Battle of Warsaw

On September 1, 1939 the invasion of Poland - codenamed Fall Wei or "Case White" by the German high command - marked the first military campaign of the war. In a week, the German forces were able to overwhelm …

1939-09-08

1545

On September 1, 1939 the invasion of Poland - codenamed Fall Wei or "Case White" by the German high command - marked the first military campaign of the war. In a week, the German forces were able to overwhelm the thin Polish defenses and the 4th Panzer Division had driven east to Warsaw's doorstep. The initial attack on the city began in the southern suburbs and despite the almost relentless German bombing the Poles fought ferociously as they defended their capital city. The German tanks who had almost effortlessly charged across the flat Polish terrain, now found it more difficult to maneuver in the city streets and Polish artillery made them suffer. Knowing that time was on their side and additional troops would soon arrive, the German's put the city under siege. Within days, the Poles were no longer able to mount effective artillery attacks and the German infantry was ordered forward. With overwhelming artillery and air support the city soon fell.

Warsaw, Poland

The Siege of Warsaw in 1939 was fought between the Polish Warsaw Army garrisoned and entrenched in Warsaw and the invading German Army. It began with huge aerial bombardments initiated by the Luftwaffe starting on September 1, 1939 following the Nazi invasion of Poland. Land fighting started on September 8, when the first German armored units reached the Wola district and south-western suburbs of the city. Despite German radio broadcasts claiming to have captured Warsaw, the initial enemy attack was repelled and soon afterwards Warsaw was placed under siege. The siege lasted until September 28, when the Polish garrison, commanded under General Walerian Czuma, officially capitulated. The following day approximately 140,000 Polish troops left the city and were taken as prisoners of war. On October 1 the Wehrmacht entered Warsaw, which started a period of German occupation that lasted until the devastating Warsaw Uprising and later until January 17, 1945, when the Wehrmacht troops abandoned the city due to the advance of Soviet forces.

Wikipedia: Siege of Warsaw (1939)

German

Polish

Game Type: Standard

Board Type: Countryside

Website Access: Available