Polish–British Common Defense Pact

E121104

The Polish–British Common Defense Pact was a 1939 mutual assistance treaty under which the United Kingdom pledged to come to Poland’s aid in the event of German aggression, forming a key diplomatic trigger for Britain’s entry into World War II.

All labels observed (7)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf bilateral treaty
defense pact
international agreement
mutual assistance treaty
alsoKnownAs Anglo–Polish Agreement
Anglo–Polish Common Defense Pact
category Military alliances involving Poland
Military alliances involving the United Kingdom
Treaties concluded in 1939
Treaties of Poland
Treaties of the United Kingdom
World War II diplomacy
countrySignatory Poland
United Kingdom
dateSigned 1939-08-25
enteredIntoForce 1939-08-25
geographicalScope Europe
historicalContext prelude to World War II
influenced British foreign policy towards Eastern Europe in 1939
influencedBy German occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939
language English
Polish
legalBasisFor United Kingdom’s entry into war with Germany in September 1939
legalNature binding mutual defense commitment
opposedBy Nazi Germany
partyObligation Poland obligated to assist United Kingdom in case of aggression by a European power
United Kingdom obligated to assist Poland in case of German aggression
placeSigned London
linked to: London, England
politicalSignificance key diplomatic trigger for British entry into World War II
symbol of British commitment to Eastern European security in 1939
predecessor temporary Anglo–Polish agreement of 1939-04-06
primaryAdversaryImplied Nazi Germany
purpose to deter German aggression against Poland
to formalize British security guarantees to Poland
to provide mutual assistance in case of aggression by a European power
relatedAgreement Anglo–Polish military alliance
British guarantee to Poland of 31 March 1939
Franco–Polish alliance
relatedEvent German invasion of Poland
linked to: Invasion of Poland

outbreak of World War II in Europe
resultedIn British declaration of war on Germany on 1939-09-03
signatory Government of the Republic of Poland
Government of the United Kingdom
linked to: UK government
signedByRepresentative Józef Beck
Lord Halifax
terminationContext superseded by wartime alliance arrangements after 1939
timePeriod interwar period
triggerCondition aggression by a European power against either party
yearSigned 1939

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (8)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

1939 Defensive War legalBasis Polish–British Common Defense Pact
1939 Defensive War militaryAllianceInvolved Polish–British alliance
linked to: Polish–British Common Defense Pact
Polish–British Common Defense Pact alsoKnownAs Anglo–Polish Agreement
linked to: Polish–British Common Defense Pact
Polish–British Common Defense Pact alsoKnownAs Anglo–Polish Common Defense Pact
linked to: Polish–British Common Defense Pact
Polish–British Common Defense Pact relatedAgreement Anglo–Polish military alliance
linked to: Polish–British Common Defense Pact
World War II diplomacy includesAgreement Anglo-Polish military alliance
linked to: Polish–British Common Defense Pact
United Kingdom declaration of war on Germany (1939) legalBasis Anglo-Polish military alliance
linked to: Polish–British Common Defense Pact
United Kingdom–Poland relations notableEvent Anglo–Polish military alliance of 1939
linked to: Polish–British Common Defense Pact