mountains of corpses and seas of blood!

"President, I think we can announce to the outside world that 60,000 enemies were killed, and report to Britain and France that 45,000 enemies were killed." Rez-Smith reported two figures that were still "conscientious". "In addition, we can also report the counterattack plan to Britain and France."

"Are you ready to counterattack?"

"Yes," Rydz-Smigwi seemed confident, "We estimate that the German army will rush to Warsaw after breaking through the defense line of the Coastal Army Group to force us to make peace... and we have not deployed a strong reserve behind the Coastal Army Group and the Poznan Army Group, which may make it easier for the Germans to break through."

In the view of Marshal Rydz-Smigwi, the German army that broke through the southern line (breaking through the defense line of the Krakow Army Group) will soon be blocked by the Prussian Army Group, the Polish Army's general reserve, thus forming a situation where the German army broke through alone on the northwest line.

"We estimate that in the next week or two, the situation of the war is likely to evolve into the situation of the 'Battle of the Marne'." Rydz-Smigwi said very confidently. The "Battle of the Marne" was a classic in the 1920s and 1930s, and all Polish and French military strategists dreamed of fighting a similar battle.

Rydz-Śmigły said carefully: "The Germans will break through from the northwest and force their way into Warsaw. And we will organize a 'Marne River' battle west of the Vistula River. We plan to deploy the main force of the Poznan Army Group, part of the Lodz Army Group, part of the Primorsky Army Group and the powerful Lublin Tactical Group. The total force will reach 10 divisions, 5 brigades and a mechanized group!"

"Okay, then I'm relieved." Ignacy Mościcki thought for a while and said, "Can we tell Britain and France about the 'Vistula River Battle' plan?"

The Polish president meant to let the British and French military strategists come together for consultation.

"Yes," said Rydz-Śmigły, "In order to implement the 'Vistula River Battle', we need the help of Britain and France. If they can send ten fighter squadrons to fly over German airspace to Warsaw, then this battle will be a sure win!"

The Polish Air Force almost suffered a catastrophe on the first day of the war, and now has completely lost the ability to cover ground forces in combat. Therefore, it can only hope that Britain and France will send planes to fly over Germany at night for reinforcement.

"Okay, I will instruct Foreign Minister Baker to have talks with Britain and France..."

Just as the Polish president finished speaking, an antique telephone on the desk suddenly rang. Ignacy Moscicki reached out and picked up the receiver, put it to his ear, and immediately heard the trembling voice of Foreign Minister Joseph Baker.

"President, the Soviet ambassador just visited, and the Soviet Union...demanded that we dissolve the federation and let Ukraine become independent!"