Countdown to Armageddon: Europe 1938-39 | Hitler's War On Poland

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Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYK0BJZF3yNb2fw1EdAXUQ/join Watch the next episode in the series here: https://youtu.be/UZXY5vGD-y4 Watch the full playlist of our series on the Nazis' in power here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbAHi3fZpuGxEWIhEho-xuMhe7MRXGKG This is episode 530 of The Rest Is History Following the Munich agreement of September 1938, Nazi troops marched into Czechoslovakia and ruthlessly claimed it as a German protectorate. Still, even following his annexation of Czechoslovakia, Hitler’s determination to make Germany the greatest power in Europe was far from sated. Thus, hungry for war and keenly conscious of Germany’s fast imploding economic situation, his mind had turned by the beginning of 1939 to his next unfortunate target: Poland. And it was not only defeat that he envisaged this time, but Polish liquidation. But, with both the Poles and British becoming increasingly wary of Germany's growing assertiveness and militarism, in March 1939 they and France forged a military alliance. Enraged by this, Hitler finalised his plans for the conquest of Poland. In an unexpected turn of events, he also went in search of an unlikely ally of his own to counter the new alliance from which he was smarting: Russia’s Joseph Stalin, the Nazis’ ideological antagonist… Join Tom and Dominic for the appalling story of the build up to Hitler’s genocidal war on Poland. Was it possible that even at this inflamed juncture, war could still have been prevented? 00:00 This new series 03:56 The German economy 08:36 The unfinished business of Czechoslovakia 14:52 The Czech President 21:13 The end of Czechoslovakia 29:02 Hitler turns to Poland 36:41 Nazis' plans for Poland 41:49 Neville Chamberlain reacts 52:32 Case white 53:56 A new ally? Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett Editor: Jack Meek Social Producer: Harry Balden Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor