It was seventy years ago today

Seventy years ago Germany invaded Poland setting off the global catastrophe we call World War 2.

Of course in China the war had already been underway since 1936 or 1932 depending on how you look at it.

Poland was also attacked from the East by the Soviets on the 17th of September, with no formal declaration of War.

The Soviets where eventually to become were allies of the West, as were the Poles of course, in what came to be called there Вели́кая Оте́чественная война́ or Great Patriotic War in English. And in which the peoples of the Soviet Union suffered as much as anyone else in Europe probably more.

A thoroughly bad business all around.