Geopolityczne uwarunkowania bezpieczeństwa narodowego Polski w latach 1918-1939

Poland’s geo-political position in 1918-1939 changed as a result of political changes in Europe, especially at the end of the 30s after Germany’s territorial annexes. The Treaty of Versailles provisions, wars for independent Poland’s borders in 1918-1921 and to a certain extent Poland’s annexation of Zaolzie in 1938 contributed to that position. The breakthrough events included signing the Treaty of Versailles (1919), Locarno Treaties (1925), Hitler’s rise to power (1933), the Munich Agreement (1938), consequently the collapse of Czechoslovakia and the subordination of this territory to the Reich and the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact (23.08.1939). These events were prompted by western superpowers’ policy which in spite of signing political and military agreements with Poland did not act according to them and therefore Poland fought single-handedly with a double aggressor in September 1939 and was severely defeated. Taking into consideration Poland’s geo-strategic position in the problem mentioned above, Poland’s location was stressed on the trail of military expansions from the east to the west and vice versa, location among countries - Germany, Russia - which supported the expansion on the Polish territory, as well as unfavourable shape of Poland’s borders after World War I, especially lack of natural terrain obstacles.