Subscribers can listen to the audio version of today’s post here.
A gentle reminder that paid subscribers are greatly appreciated and help fund my efforts to provide content that is free of charge and available to all.
The Western theater of World War II began on September 1, 1939, with Germany’s invasion of Poland. War is full of valiant stands, with beleaguered defenders holding firm in the face of overwhelming odds. The Battle of Westerplatte was one such defensive.
--On This Day in History, Shit Went Down: September 1, 1939--
Shortly after the fucking Nazis began bombing the shit out of Poland, they launched a naval assault on Westerplatte in the Bay of Gdansk in Northern Poland. Knowing this was gonna go down, the garrison at Westerplatte secretly began reinforcing its position, but was still woefully outnumbered when the attack came. There was about 200 men facing 3,400 Germans, along with a battleship, two torpedo boats, and 60 aircraft. How you look at those odds and not say oh wow we are so fucked we should give up is beyond me.
The German battleship launched a volley of shells at the fortifications in the early morning hours, but none of the defenders were harmed because the dumbfuck Nazi supporters were too close and the heavier shells didn’t have time to arm and go boom.
Then the German marines, who’d lain in wait for the “bombardment” to be complete, attacked the garrison thinking it would be an easy mop up. Haha surprise motherfuckers suck on this ambush, you’re in a kill zone. Surrounded by hidden Polish soldiers delivering a withering crossfire, the Nazis did the only thing they could: die. Then the Polish defenders unleashed an artillery barrage on the German infantry surrounding them and blew many of those fuckers to Nazi hell.
The Germans withdrew and radioed their battleship and said what the fuck man you said this was gonna be a cakewalk a bunch of us just got shot to shit. The battleship crew said hang on let’s bomb them again. So they did that and took out the Polish field gun and the Nazis attacked again but got blowed up by mines and caught in barbwire and a fun little obstacle course made of felled trees and then the Polish shot them up some more.
Knowing they were horribly outnumbered, Westerplatte had been requested by Polish command to hold out as a delaying action, with the expectation it would be a mere 12 hours. They held out for a full week, taking a heavy toll on the German attackers. The Germans lost about 200 men, with another 150 wounded. The Poles lost only 15 men, plus another four they had executed themselves for attempted desertion during the fighting.
The Poles finally surrendered on September 7 when they ran out of food and ammunition. The German commander was so impressed with how they had killed a bunch of his men he let the Polish commander keep his ceremonial saber as a sign of respect for his men’s fighting ability. But then they tortured the shit out of the Polish radio operator, then shot him when he refused to hand over the radio codes. Fucking Nazis.
The stand at Westerplatte is considered one of the most heroic battles of modern Europe.
Thanks to Alicia for the suggestion of today’s topic.
Support keeping this daily column free and get access to subscriber only content:
Get the book On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down.