Communism in modern times often brings to mind the Soviet Union. However, few think to deeply consider the smaller nations affected by the Soviet Union's widespread control. Oppressed for years following World War II, Poland fought for the sake of its own nation in the 1980s. On September 1, 1939, World War I began with Germany's invasion of Poland. Though Britain and France provided some assistance to Poland, no effective assistance was given. By the end of that September, Hitler along with Stalin had reached terms defining their gains, subjecting Poland to five years of brutal occupation. With the goal of stripping Poland of its nationhood and enslaving the Poles, Germany formed a severe colonial government. As part of Hitler's concept of German domination of the European continent (an idea he called German Lebensraum, or German Living Space), millions of Poles were relocated. Many were forced to work in labor camps and were replaced by German settlers. After years of fighting and loss, Poland was liberated from the German's by Stalin's Soviet Union. Several weeks before the final victory of the Allies over Germany, the Soviets expelled German troops from Poland and installed a communist government (Curtis 34-39). It was in this way, following an extensive period of suffering, that Poland came under the rule of a communist government that brought nothing except further pain.
