Case White

The Invasion of Poland 1939

By: Robert Forczyk

Narrated by: Simon Vance

The German invasion of Poland on 1 September, 1939, designated as Fall Weiss (Case White), was the event that sparked the outbreak of World War II in Europe. The campaign has widely been described as a textbook example of Blitzkrieg, but it was actually a fairly conventional campaign as the Wehrmacht was still learning how to use its new Panzers and dive-bombers.

The Polish military is often misrepresented as hopelessly obsolete and outclassed by the Wehrmacht, yet in fact it was well-equipped with modern weapons and armor. Indeed, the Polish possessed more tanks than the British and had cracked the German Enigma machine cipher. Though the combined assault from Germany and the Soviet Union defeated Poland, it could not crush the Polish fighting spirit and thousands of soldiers and airmen escaped to fight on other fronts. The result of Case White was a brutal occupation, as Polish Slavs found themselves marginalized and later eliminated, paving the way for Hitler's vision of Lebensraum (living space) and his later betrayal and invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Using a wide array of sources, Robert Forczyk challenges the myths of Case White to tell the full story of the invasion that sparked history's greatest conflict.

©2019 Robert Forczyk (P)2019 Tantor

Excellent comprehensive research

Not only does it dispel many of the myths associated with the German invasion of Poland, it is a great summary of Polish history. Well researched and written.

A very interesting account of an overlooked front

As a reader of war related and history books, as a student of International Relations i find quite rich and detailed the autor´s account of facts and how it has brought some light of mostly overlooked events for the beginning of World War 2. As a brazillian, information of the polish side during Case White is mostly rare, so appreciated a lot!

Just Do It

Let's start with the performance. Simon Vance is incredible as always. I don't speak an ounce of Polish, and he might not either, but he breezed right through names I would have stumbled over. Bravo sir.

Now for the book...an eye opening account of Poland's efforts. I learned so much and have a new found respect for the struggle for Poland. It's sad to see how horribly they were sold out to stop Nazi aggression, with the Soviets getting a complete pass for their actions prior to their entry into the Allied cause.

Detailed but dry and impersonal

The book is incredibly detailed and thorough but impersonal. It doesn’t so much tell the stories of those who fought but the larger picture of what lead up to the 1939 invasion, and the circumstances and situations that Europe and Poland we in leading up to and during the conflict. That being said, it does not tell personal stories. It has some short stories of bravery and despicable violence and who was involved but the book reads more like an after action report or a historical academic analysis. There is quite a lot of thorough detail which greatly helps understand a deeper picture but it can be very boring after at times. I thought I was strange that when discussing the atrocities carried out at the end of the book, that the author didn’t mention the holocaust or the 1 to 2 million Jews shot to death by the Germans in Poland. Some of the camps were mentioned in the book while they were still for holding people and not extermination. The author focuses on the POWs killed and civilian deaths outside of the focused killing of polish Jews.

Detailed Look at the Invasion of Poland

Examines them basking of Poland in great detail and clears up many misunderstandings and misrepresentations of Case White

Superb lesson-ography.

Destroys national socialist and communist Stalinist propaganda fictions, along with Western appeasement propaganda, which is
largely taught in the broad brush secondary classes. Well constructed history lesson starting with the centuries old conflicts to set the context. Superb lessonography (I just made that term up) on deterrence and relative combat power, planning, and execution.

A suitable tribute.

The invasion of Poland is such a footnote moment in WWII histories, as if it were a simple maneuver and the antiquated Poles charged on horses to their demise. The details here were unsparing and lucid, a great combination of details and narrative. Mr Vance is a master of pronunciation which makes following the characters and places remarkably easy.

The USSR’s actions rarely get any ink, but this is a refreshing change, if one can use that term. At this stage the soviets were essentially an evil axis power. Their actions easily competed with the Nazis in atrocities, and it is more than a little disturbing to see the complicity and craven actions of France and England laid bare. This was an amazingly informative and engaging listen, and required “read” to fully understand the more publicized events that followed. Highly recommended.

finally! a book detailing the Polish campaign

I've read nearly 300 books on WW2, and have been craving for more blow by blow details on the Polish campaign. Case White checked all the boxes. It is a must read for all WW2 enthusiast. kudos to the narrator for doing a fantastic job

Quite technical, but worth the listen.

While this book wasn't as good as "Where the Iron Crosses Grow," I still really like this book and appreciate the fine level of detail. I always learn a lot from Forczyk's books. He is incredibly thorough and paints a precise picture of events. For example, I had no idea how much warning and pleading Churchill gave to France to send their navy to Britain or the US to prevent it from falling into Nazi hands. If you like technical analyses of WWII battles and history, then this is the book for you.

A Corrected Perspective

Robert Forczyk provides readers with the accurate story of what happened in Poland in 1939. Historians and educators usually wave their hands and say Germany invaded and conquered Poland as if they swatted a fly. The real story is told here, including Poland’s betrayal by the Allies and the predation by the Russians. Read the story and learn how history seems to repeat itself for the sake of political convenience.