Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1987

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Portnoy, Samuel

Abstract

The army of interbellum Poland has often been described as antiquated; its leadership as incompetent. Despite Germany's 1939 "Blitzkrieg" victory, such conclusions are unsound. Indeed careful analysis will show that they are based more on popular misconceptions, than on hard facts. While Poland's military establishment had many faults, the 1939 catastrophe was caused, not be overconfident generals, or cavalry charges against tanks, but rather by the failure of Poland's western allies to fulfill their treaty obligations. To support such an assertion, this thesis will investigate military, political, economic and diplomatic influences on "Plan West" (Plan Zachod) --the Polish strategy for a war with Germany. The combination of these elements will show that Poland's military forces were prepared for war, and even had a chance for victory in 1939.

Extent

217 p.

Comments

FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1987.|Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Identifier

FADT14404

Format

pdf

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