39, German forces mobilized and flew head on into Poland. The Polish were devastated in the assault, as they stood no chance against the mighty Panzer tanks that rolled through the country with frightening speed. Two days after the attack, Britain and France joined in a declaration of war against Germany. Their belated reactions, could not save the army of Poland. In a battle that raged for nearly a month, the Polish army was eventually cornered in the capital city of Warsaw. After a brutal siege of the city, the men of Poland had no choice but to surrender to the overwhelming German force. The point of no return had been crossed, and Europe had fallen into the arms of war for the second time in the century. Great Britain still remembered the horrors of World War I, and when Germany began to renew its sense of militarism, Britain was hesitant to start another war. Instead of using force, the British leaders, including Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, sought a diplomatic solution to conflicts. When Germany's motives were to capture the area known as Sudentland, in Czechoslovakia, Chamberlain held several meetings with Hitler and other nations, desperately trying to prevent an armed conflict with Germany. Chamberlain believed that by granting Hitler's demands, he could avoid a war with Germany (Elliot 73-74). He was greatly mistaken. Even after all the negotiation and bargaining, Hitler's forces eventually overtook the entire nation of Czechoslovakia by force.When it became clear that Hitler next planned an invasion of Poland, Great Britain had no choice but to issue a threat of war if Germany went through with the operation. The threat was disregarded, and the attack on Poland was carried out as planned. On September 3, 1939, two days after the Polish invasion began, Chamberlain gave a speech in which he stated that, "This country is at war with Germany..."(Wernick 8). The joint declaration of war on Germany with France became officia...
