Polish Eagle Over Moscow: Poland Joins Operation Barbarossa ATL
Part 1: Deal with the Devil
On January 5th, German Foreign Minster Joachim von Ribbentrop arrived in Warsaw for high level talks with the Polish Government. Ribbentrop was tasked by Hitler with negotiating the return of the Corridor to Germany. At a meeting in Warsaw, he laid out Germany's demands: the return of the corridor and a rail line to East Prussia. The Polish Foreign Minster Beck expressed his willingness to consider it but cited the need for Poland to maintain access to the sea. Ribbentrop, in response to the Polish uneasiness, dropped a hint “You are stubborn on these maritime questions, remember my friend the Black Sea is also a sea!” The Polish Foreign Minster new perfectly well what this meant, Germany wanted Poland’s help to annihilate the Soviet Union and exchange they would be given the Ukrainian Black Sea Coast. After much deliberation the Poles, with heavy hearts, agreed to Germany’s demands. Ribbentrop had pulled off another diplomatic miracle; he had prevented a conflict with Poland and gained Germany a much needed ally in the East.
Soon after the January meeting, Poland also made aware of Germany's newest scheme to destroy Czechoslovakia. Poland had already helped Germany, the previous Fall, in weakening the Czech Republic. While German troops swept into the Sudetenland, the Poles had seized a number of small border territories including the rail town of Bohumin. This time around they would be given a larger piece of the pie, the entirety Carpatho-Ukraine Region, in payment for their good behavior The Germanic-Polish invasion commenced in March, 1939 and the Czech State ceased to exist.
These Polish moves greatly angered Stalin. The Soviet dictator had already revoked his non-aggression pact with Poland the previous November and now spoke openly of the need to readjust his Western border. These seemingly aggressive Soviet moves had greatly contributed to Poland's decision to deepen its alliance with the German Reich.
Part 1: Deal with the Devil
On January 5th, German Foreign Minster Joachim von Ribbentrop arrived in Warsaw for high level talks with the Polish Government. Ribbentrop was tasked by Hitler with negotiating the return of the Corridor to Germany. At a meeting in Warsaw, he laid out Germany's demands: the return of the corridor and a rail line to East Prussia. The Polish Foreign Minster Beck expressed his willingness to consider it but cited the need for Poland to maintain access to the sea. Ribbentrop, in response to the Polish uneasiness, dropped a hint “You are stubborn on these maritime questions, remember my friend the Black Sea is also a sea!” The Polish Foreign Minster new perfectly well what this meant, Germany wanted Poland’s help to annihilate the Soviet Union and exchange they would be given the Ukrainian Black Sea Coast. After much deliberation the Poles, with heavy hearts, agreed to Germany’s demands. Ribbentrop had pulled off another diplomatic miracle; he had prevented a conflict with Poland and gained Germany a much needed ally in the East.
Soon after the January meeting, Poland also made aware of Germany's newest scheme to destroy Czechoslovakia. Poland had already helped Germany, the previous Fall, in weakening the Czech Republic. While German troops swept into the Sudetenland, the Poles had seized a number of small border territories including the rail town of Bohumin. This time around they would be given a larger piece of the pie, the entirety Carpatho-Ukraine Region, in payment for their good behavior The Germanic-Polish invasion commenced in March, 1939 and the Czech State ceased to exist.
These Polish moves greatly angered Stalin. The Soviet dictator had already revoked his non-aggression pact with Poland the previous November and now spoke openly of the need to readjust his Western border. These seemingly aggressive Soviet moves had greatly contributed to Poland's decision to deepen its alliance with the German Reich.
