The start of the war is generally held to be at dawn on Friday, 1 September
1939, when German troops and tanks raided the Polish countryside,
destroying everything in their path. A little over an hour later, Nazi
dive-bombers were attacking the civilians of Poland’s capital city
of Warsaw. The bombing destroyed cities, railroads, and military
bases. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days
later.

 
A German air patrol fly’s over Poland

Polish oil and gas tanks are set aflame by the German
bombardment at Westerplatte

Nazi soldiers march on Poland