What was the German codename for the invasion of Poland in 1939?

Fall Weiss was the German codename for the strategic plan to invade Poland in 1939. The name is German for “Case White” or “Plan White,” and the operation began on September 1, 1939, when German forces attacked Poland from several directions.

The plan was prepared by the German military leadership and called for coordinated attacks by ground forces supported by the Luftwaffe. Germany used rapidly moving armored units, infantry, and air power to overwhelm Polish defenses. The invasion prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany on September 3, turning the conflict into a wider European war.

Fall Weiss is often confused with other German operation names. Fall Gelb, or “Case Yellow,” was the 1940 plan for the invasion of France and the Low Countries. Operation Barbarossa was the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union, while Seelöwe, or “Sea Lion,” was the planned but never executed invasion of Britain.