Phase 2: The Operational Masterstroke (September 1939 to June 1940)
The invasion of Poland in September 1939 tested the logistical limits of the young Wehrmacht. While the campaign was a decisive victory, logistical friction was evident. The Pz 1 and Pz 2 tanks were under-gunned, and the infantry marched largely on foot, relying on horse-drawn transport. However, the strategic isolation of Poland—secured via the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact—ensured a short war, preventing the exhaustion of German f