ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Polish contribution to World War II

During World War II, Poland was one of the countries that fought against Germany, which was then led by Adolf Hitler. In 1939, Germany invaded Poland and this starte the war. The Polish army tried to resist the Germans, but they had fewer troops and less advanced weapons.

Many brave Polish soldiers fought in the war, and there were some important battles fought by them. For example, at the Battle of Westerplatte, a small group of Polish soldiers managed to hold out against a much larger force of German soldiers for six days. This was a symbol of Polish resistance and bravery.

But, despite their efforts, Poland was eventually occupied by Germany for six long years, until the war ended in 1945. During this time, the Polish people suffered greatly. The Germans treated them very harshly, and many people were killed or sent to concentration camps.

However, even though Poland was occupied, some brave Poles continued to fight against the Germans. The Polish Underground Resistance was one of the largest and most effective underground movements in Europe. They engaged in sabotage, guerrilla warfare, and intelligence gathering against the Germans.

The most famous contribution made by the Polish people was probably their code-breaking efforts. Polish mathematicians had already made significant contributions to code-breaking before the war, and during the war, Polish cryptologists were able to break some of the most important German codes. This allowed the Allied powers to learn about German plans and movements, often giving them a significant advantage.

Overall, the Polish contributions to World War II were significant, despite the fact that Poland was occupied for most of the war. Polish soldiers fought bravely, and the Polish people suffered greatly under German occupation. But, the determination and bravery of the Polish people never wavered, and their efforts were important in the eventual victory of the Allied powers.