Western allies abandon Poles to Nazis, chance for early end to WW2 slips away
Pre-war agreements stated France and England would launch a major offensive against western Germany if Poland was attacked. Following the German invasion of Poland, the western powers duly declared war on September 3 but no major attack followed.
40+ divisions were sent to the border, faced by 22 German divisions which had been stripped of men and material for the effort in the east. The French forces launched an attack on September 7, advancing about 5 miles against little resistance. Further small probing attacks followed but none went more than a few miles before returning to their starting point.
The French army told the Poles they were heavily engaged against the Germans and six divisions had to be recalled from the attack on Poland. Neither of these were true. A promise was made of a "major offensive" being launched on September 20 to help take the pressure off Poland who by now were fighting the Soviet Union as well.
Instead of any offensive, on September 21 General Maurice Gamelin on 21 September ordered French units to return to their starting positions on the Maginot Line. Poland fought on for nearly three more weeks before succumbing to the overwhelming forces of the two aggressors.
After the war, the German military leaders said had France and England attacked with their available forces Germany could have held out only one, or at most two weeks.
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