Why did Japan refuse Poland's declaration of war in WW2? (Short Animated Documentary)

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  • Опубліковано 7 вер 2022
  • When Poland declared war on Japan with the rest of the allies in World War 2, Japan refused the declaration. It didn't ignore it. It responded saying no, there was no war. And that Poland was wrong to think so. To find out why watch this short and simple animated history documentary.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,5 тис.

  • @bighillraft
    @bighillraft Рік тому +20831

    Remember guys, if somebody declares war on you, just reject it. They cannot invade you without consent

    • @CosmicCreeper99
      @CosmicCreeper99 Рік тому +1276

      *This video is literally about Poland*

    • @KarmaTheNarrator23
      @KarmaTheNarrator23 Рік тому +545

      Belgium cant say the same

    • @Skribblingz
      @Skribblingz Рік тому +315

      I'll be sure to remember that when playing Civ

    • @cumpanions8105
      @cumpanions8105 Рік тому +6

      Uhm ehm sorry but that is just stupid, invading country can still invade you even if you dont accept the decleration🤓🤓🤓🤓

    • @andrewklang809
      @andrewklang809 Рік тому +191

      Ah, it's vampire rules!

  • @matthewboyle2641
    @matthewboyle2641 Рік тому +1679

    Poland: We're at war
    Japan: No we're not
    Poland: Can...can he do that?
    US and allies: I don't know, this has never really happened before

    • @phillee2814
      @phillee2814 Рік тому +61

      Free Polish fighter pilot in the eastern theatre of war: "Eat lead"

    • @grek9117
      @grek9117 Рік тому +13

      🤣

    • @VeganSemihCyprus33
      @VeganSemihCyprus33 Рік тому +2

      One of the most important videos on the internet: The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

    • @WaterShowsProd
      @WaterShowsProd Рік тому +9

      It did happen another time, and in the same war. Field Marshal Phibul Songkram, dictatorial Prime Minister of Thailand, declared war on The United States, but instead co-revolutionary/constitution-drafter Pridi Bhanomyong coordinated with The U.S. to back the Serithai ("Free Thai") underground, in order to disrupt Japanese operations, and prepare for a major push against The Imperial Japanese Army from their base in Sri Lanka, which became moot when The United States secretly developed a single bomb that could level an entire industrial city.

    • @phillee2814
      @phillee2814 Рік тому +5

      @@WaterShowsProd So not a refusal to accept the declaration, but a less direct and very efficient approach to answering it.

  • @theprofessional155
    @theprofessional155 Рік тому +2358

    Japan supported Polish uprisings against the Russian empire in 1905 during the Russo Japanese war . Many Poles celebrated the Russian defeat because eastern Poland was under Russian control. The Japanese also took in hundreds of Polish kids that were imprisoned in Siberia during the Siberian intervention in the 1920s. These were Polish families that were deported to Siberia by the Russian empire and stranded there during the civil war . The Japanese described Poland as an honorable nation . However though it’s important to note even though the Japanese empire was kind to Poles they were very cruel to other peoples . The Japanese committed horrible atrocities against many nations in east Asia and POWs. I think the relationship between Poland and Japan wasn’t necessarily that they liked each other but that they both had hostile relations with the Russian Empire and Soviet Union like you said.

    • @valkku5213
      @valkku5213 Рік тому +115

      You sure explained that like your name

    • @XZ1.
      @XZ1. Рік тому +167

      "What's up, guys, how is everyone doing? It's professional here. Today I'll show you guys how to destabilize your neighboring countries in GTA Online"

    • @travelleryu
      @travelleryu Рік тому +36

      As if other empires are benevolent

    • @anon_148
      @anon_148 Рік тому

      The Japanese Empire was...LE BAD to their enemies!!!! Wow crazy who would've thought

    • @littlekuribohimposte
      @littlekuribohimposte Рік тому +55

      "The enemy of my enemy is my friend"

  • @matthewbrandin6947
    @matthewbrandin6947 Рік тому +1289

    I've always been fascinated by Japan and Poland's strange friendship. Fun note, Nitobe Inazo, dedicated his famous book "Bushido: the Soul of Japan," to the Polish people, whom he considered a "Samurai Nation."

    • @Ironyx1
      @Ironyx1 Рік тому +25

      Yup

    • @baronbrummbar8691
      @baronbrummbar8691 Рік тому +32

      nothing stange about it ..... it is simmilar to the friendship between Germany and china back then .....

    • @dariusz2303
      @dariusz2303 Рік тому

      @@mordekaishekelbergiv.4211 oh, don't be effected by zionist propaganda... only polanish people and Poland gave you refuge i Europe... remember and be honest

    • @dariusz2303
      @dariusz2303 Рік тому

      @@mordekaishekelbergiv.4211 oh, don't be effected by zionist propaganda... only polanish people and Poland gave you refuge i Europe... remember and be honest

    • @bruhbruh-us6gl
      @bruhbruh-us6gl Рік тому +142

      It's funny how Imperial Japan cared more about Poland and the Polish people than the Allies did. Sort of in the same way Italy threatened war with Germany over the Anschluss of Austria, while the allies did nothing.

  • @1Arrowkill1
    @1Arrowkill1 Рік тому +6569

    I can't believe how close Poland and Japan were. I would have thought I would have read about this somewhere before now.

    • @bestGaming132
      @bestGaming132 Рік тому +197

      The time I discovered Japan was allied with Germany I was confunsed because of this

    • @Admiral45-10
      @Admiral45-10 Рік тому +597

      Yes, and it actually has longer history than this. For example, Japan sold weapons to Polish workers in 1905 revolution and supported independence movement.
      Interestingly, even Italy was really close to Poland and admired its people. It's really sad the gang couldn't get together...😔

    • @nasis18
      @nasis18 Рік тому +9

      Ikr.

    • @marcinkrz3140
      @marcinkrz3140 Рік тому +284

      Apparently Poland was one of the countries that helped Japan during disasters in 1995 and 2011
      And one of the big wigs in Polish solidarity movement (guys who opposed communist government) was from Japan (Yoshiho Umeda)

    • @LMB222
      @LMB222 Рік тому +136

      Now I understand the unusual interest in Japan by some prewar Polish scientists. One actually went there and described some remote minorities in Japan. Privately he was the brother of prewar President.

  • @MasterBomer
    @MasterBomer Рік тому +4610

    That obvious Polish and Japanese spy pointing out a Soviet officer as a spy and Stalin actually believing it got me laughing so hard

    • @thatonejoey1847
      @thatonejoey1847 Рік тому +258

      The japano-polak incident during the great purge, 1930s colorised

    • @SMiki55
      @SMiki55 Рік тому +180

      @@thatonejoey1847 Japolish

    • @Josep_Hernandez_Lujan
      @Josep_Hernandez_Lujan Рік тому +146

      Stalin infamously used such accusations as excuses do some purging

    • @timesnewlogan2032
      @timesnewlogan2032 Рік тому +82

      Not just any officer: Mikhail Tukhachevsky!

    • @ondank
      @ondank Рік тому +154

      Lets be real, Stalins paranoia didn't exactly need an invitation to assume someone was a spy.

  • @cyanide1931
    @cyanide1931 Рік тому +1229

    There was a single Polish pilot (Witold Urbanowicz) who volunteered to serve in China, and he actually did score some kills against the Japanese. This was pretty much the only case of Poles and Japanese fighting each other (excluding a number of Polish migrants in the US forces, of course)

    • @zepter00
      @zepter00 Рік тому +22

      Yes.. he served im Flying Tigers

    • @InfernosReaper
      @InfernosReaper Рік тому +63

      @@zepter00 The Flying Tiges, aka, America's unofficial war with Japan before the proper one started

    • @cieslik7564
      @cieslik7564 Рік тому +7

      My great grandfather was fighting in Russian Japanese war. He was drafted from Poland by Car Russia.

    • @alexaugustynski3620
      @alexaugustynski3620 Рік тому +18

      My Polish great-grandfather with American citizenship was killed by a Japanese sniper. Never knew the context that Poland and Japan were such friendly nations. Tragic, especially given what America has become.

    • @torinjones3221
      @torinjones3221 Рік тому +9

      Yea but they're not really poles are they. They're Americans

  • @Negitorodondesu
    @Negitorodondesu Рік тому +276

    I am Japanese, but I did not know that Japan and Poland had such a close relationship. Thank you for the good video!

    • @memensziom2846
      @memensziom2846 Рік тому +28

      Read about Bronisław Piłsudski. He was a brother of polish leader and he was making a historical records of Japan local nations, like Ainu. Very interesting fun fact for either Polish and Japanese. :)

    • @Poegim
      @Poegim Рік тому +1

      Well bro, its funny due to war beetwen Poland and Japan over in 1957 :D and there was 0 war losess for all the time.

    • @LastDrakkar82
      @LastDrakkar82 Рік тому +3

      Cheers, from PL😊

    • @gibkijasiu
      @gibkijasiu Рік тому +9

      I love Japan ❤
      Greetings from Poland

    • @thegovtdoesntcareaboutyou
      @thegovtdoesntcareaboutyou 10 місяців тому +3

      Nihon ga suki desu

  • @singami465
    @singami465 Рік тому +4296

    Also worth noting that before Poland gained independence after WW1, Polish revolutionaries were seeking to create a Polish army in Japan, in exchange for intelligence related to Russia. However two different parties (Nationalists and Socialists) appeared in Japan at the same time, both trying to persuade the government to NOT support the other one, so nothing came out of it. They did exchange intelligence though, which was how the spying alliance between both countries begun.

    • @yarpen26
      @yarpen26 Рік тому +143

      Many fail to appreciate just how fierce the rivalry between nationalists and, let's call 'em "social democrats", was in Poland in the early 20th century. And contrary to the popular myth, it persisted all throughout WWII and even long afterwards, when their squabbles in exile concerned nobody. It was similar to what's happening today, even though the past resentment was more based on personal ambitions rather than a wider front of a culture war that we're seeing now.

    • @kingace6186
      @kingace6186 Рік тому +13

      Very informative. Thank you.

    • @vibovitold
      @vibovitold Рік тому

      @@yarpen26 You must be aware that those "social democrats" (surely meaning Piłsudski's camp - who else) shut democracy down in 1926, installing a military dictatorship?
      I can't quite put my finger on it, but I can't help feeling there's something about this that doesn't exactly fit with what "democrats" are supposed to be (social or otherwise).

    • @yarpen26
      @yarpen26 Рік тому +20

      @@vibovitold Hence the inverted commas. Besides, they only ever referred to themselves as "Pilsudskists" or, later, "sanationers", and they were really a big tent populist movement, leaning towards fascism in the latter 1930s. I just didn't want to make stuff more confusing than it needs to be. At any rate, however, most of them did start out as part of the revolutionary left (curiously enough, it used to be the left that was most oriented towards armed struggle for independence, whereas the right, at least in the Russian partition, was mostly resigned to collaboration with the Tzar, until the bolshevist revolution, that is).

    • @piotrb4240
      @piotrb4240 Рік тому +36

      REgain independence, REgain. Poland existed as a state since at least 966 (first recorded proof of effectively applying regulations to the entire country by the prince) until 1795.

  • @fenderski1234
    @fenderski1234 Рік тому +1770

    As for the spying - when Wehrmacht took Warsaw, and wanted to intercept Poland’s Military Intelligence documents, Japanese diplomats from the Embassy were first on the spot and took them, later on returning them to the Polish Government in exile. Poland’s history is crazy!

    • @dallarian8687
      @dallarian8687 Рік тому +157

      It's even more hilarious if you look at it through prism of German-Japan alliance, as in recently published video by Grzegorz Bobek "Why Alliance of Germany and Japan DIDNT MAKE SENSE"
      Made me laugh hard.

    • @bruhbruh-us6gl
      @bruhbruh-us6gl Рік тому +236

      It's funny how Imperial Japan cared more about Poland and the Polish people than the Allies did. Sort of in the same way Italy threatened war with Germany over the Anschluss of Austria, while the allies did nothing.

    • @thepny_chasseur_de_tricera5361
      @thepny_chasseur_de_tricera5361 Рік тому +18

      @@bruhbruh-us6gl there is a difference between some minor action and litteraly host and give gun tank and plane to the government in exile

    • @bruhbruh-us6gl
      @bruhbruh-us6gl Рік тому +82

      @@thepny_chasseur_de_tricera5361
      Mussolini mobilized the bulk of the Italian army and set them on the Austrian Border, ready to move in and defend against the German army, while also reaching out to Britain and France to create a formal alliance for the specific purpose of defending Austria and stopping German expansion. However, Britain and France refused this offer, and Mussolini, knowing his troops couldn’t defeat the German army, had no choice but to simply accept the Anschluss of Austria.

    • @chlorhydrate2317
      @chlorhydrate2317 Рік тому +2

      @@bruhbruh-us6gl do you have a link ? Seems interesting

  • @JanKowalski-nn2fk
    @JanKowalski-nn2fk Рік тому +391

    It's worth mentioning that the Poles were allowed to settle Manchuria by Japan, while there was no Poland on the maps and the city of Harbin which has a population of almost 5 million was created by a Pole in 1898 (Adam Szydłowski) who was the city's first president.

    • @tedmccarron
      @tedmccarron Рік тому +7

      The "city's" first mayor.

    • @timothymclean
      @timothymclean Рік тому +30

      @lati long Nationality and citizenship are often considered to be the same thing, but former citizens of a conquered nation are unlikely to agree. Most will identify with the conquered country over the conquerors. Also: Ethnicity is a thing.

    • @vulthurmir2478
      @vulthurmir2478 Рік тому +30

      @@timothymclean as a Pole, it doesn't matter how many times they'll shell our buildings, how many Polish flags they burn, how much land they'll mud, how many of my kinsmen they'll murder, how many of our books and records they'll burn, I'll always have a silver eagle on a white-red crest in my heart.

    • @Litwinus
      @Litwinus Рік тому +6

      Nie wiem na ile to prawda,ale mój pra pra dziadek Trzaskowski służył w mandzuri jako tłumacz,fajnie by było mieć dojścia do jego historii.

    • @JanKowalski-nn2fk
      @JanKowalski-nn2fk Рік тому +5

      @@Litwinus na kanale Irytujący Historyk masz materiał o Polakach z Mandżurii.

  • @anthonyfarrell7720
    @anthonyfarrell7720 Рік тому +95

    Dad: "Son, what did you learn today?"
    Son: "Japan declared peace on Poland in 1957."
    Dad: "I think that's enough internet for today son."

  • @AmethystTheFoxx
    @AmethystTheFoxx Рік тому +2589

    I didn't even know Poland and Japan were friends, there's so much to learn in such short videos!

    • @Longshanks1690
      @Longshanks1690 Рік тому +164

      I wouldn’t say “friends” as much as that guy who appears on your timeline every now and then but he says some stuff you agree with and you think he’s cool but neither of you pay each other much attention otherwise.

    • @quigonjinn3567
      @quigonjinn3567 Рік тому +27

      cuz we have the "same" flag only different format, or in other words "I am confusion!"

    • @vattghern257
      @vattghern257 Рік тому +123

      in 1901 in Warsaw, known polish collector and art critic organized japanese art exhibition. His name waas Feliks Jasieński and one of his nicknames is "Manggha" you can quickly assume what this means.
      While Americans become weebos after ww2, we were long before in 1900's

    • @VeganSemihCyprus33
      @VeganSemihCyprus33 Рік тому +2

      One of the most important videos on the internet: The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

    • @II__argo__II
      @II__argo__II Рік тому +18

      Go read the wiki article about Japan-Poland relations and the Polish govnerment-in-exile for some more really interesting info about this!

  • @Swat_Dennis
    @Swat_Dennis Рік тому +390

    I never knew that you could say "no" to a declaration of war

    • @bestGaming132
      @bestGaming132 Рік тому +59

      "Hey Austria I declare war on you"
      "No, go away, Prussia!"

    • @scotandiamapping4549
      @scotandiamapping4549 Рік тому +45

      You cant, Japan doing that changed nothing, but then again the declaration itself was mostly a formality in the first place

    • @gilbert8162
      @gilbert8162 Рік тому +3

      @@scotandiamapping4549 cue whooshing sound.

    • @Gettles
      @Gettles Рік тому +24

      You can say no to anything. It just becomes inadvisable when the country declaring war on you have a military that can invade you.

    • @ecurewitz
      @ecurewitz Рік тому +1

      Learn a new thing everyday

  • @txs3627
    @txs3627 Рік тому +65

    Poland declared war because of the alliance treaties and the response of Japenese prime minister was “We do not accept Poland’s challenge. The Poles, fighting for their freedom, only declared war on us under pressure from the United Kingdom.” which was true and on paper state of war that existed 16 years since 1957

  • @Gingerbreadley
    @Gingerbreadley Рік тому +77

    When Japan fought Russia in 1905 the poles in Russia offered to rebel to distract Russia. Japan turned them down but gave them a bunch of guns.

    • @randomasshole4249
      @randomasshole4249 Рік тому

      why does that sound so funny..
      JP: here kid, have this cool gun

  • @jordengg3629
    @jordengg3629 Рік тому +217

    I can only imagine how it happened
    “Hey we declare war on you”
    “Nah we’re good”
    “Oh…. Umm, ok then”

  • @yuvalharel3537
    @yuvalharel3537 Рік тому +33

    The writing on Poland gravestone
    ' again Really ' killed me

  • @antonimichera4750
    @antonimichera4750 Рік тому +326

    Interesting fact: Bronisław Piłsudski was a renown anthropologist who studied Ainu people in Japan and he was also a brother of Józef Piłsudski - a Polish independence leader and dictator in the years 1926-1935.

    • @dachu7505
      @dachu7505 Рік тому +21

      He is a hero bro

    • @gtw1200
      @gtw1200 Рік тому +66

      Fun fact: The japanese goverment even put a memorial of Bronislaw Pilsduski in Japan because he was the first person to translate the language spoken by the Ainu tribe and also by preserving their culture.

    • @Student-w-Podrozy-TRAVEL
      @Student-w-Podrozy-TRAVEL Рік тому

      Dictator sounds really bad. He was Marshall of Nation. Poles wanted him to lead the country. Hitler was waiting for death of Piłsudski to attack Poland.

    • @tomaszniemy6066
      @tomaszniemy6066 Рік тому +5

      Also, Bronislaw's wife was Ainu.

    • @berlineczka
      @berlineczka Рік тому +6

      Bronisław was also close friends with Bronisław Malinowski, the founding father of modern anthropology. They exchanged hundreds of letters, which were published a few years back. A fascinating read.

  • @Xoruam
    @Xoruam Рік тому +164

    Another thing is that Poland has been training Japanese radiooperators and cryptologists.
    If you look into Jan Kowalewski, he was the person responsible for breaking Soviet cyphers back during the Polish-Bolshevik war of 1919-1920. Japan found some cyphered messages in the USSR, which they couldn't break, and though initially they were _vehemently_ against it - believing that their grand empire wasn't about to rely on a country that was "created" a few years prior - eventually they gave into the proposition made by Japanese ambassador in Warsaw, who was friends with Kowalewski.
    Polish cryptologists dealt with the cypher in like a week or so, which spurred Japan to invite Kowalewski to Tokyo, and later Poland started sending their officers to teach Japanese cryptologists how to deal with Russian cyphers.

    • @dtikvxcdgjbv7975
      @dtikvxcdgjbv7975 Рік тому

      Xoruam, that means that Poles are the authors of Japanese scientific miracle in 2nd part of 20th century!

    • @FuneFox
      @FuneFox Рік тому +1

      This channel should really make a video on the Polish-Bolshevik war.

  • @CosmicCreeper99
    @CosmicCreeper99 Рік тому +567

    Wow! I feel like literally nobody knows the facts that Japan and Poland of all countries had good relations and Germany’s invasion of Poland could’ve really soured relations with Japan!

    • @Dourkan
      @Dourkan Рік тому +23

      The enemy of my enemy is my friend

    • @uwu_senpai
      @uwu_senpai Рік тому +57

      Yeah and China and Germany had good relationship until Japan invaded in 1937. Hitler informally supported the chinese until 1941.
      During the battle of Shanghai the chinese elite troops were equiped with german weapons.

    • @VeganSemihCyprus33
      @VeganSemihCyprus33 Рік тому

      One of the most important videos on the internet: The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

    • @InfernosReaper
      @InfernosReaper Рік тому +8

      It's almost as if Japan shouldn't have even bothered allying with Germany in the first place.

    • @dondajulah4168
      @dondajulah4168 Рік тому +2

      ​@@astolfofansunny4047 Japan had opportunities in the Pacific and South Asia if GB and France were tied down fighting Germany. They also both were opposed to the USSR until Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and then Japan got spanked by the Red Army in Mongolia while Germany was planning to invade. As the video stated as well, acknowledging the DOW would have meant implicit recognition that a Free Polish government existed which would not have gone over well with Germany. Regardless of their prior friendly relations, the rejection of the DOW probably had more to do with maintaining good relations with Germany than with the Poles.

  • @galatheumbreon6862
    @galatheumbreon6862 Рік тому +931

    I found it charming that Japan still cared a lot about Poland, and even protested when Germany conquered it

    • @3st3st77
      @3st3st77 Рік тому +77

      They protested Germany supporting the Soviets. I don't think the Japanese cared too much about Poland.

    • @Soleks100000
      @Soleks100000 Рік тому +161

      Meanwhile, Hungary, also a German ally, in september 1939 declared that they would not take part in the invasion because Poland and Hungary were friends(and they still are).

    • @jirachi-wishmaker9242
      @jirachi-wishmaker9242 Рік тому

      Literally,
      Nazis with China
      Imperial Japan with Poland

    • @yarpen26
      @yarpen26 Рік тому +50

      All this talk about friendships between states fails to get the basic point that it's very easy to be buddies as long as you don't share a border. The only reason why Poland opted for Japan instead of, say, China, was because China was perceived as too weak against Russia and the alliance was forged _solely_ in common defiance of the USSR. Nothing more. From the very onset of post-WWI Polish independence, everybody knew that sooner or later Germany would ally with the USSR against Poland (it was actually Hitler's rise to power that blinded the Polish elites to this threat due to his rabid anti-communism so they thought the Weimar-era danger to be over) so the only sound course of action was for Poland to get Russia an Eastern foe on its own, someone to distract it with.
      Hell, in the '80s, there were some half-hearted attempts to get cozy with China on the very same basis: Eastern deterrent for Russia. However, Poland's endeavors to place a friendly army on the other side of Russia failed once again. That's why Poland is so militant about its NATO membership: the US is quite simply the only alternative left.

    • @anderskorsback4104
      @anderskorsback4104 Рік тому

      Well, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact really caused a rift between Germany and Japan. Before it, Japan was very much up for invading the Soviet Union together.

  • @antuha-cs4ie
    @antuha-cs4ie Рік тому +370

    Love to Japan from Poland 🇯🇵❤🇵🇱

    • @pancytryna9378
      @pancytryna9378 Рік тому +8

      UwU

    • @ShadowkeeperTei
      @ShadowkeeperTei Рік тому +22

      Nice try, Todd. I'm not buying another copy of Sky-
      *Downloading - 47%*
      Damn it.

    • @MarScbl
      @MarScbl Рік тому +19

      love form Poland to Japan

    • @patrickohooliganpl
      @patrickohooliganpl Рік тому +24

      🇵🇱❤🇯🇵 together forever!!!

    • @jacobwong2230
      @jacobwong2230 Рік тому +8

      兄弟から姉妹へ
      bracia siostrom
      From an American

  • @rogerkeleshian2215
    @rogerkeleshian2215 Рік тому +22

    They once referred to Poland as a "Samurai state".

  • @aminadabbrulle8252
    @aminadabbrulle8252 Рік тому +527

    "W nadziei na trwały dobrobyt i przyjaźń obu krajów."

  • @mehornyasfk
    @mehornyasfk Рік тому +480

    Poland: I declare war on you, Japan!
    Japan: No.
    Poland: Understandable, have a nice day.
    And thus, they lived happily ever after, giving birth to Greenland in the process.

  • @fernbedek6302
    @fernbedek6302 Рік тому +58

    Poland: “This means war.”
    Japan: “Have you had a snickers?”

  • @captainjames8799
    @captainjames8799 Рік тому +36

    Poland and Japan being Allies is like those sitcoms where a new character is introduced yet we are supposed to act like he’s always been there

  • @PJH-vd7ve
    @PJH-vd7ve Рік тому +888

    It's worth noting that by openly rejecting Poland's delcration of war, Japan recognized our continued existence despite full occupation by Germany.
    Japan and Poland were always allies because of Russia. WWII was literally the only low point and I'm glad that Japan rejected our delaration.

    • @ondank
      @ondank Рік тому +42

      "The only low point"
      Yeah, but as far as low points go, it was about as low as the Mariana trench.

    • @sebsebski2829
      @sebsebski2829 Рік тому +3

      @@ondank Well.... come on.... yes

    • @DoctorDeath147
      @DoctorDeath147 Рік тому +67

      @@ondank not even low at all. As the video stated, the Polish and Japanese didn't fight and continued to spy on the Soviets

    • @Luboman411
      @Luboman411 Рік тому +40

      Wasn't there also a Japanese diplomat in Poland and the Baltic nations that gave out Japanese visas willy-nilly? The bravery of this one Japanese diplomat rescued tens of thousands of Poles, Latvians and Jews who were headed straight to the concentration and death camps. I bet the Japanese government tolerated this only because he helped Poles for the most part.

    • @bubbledoubletrouble
      @bubbledoubletrouble Рік тому +10

      @@Luboman411 Chiune Sugihara was posted in Lithuania, and if by “tolerated” you mean “asked him to resign”-ostensibly because of layoffs-sure. Pretty odd for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to apologize to his family in 2000 simply for laying him off, though.

  • @maddrone7814
    @maddrone7814 Рік тому +64

    Poland: I’m at war with Japan
    Japan: *Ive never met this man in my life*

  • @xFurashux
    @xFurashux Рік тому +222

    As a Pole my respect for Japan increased for not recognising our communist government for years.

    • @wederMaxim
      @wederMaxim Рік тому +3

      But you're all right now! Isn't that right? Everything is so cool that the government does not even blame the past and Russia for the problems... wait....

    • @mif4731
      @mif4731 10 місяців тому +21

      ​@@wederMaximof course we blame Russia for the past...

    • @Tmb1112
      @Tmb1112 5 місяців тому +7

      @@wederMaxim it's always been Russia's fault, so why wouldn't they blame Russia? And Russia still hasn't changed, so...

  • @adamantolski4065
    @adamantolski4065 Рік тому +36

    Here's a story I once heard from one of my elder relatives: During the Russo-Japanese War of 1905, you could go to a cinema in Poland to see a Russian Film Chronicle informing the population of the Russian Empire how the war is going on. This is becouse Poland was part of the Empira back then. Polish people would go the cinema wearing japanese headbands and shout "banzai" in their seats whenever they heard about Russian losses.

    • @may-ky6jl
      @may-ky6jl Рік тому

      😂😂 Sorry , Just that you made me chuckle at scenery of the movie.

  • @waltski4375
    @waltski4375 Рік тому +254

    Child: "I learned a really quirky thing about WW2 today."
    Parent: "It involved Poland, right?"
    Child: "How did you know?"
    Parent: "When I hear quirky and WW2, more often than not, it involves Poland."

    • @ComissarYarrick
      @ComissarYarrick Рік тому +38

      Well, I personaly would use word "tragic", but the rest checks out

    • @WysokieSwiatlaFlupy
      @WysokieSwiatlaFlupy Рік тому +37

      ​@@ComissarYarrick "Dad, today I've learned about corporal Wojciech the freaking bear, who drunk beer, smoked cigarettes and wrestled with soldiers. They can make drunkard out of anything, truly tragic..."

    • @drill_don684
      @drill_don684 Рік тому +33

      @@WysokieSwiatlaFlupy "Yeah murdering of literal milions of civilians was pretty bad and all but have you heard about the bear in polish army? WW2 was so funny"

    • @moscuadelendaest
      @moscuadelendaest Рік тому +4

      @@drill_don684 seriously?

    • @DaviHorner
      @DaviHorner Рік тому +2

      @@WysokieSwiatlaFlupy The best part is that apparently, that is the 3rd time this happened, I still couldn't find any information about the 3rd one outside a comment on youtube, the 1st is from WW1 and there's a memorial to the bear in a zoo on Scotland.

  • @8ig0r86
    @8ig0r86 Рік тому +104

    Japan: *rejects a war declaration*
    Any other country that's ever been invaded: "My goodness, what an idea. Why didn't I think of that?"

  • @yibithehispanic
    @yibithehispanic Рік тому +25

    Poland can make allies and friends in the most unimaginable places of the world

    • @ahnafusaid8028
      @ahnafusaid8028 Рік тому +3

      This is exactly the problem for Poland. While had allies in the weirdest places their immediate neighbour were their 1 enemy

  • @cooldownboi3890
    @cooldownboi3890 Рік тому +11

    Germany: Declare war on Poland!
    Hungary: No 🗿
    Romania: No 🗿
    Japan: No 🗿

  • @kaanyasin3733
    @kaanyasin3733 Рік тому +14

    "We declare war"
    "No"
    *Gigachad music*

  • @susangoaway
    @susangoaway Рік тому +50

    Another fun fact is that the Piłsudski family name lives on in Japan, due to Józef Piłsudski's brother emigrating to Hokkaido

    • @cetus4449
      @cetus4449 Рік тому +9

      Bronisław Piłsudski was an ethnographer. He conducted research on the Ainu culture on the island of Hokkaido. One of the effects of his work are unique sound recordings recorded on 100 wax rollers.
      He settled in an Ainu village, fell in love with an Ainu woman, Chufsanma, officially married her and had a son and daughter. He was friends with the Japanese writer and poet Shimei Futabatei
      Futabatei recalled that Bronisław Piłsudski was an eccentric with a good heart who excitedly emphasized at every step that he had to do something to help Ainu.

    • @agatasobczak802
      @agatasobczak802 Рік тому

      Był zeslancem-więźniem politycznym

  • @JakieToJestPojebane
    @JakieToJestPojebane Рік тому +81

    There are cultural similarities between Poland and Japan. Both countries adopted the culture of their warrior class as their national identity, the samurai in case of Japan and the nobility (szlachta) in case of Poland. That might explain why the Japanese referred to Poland as "an honorable nation" or "samurai nation."

    • @RiczardGW
      @RiczardGW Рік тому +7

      Z tym, że szlachta nie miała krzty honoru.

    • @cetus4449
      @cetus4449 Рік тому +10

      @@RiczardGW Przestań pluć na Polaków, postsowiecie.

    • @cetus4449
      @cetus4449 Рік тому +6

      To prawda. Dopiero lektura książki "Katana i Karabela" W. Winklera mi to intrygujące zjawisko uświadomiła. Na pewno znasz tę książkę.

    • @denkigama5331
      @denkigama5331 Рік тому +6

      @@cetus4449 przecież nie pluje na Polaków. Szlachta doprowadziła do rozbiorów.

    • @vibovitold
      @vibovitold Рік тому +10

      @@denkigama5331 bardziej magnateria niż szlachta. czyli mówiąc współczesnym językiem - oligarchowie. którzy byli zwykłemu szlachcicowi równi wyłącznie w teorii (podobnie jak dziś miliarderowie są tylko teoretycznie równi - w świetle prawa - drobnym przedsiębiorcom).
      zresztą feudalny i raczej przestarzały ustrój Japonii też okazał się dla niej niezbyt korzystny, dostali przyspieszoną i brutalną lekcję modernizacji.

  • @VoxPopuli666
    @VoxPopuli666 Рік тому +48

    Call me a dummy, but I had no idea Poland shares such a strong relationship with Japan. Now I totally understand why so many Japenese are eager to learn Polish. May our friendship last until the end of time!

  • @carltonleboss
    @carltonleboss Рік тому +108

    Never knew Japan and Poland had such a close relationship between the wars

    • @brucenorman8904
      @brucenorman8904 Рік тому +21

      Turkey had an even longer friendly relationship with Poland even though their armies fought each other on several occasions. When Russian, Prussia and Austro-Hungary partitioned Poland in 1795, turkey sealed the Polish embassy but never closed it and never recognized the dissolution of the Polish State.

    • @jnow7112
      @jnow7112 Рік тому +5

      They were saparated by only 1 country tho.

    • @Micha-ge3ws
      @Micha-ge3ws Рік тому +2

      @@jnow7112 go to school

    • @cybernetic-ransomware1485
      @cybernetic-ransomware1485 Рік тому

      And still has.

    • @ksr7765
      @ksr7765 Рік тому

      @@Micha-ge3ws 🤡

  • @KoRbA2310
    @KoRbA2310 Рік тому +144

    If someone is interested how Poland was viewed by Japanese government you can read a book called Bushido: The Soul of Japan written by Nitobe Inazo

    • @run2fire
      @run2fire Рік тому +7

      Dziękuję. Will check out

    • @fatalmokrane
      @fatalmokrane Рік тому

      It was just a circumstantial ally agaist the USSR empire, nothing more. Stop with the bullshit. If poland was in place of Korea, japan would've invaded it.

    • @TheKaczmarr
      @TheKaczmarr Рік тому +1

      @@Mk84903 from other comments I assume it's about the "Samurai Nation" part of the book

    • @yk32b0
      @yk32b0 Рік тому +9

      It's a bit more complicated. You'd be hard pressed to find any mention of Poland in Bishodo: The Soul of Japan when reading it in English.
      It was first published in 1900 in the US and relies entirely on comparisons between Japanese and western culture/history/philosophy. You could interpret it as a propaganda piece for the west, aiming to present a more familiar, westernized face of Imperial Japan and declaring its superiority to other nations in Asia (wonder where could this be going).
      What did happen is, the book was translated to Polish and published in 1904 in Lwów and this edition starts with a special preface by Nitobe for Polish readers.
      In it the author mentions his voyages to Poland, admires Poles as a 'chivalrous nation', also draws out other interesting comparisons, emphasizing similarities between the Polish and the Japanese.
      As far as I know this preface was never translated to English but keeps getting referenced, because of the 'samurai/chivalrous nation' part.
      I wouldn't go as far as interpreting Nitobe's piece as the view of the Japanese or their government on Poland, which didn't even exist as an independent state at the time it was written. It was, in all likelyhood published this way in order to destabilize the Russian Empire, an enemy in the Russo-Japanese War started in 1904.
      The book is still interesting with or without this context, I definitely recommend it.

    • @Xtrems
      @Xtrems Рік тому +35

      @@yk32b0 I've spent the last hour searching for that preface and finally found it. I'll put a part of it through google translate for others here
      "In the moment of having the privilege of speaking to such a brave and chivalrous nation as the Poles, I feel a pleasure akin to that of a visit of a friend coming from distant lands.
      I was lucky to twice come into contact with the land of the old state of the Bolesławs, Batorys and Sobieskis, and each time, for the second time moreso than the first, the impressions I had previously received while reading the patriotic story of Kościuszko and Dąbrowski and the no less patriotic songs of Niemcewicz and Mickiewicz grew even more intense.
      A nation so strongly attached to its past, that surrounds it's fatherland with such a passionate love, and endowed with such masculine virtues, with such a rich history, has to find many points of contact with us. And yes, even our words, which at first glance you would think could come from some barbarian jargon, will find, after clarifying their meaning, the equivalents in your dictionary and parallels in your history. Words such as «d a i m i o» and «s a m u r a i» may reveal to the Polish ears their proper content and importance, when we compare them to the Polish «c a s t e l l a n s» and «s t a r o s t s». Similarly, the story of the «F o r t y - s e v e n r ō n i n" will acquire the proper meaning and poetry only when you tell Polish readers that it is as dear to our hearts, as the fates of the «B a r C o n f e d e r a t e s» are to theirs. The true meaning of the word "Y a m a t o" will strike your ears with a pleasant sound, if you at the same time remember the name "S a r m a t i a" that is dear to you. I am well aware of all these and far greater difficulties which the translator has to overcome."

  • @sambmortimer
    @sambmortimer Рік тому +11

    "We hereby declare war on Japan"
    "No"
    "Understandable, have a nice day"

  • @Luboman411
    @Luboman411 Рік тому +90

    Wasn't there also a Japanese diplomat in Poland and the Baltic nations that gave out Japanese visas willy-nilly? I forget his name, but Israel has made this guy one of their "Righteous Among The Nations." The bravery of this one Japanese diplomat rescued tens of thousands of Poles, Latvians and Jews from certain death in the Nazi concentration and death camps. I bet the Japanese government tolerated this wayward diplomat for so long only because he helped Poles for the most part.

    • @aleksandarvil5718
      @aleksandarvil5718 Рік тому +14

      Chiune Sugihara, Japanese Empire's Vice-Consul in Kaunas, then-capital of Lithuania [INTERWAR PERIOD]

    • @lusciouslocks8790
      @lusciouslocks8790 Рік тому +8

      The Japanese government did not “tolerate” him. He himself said afterwards he thinks they probably didn’t even really know what he was doing. He was given explicit orders to NOT forge visas when he asked and he said “fuck it, I’m doing it anyways”.

    • @Luboman411
      @Luboman411 Рік тому +7

      @@lusciouslocks8790 The Japanese government did tolerate it because the visas Sugihara issued were meant for travel to Japan (through the USSR). The Japanese allowed these refugees into port cities like Kobe and Fukuoka by their thousands for transit to third nations despite their "faulty" visas. If they didn't tolerate this, they would've completely closed off Japan to all these refugees, citing invalid visas signed by Sugihara. They didn't. So clearly this was allowed because of Japanese goodwill toward Poland and Polish neighbors like Lithuania. As for Sugihara, he was punished because there's nothing more shameful in Japanese culture than to rebel against your bosses. Sugihara had to pay a steep, painful price for that.

  • @jalawami
    @jalawami Рік тому +206

    Suggestion for future topic: How did North Macedonia gain independence from Yugoslavia without any bloodshed while there was a war in every other part of Yugoslavia?

    • @matthewboyle2641
      @matthewboyle2641 Рік тому +25

      Slovenia also broke free peacefully I'm pretty sure. Also Montenegro but that happened a lot later

    • @jalawami
      @jalawami Рік тому +24

      @@matthewboyle2641 sorry, but no. There was 10 day war, but Yugoslavian government didn't really commit to it and gave up pretty soon. Montenegro on the other hand stayed in the Yugoslavia until Yugoslavia transformed into FR of Serbia and Montenegro, so it can't be really be considered as gaining independence from Yugoslavia

    • @Toonrick12
      @Toonrick12 Рік тому +8

      Didn't Slovenia break away without a war? As for why, I assume that North Macedonia wasn't considered to be "Yugoslavian" or in other words "Serbian" enough to be worth fighting over for. Compare that to Bosnia and Croatia which WHERE part of core Yugoslavia. Lastly, Bulgaria might of pressured Belgrade to let the Macedonians go or else it would of joined the dog pile of countries that were supporting the new independent states.

    • @VeganSemihCyprus33
      @VeganSemihCyprus33 Рік тому

      One of the most important videos on the internet: The Connections (2021) [short documentary] 🔥

    • @bluemoondiadochi
      @bluemoondiadochi Рік тому +6

      @@Toonrick12 yea, well, it was easy for Slovenia to do since it had Croatia as a buffer state. Serbian-led yugoslav authorities projected power from Serb-majority regions within Yugoslavia, and you had a lot of those bordering (and also inside) Croatia. but what bordered Slovenia was just Croat-populated areas which were hostile to the central government, so there was no feasable way to project power into Slovenia without pacifying Croatia first.

  • @davidconstantin4012
    @davidconstantin4012 Рік тому +32

    Here's a fun fact!
    During the Nazi occupation of Poland, a Japanese Diplomat tried to save some Polish people from persecution.

    • @bartomiejzakrzewski7220
      @bartomiejzakrzewski7220 Рік тому +8

      it is not fu fact, it is honorable fact

    • @wirezd4279
      @wirezd4279 Рік тому +6

      The Germans does the same for Chinese civilians a year ago in 1938

    • @Hand-in-Shot_Productions
      @Hand-in-Shot_Productions Рік тому

      I do not remember the diplomat's name, but I have heard of him! Maybe later, I will do some research and edit the comment to include some more information. For now, thanks for the comment!

    • @graceneilitz7661
      @graceneilitz7661 10 місяців тому +1

      A German diplomat did the same with the Chinese. Showing that Germany and Japan were not really ideological allies.

    • @davidconstantin4012
      @davidconstantin4012 10 місяців тому

      @@graceneilitz7661 Germany was a Nationalist-Socialist state, who opposed monarchism. While Japan was a state ruled by the military, while there being a rivalry between the navy and the army. But in general, Japan was pretty much a Monarchy. Only thing that made them allies was their enemies and the militarism

  • @Remington510
    @Remington510 Рік тому +29

    The twisted relation of Poland USSR Japan gets even weirder if you get to know that Joseph Piłsudski's older brother, Bronislav got sentenced for partisan activity under Russian Empire's occupied Poland and a plot to assasinate the Tzar, Lenin's brother was part of the plot (Aleksandr Ulyanov). Bronislav got exiled to Sakhalin and later moved to Hokkaido, where he studied and documented Ainu people, natives of Hokkaido and created many language dictionaries. When the Russian-Japanese war broke out in 1906 he befriended a japanese writer and created an association for Japanese-Polish friendship which [in the end] led to the first cultural exchanges between Poland and Japan :D Yea, a bit late, but keep in mind that Japan was an isolationist country for centuries, and when they opened up, Poland was already off the maps until 1918 - so only the following year Poland and Japan were finally able to establish diplomatic relations in official capacity.

  • @joeyjojojrshabadoo7462
    @joeyjojojrshabadoo7462 Рік тому +19

    As diplomatic tactics go, saying the declaration of war was made under duress and therefore invalid is a good one. Gives both nations a decent 'out' to just ignore it.

    • @julianbrelsford
      @julianbrelsford Рік тому

      Not sure they needed an excuse... Could have said "I'll for sure plan come fight you at a place to be determined and a date to be determined after I get some army units available AND the logistical capacity to transport & support them for a war that is 24000km away by the most efficient shipping route.

  • @drew413
    @drew413 Рік тому +274

    Can you imagine Poland, having been ground zero for WW2, with all their suffering and death, only for no one to recognize their government any more once the war ended?

    • @paulusillyriusiudathaddaio2530
      @paulusillyriusiudathaddaio2530 Рік тому +161

      Yeah, we have been pretty much sold to stalin despite actively fighting for the allies through the entire war and on every front in europe

    • @spacemanspud7073
      @spacemanspud7073 Рік тому +133

      It's worse the more you read about it. Like, the new government started executing polish resistance members for one.

    • @dwarow2508
      @dwarow2508 Рік тому +1

      @@spacemanspud7073 Ah you mean like the old one executing Ukrainian civilians and banning their language?

    • @felipea1399
      @felipea1399 Рік тому +15

      @@paulusillyriusiudathaddaio2530 tbh its better than starting another massive conflict after WW2 ended. A lot of the world thought that the allies and soviets would go to war during Stalin's last years

    • @melvinencinascabrera4897
      @melvinencinascabrera4897 Рік тому +18

      The same hapenes in korea, there was a goverment in exige in china but both the US and USSR ignored it because influence

  • @MuNu_XiPi
    @MuNu_XiPi Рік тому +9

    Poland: *We declare war on you*
    Japan: _No_
    Poland: *Understandable. Have a great day.*

  • @emperornapoleon6204
    @emperornapoleon6204 Рік тому +2

    I love tidbits like this - your channel at its finest!

  • @highmarx2404
    @highmarx2404 Рік тому +7

    Your videos are cool, learning history from you is incredibly enjoyable

  • @pilifhunter4864
    @pilifhunter4864 Рік тому +75

    Fun fact: fighter ace Witold Urbanowicz was the only polish soldier who fought against Japan. He volounteered the Flying Tigers in 1943.

    • @ComissarYarrick
      @ComissarYarrick Рік тому +4

      Well, he and also few thousands of Poles enlisted in many US armed forcces :P .

    • @zepter00
      @zepter00 Рік тому +3

      @@ComissarYarrick rather few dozens thousends were citiznes of USA and mostly had not Polish citizenship.

    • @gottjager760
      @gottjager760 Рік тому +6

      More significantly, some 273 Free Poles served with the Royal West African Frontier Force (Gold Coast Regiment, Nigeria Regiment, Sierra Leone Regiment and Gambia Regiment), who intern served in Burma with the 81st and 82nd West African Divisions.

    • @dachu7505
      @dachu7505 Рік тому +1

      Mf that's the generic name for a ace pilot in HOI4

  • @jeanvonestling7408
    @jeanvonestling7408 Рік тому +14

    "Again, Really?" - made me lol like many other such small things in those videos. And kudos for presenting Polish military uniform.

  • @HiekerMJ
    @HiekerMJ Рік тому +2

    I just love the newspapers you create; shown for less than a second but I always pause and at least one giggle out of what I read.

  • @davidodonovan1699
    @davidodonovan1699 Рік тому +23

    Wow. My mind is sort of blown. I presume around 90% of us that watched this also had no idea Polish - Japanese relations was a thing at all back then.
    Like that spy network makes perfect sense, but still wow.

  • @stefanschleps8758
    @stefanschleps8758 Рік тому +8

    Love this channel. Funny, informative, and concise. Keep up the good work.

  • @richardsantosgarcia8972
    @richardsantosgarcia8972 Рік тому +29

    This sounds like the plot of one of those friendship beats all odds kind of anime XD
    *I know it's not your fault Poland, you're still my friend!*
    -Japan, probably.

  • @LittleGibler
    @LittleGibler Рік тому +2

    "Fight me!"
    "no"

  • @SaberTI
    @SaberTI Рік тому +35

    Poland has a very interesting history. Is one of those few nations nobody can really be mad about or can find anything really bad in their history to mention.

    • @bartswitalski
      @bartswitalski Рік тому

      Just one of many things: enslavement in all but name of vast masses of Poles, Lithuaninas, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, etc ... via serfdom
      There are no saints in this world

    • @Vatras888
      @Vatras888 Рік тому +8

      Hmm... If you realy want to you will find. We treated badly Ukrainians almost for all our history. We were antisemitic (as whole Europe) but still... What else... In 20' we wanted to have colonies. We wanted to buy Madagaskar from France. We partitioned Czechoslovakia with Hitler in 38 and... Yes that would be all. I think.

    • @dariuszblack7956
      @dariuszblack7956 Рік тому

      @@Vatras888 about Ukraine and cossacs. Did you know how taxes were lowered for then? How many were treated as legal nobles? Only thing done was magnats works to get rich at expense of Ukrainian people. Even forced turning to catholic faith was done by Ukrainian Noble convert.

    • @Vatras888
      @Vatras888 Рік тому

      @@dariuszblack7956 They were mostly treated as sub humans. Otherwise they would not rebel

    • @dariuszblack7956
      @dariuszblack7956 Рік тому

      @@Vatras888 Rebels. Did you know most famous uprising were created because wife of Chmielnicki cheated him with Polish Noble and he lost also much money? Second uprising was about tax raising to level of others provinces? Only legal reason for discontent was political decision to minimize number of sossacks nobles because they got titles for military services. Rest was instigated by Russia and Tatars.

  • @KostitosConQueso
    @KostitosConQueso Рік тому +16

    - Poland: "1-2-3-4, I declare a formal war."
    - Japan: "No."

    • @mikicerise6250
      @mikicerise6250 Рік тому +2

      Japan: "1-2-3-4, you don't have a naval corps."

  • @pangranacik7011
    @pangranacik7011 Рік тому +309

    I'll be honest, this was the weirdest piece of historical information I've seen about my country. Never heard any of these in the past, I thought my country wouldn't have anything to do with a random island on the pacific ocean, but it's certainly one of the coolest things I've heard in a while. Like out of nowhere Japan protested in our favour and sold us guns in the past, supporting our cause.

    • @tropicalfruit4571
      @tropicalfruit4571 Рік тому +21

      It's sad how limited our history lessons were and focused on remembering names and dates rather than actual history. But hey, at least we have updated the events of the past now to teach them on history lessons :')

    • @FreddyFazbears0_0
      @FreddyFazbears0_0 Рік тому +7

      @@tropicalfruit4571 Yeah. I also hate that our history is mostly centerned about ourselfs. I would love to learn some Asian history, but nahh, polska gloria or some shit.

    • @koraptd6085
      @koraptd6085 Рік тому +26

      Japan = random island in the Pacific
      lol
      Wydaje mi się, że oni znaczą o wiele więcej niż my i to tak od czasów reformacji Meiji xd

    • @pangranacik7011
      @pangranacik7011 Рік тому +5

      Przeczytaj ten komentarz jeszcze raz, zwróć uwagę na moje zadowolenie tą informacją i pozytywnym przesłaniem komentarza.
      Nie chce wszczynać wojny w komentarzach, bo to fakt że Japonia była jest i prawdopodobnie będzie o wiele większa od Polski na scenie międzynarodowej.
      Było to tylko moje przypuszczenie perspektywy przeciętnego polaka wczesnego dwudziestego wieku na temat Japonii

    • @maras3naraz
      @maras3naraz Рік тому +3

      @@pangranacik7011 całkiem niedawno Kaczor albo Pinokio o tym gadał.
      Oczywiście wybiórcza i jej środowiska to wyśmiały.
      Taki mamy klimat.

  • @MoonlightBelladonna
    @MoonlightBelladonna Рік тому +11

    I know quite a bit about the second world war but I never knew about this. Great video, I love learning more about this era of history.

  • @INecr0
    @INecr0 Рік тому +9

    Poland: We're at war.
    Japan: No.
    Poland: Understandable, have a great day.

  • @maxkennedy8075
    @maxkennedy8075 Рік тому +40

    Imagine if Stalin just said “no” to Hitler
    All the Germans would just stop and go home

    • @kindlingking
      @kindlingking Рік тому

      @@uglarthenosmart4573 germans should've said "no, go away" to Hitler and prevented the whole thing

    • @yarpen26
      @yarpen26 Рік тому

      Hitler only ever issued a declaration of war once, against the US. Stalin did so twice, against Bulgaria and Japan. Both men remain largely uncredited for laying the foundations for a war that is not really a war, just an "intervention" or "special military operation".

    • @gamerdrache6076
      @gamerdrache6076 Рік тому

      isn´t like germany had allies

    • @vibovitold
      @vibovitold Рік тому

      Meaning Stalin would get to invade first, and the Soviet Union would have probably reached the Atlantic shore, the entirety of Germany, Italy, France etc. becoming Soviet republics.
      Such larger, more resourceful USSR might have persisted to this very day instead of collapsing in the early 1990s.

  • @vladschannel6302
    @vladschannel6302 Рік тому +9

    Keep up with the good work!!

  • @ar0naimstar
    @ar0naimstar Рік тому +3

    "Dear Poland,
    *NO*
    your dear friend, Japan"

  • @drsolfernus8699
    @drsolfernus8699 Рік тому +20

    Our nations still maintain friendly relations; maybe not in a political sense, but rather in the social and cultural spheres. Sophisticated Japanese tradition and fascinating history are very popular in Poland, besides ...
    Japanese never showed us disregard nor contempt, as the anglo-saxons do on every opportunity.

  • @alder2460
    @alder2460 Рік тому +118

    Even more to it, during war, Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara in Kowno was issuing visas to Jewish refugees to help them escape occupations through Japan, saving thousands of lifes. Many of those stayed in Japan, and even when Germany demanded to give them up, Japan refuses.

    • @timmccarthy872
      @timmccarthy872 Рік тому

      Yeah but that was in Lithuania dog

    • @vibovitold
      @vibovitold Рік тому +15

      There's this cute anecdote I once read in a foreword to the Polish edition of Philip K. Dick's "The Man in the High Castle".
      I believe it was in the translator's foreword (Jęczmyk's, if I'm not mistaken).
      According to it, the Japanese authorities ask the rabbi - who was naturally a community leader among the refugees trying to get asylum - a simple question: "why do the Germans hate you so much?"
      And the rabbi comes up with just the right answer on the spot: "Germans hate us because we're Asians" :) The asylum was granted.

    • @MJ-uk6lu
      @MJ-uk6lu Рік тому

      It's not Kowno, it's Kaunas

    • @typhoon353
      @typhoon353 Рік тому +3

      @@MJ-uk6lu It is Kowno and Wilna will be Polish also

    • @MJ-uk6lu
      @MJ-uk6lu Рік тому

      @@typhoon353 Poles didn't occupy Kaunas so fuck calling it Kowno.

  • @STCloud-xg6zc
    @STCloud-xg6zc Рік тому +3

    *USA sends nukes at Iran*
    Iran: "No."
    *nukes do a u-turn*

  • @Pinefenario
    @Pinefenario Рік тому

    This is why we watch this channel! Well done! 😃👍

  • @ZWIREKiMUCHOMOREK
    @ZWIREKiMUCHOMOREK Рік тому +66

    Cieszę się, że powiedziałeś iż Niemcy i Rosja wspólnie najechały Polskę! Brawo za szerzenie prawdy historycznej.

  • @oenrn
    @oenrn Рік тому +5

    Every invaded country in history:
    "Wait, that was an option?"

  • @zlosliwa_menda
    @zlosliwa_menda Рік тому +5

    Ah, there's no truer friendship than the one built upon espionage against a mutual enemy.

  • @HarvestStore
    @HarvestStore Рік тому +1

    Great video.

  • @oliversherman2414
    @oliversherman2414 Рік тому

    I love your channel keep up the great stuff!

  • @kittyn5222
    @kittyn5222 Рік тому +4

    "I HATE YOU"
    "no you don't polen-kun"

  • @Eggnog18
    @Eggnog18 Рік тому +1

    The newspaper articles in these videos are always funny, but this video's was doubly hilarious. Great job!

  • @TotalWar01
    @TotalWar01 Рік тому

    James Bissonette, constantly bringing me answers to questions I haven't thought of yet :)

  • @kingace6186
    @kingace6186 Рік тому +8

    You better believe I search that quote up SO damn fast. (1:33) I honestly wouldn't be surprised if that was something that Theodore would state with a straight face.

  • @sheepproductions7943
    @sheepproductions7943 Рік тому +3

    I love how in his videos History Matters presents topics that are difficult to dive into in his simple format, presenting it in this way makes it really easy to understand and take that information and remember it. So History Matters=S tier channel

  • @Chief4Army117
    @Chief4Army117 Рік тому +1

    2:08- This is why I love this channel so much!

  • @Vincent.Morreale
    @Vincent.Morreale Рік тому

    I did not know that, very good video once again!

  • @arcie3716
    @arcie3716 Рік тому +6

    I didn’t even know that Japan and Poland were close. Love how they bonded over hating the same enemy 😭

  • @_Adie
    @_Adie Рік тому +7

    Well, I'm Polish, and nobody ever taught me that in any of my history classes. I'd never fail that test, man.
    Poland and Japan were homies? That's so cool.

  • @peterj5083
    @peterj5083 8 місяців тому +5

    Japan has the Samurai and Poland has the Winged Hussars !!! Part of the reason why the Japanese have an affinity towards Poland is because of Chopin, a son of Poland. They love his music.

  • @alparslankorkmaz2964
    @alparslankorkmaz2964 Рік тому +1

    Nice video.

  • @darreljones8645
    @darreljones8645 Рік тому +4

    The Japanese guy "spying" with a fake nose at 1:06 is one of the funniest images History Matters has ever done, especially since his characters usually don't have visible noses.

  • @Theology.101
    @Theology.101 Рік тому +10

    “Nah.” - japan

    • @noob7721
      @noob7721 Рік тому

      lol

    • @brendonganga7499
      @brendonganga7499 Рік тому

      You didn’t finish the video before commenting

    • @Theology.101
      @Theology.101 Рік тому

      @@brendonganga7499 i didnt, i commented the second i saw the title because i thought it was funny

  • @frutson
    @frutson Рік тому +12

    Bronisław Piłsudski, interwar Poland's leader's brother was involved in the plot to assassinate the Russian Tsar. He was exiled to Sakhalin, he started studying the Ainu people there and in Hokkaido, finally settled there, married an Ainu woman and had children with her. To this day his descendants live in Japan.
    PS
    Golden Kamuy is a great manga and anime.

  • @dinodavid5315
    @dinodavid5315 Рік тому

    Waiting a week for a 3 minute video is depressing, but the videos are sooo good that it keeps me going, lol.

  • @MaxBurnHeart
    @MaxBurnHeart Рік тому +34

    It's a very interesting topic. I'm from Poland, and in school, there's not much talking about it. No real mention of Polish and Japanese relations, it's only mentioned that we have very good relations with Hungary. In fact, Japan is often presented in a negative way. As in, they are remembered as the ones who allied with Germany during WW2 and provoked the poor USA into WW2. You would think that if we had such good relations, it would be reflected a bit. Then again, Turkey is also presented in not a good way, which is... just wrong. They were genuinely good for us after Poland lost their independence for 123 years.
    I'm a big fan of history, so I knew about their true relationship, but it's confusing why schools try to hide that. I know that schools aren't the best source of valid information (which is quite ironic), but giving false information to force us into thinking it's the truth is idiotic.

    • @drill_don684
      @drill_don684 Рік тому

      You got a bad teacher I have never heard that unprovoked Japan attacked innocent USA , or that Turkey was bad whatever you mean. But I don't think you should be proud of those friendships, Imperial Japan was just asian nazis with all the murdering and stuff they did in China and the Ottoman Empire was just weak shadow of the once great nation

    • @Litwinus
      @Litwinus Рік тому +1

      It was enough to be interested in history to know it. As for the Japanese, the fact that they were close to us does not change the fact that they were more brutal than the Germans.

    • @Jaime_Protein_Cannister
      @Jaime_Protein_Cannister Рік тому +2

      Japan is usually presented very neutrally , MOSTLY as the agressor against US... But In fact the focus is more on the twin Nuclear bomb attack and Personally when learning about Japan's role in the ww2 the Nukes are most memorable.
      I remamber questioning as a kid , why is such a Nation (that nukes the innocent) still considered as "good side"? Lol

  • @nmf0
    @nmf0 Рік тому +8

    This is insane, I'm Polish and I never knew any of this.

  • @kugelblitz5812
    @kugelblitz5812 Рік тому +20

    Ironic also that the Germans had a close relationship with China; the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht supplied and trained Chinese nationalist forces in the 30's before the Tripartite Pact with Italy and Japan was signed. Many in the Wehrmacht and German foreign ministry still considered China an ally even after the Japanese alliance was signed.

    • @dtikvxcdgjbv7975
      @dtikvxcdgjbv7975 Рік тому

      And then they abandoned China... No wonder that they lost the war.

    • @deadby15
      @deadby15 Рік тому

      Seemingly alot of Chinese men still like the Geman military.
      Also, Germany, along with France and Russia pressured Japan to return the Shan Dong Peninsla to China.

    • @ericthegreat7805
      @ericthegreat7805 Рік тому

      I like your profile picture.

  • @Shabazza84
    @Shabazza84 Рік тому

    Those illustrations are godly.

  • @SkaerKrow
    @SkaerKrow Рік тому +6

    These are the videos that absolutely fascinate me. Such small wrinkles in history that are so interesting and under documented.

  • @HeadsFullOfEyeballs
    @HeadsFullOfEyeballs Рік тому +11

    Japan just wasn't in the right headspace to take on the emotional labour of going to war with Poland at that time. Understandable.

  • @mindtrick205
    @mindtrick205 Рік тому +1

    For some reason the slide where it said “Number of Polands: 0” just made me crack up. Great video.

  • @KevinWebb
    @KevinWebb Рік тому +1

    hilarious. as always. Thank you.

  • @pavoldanko4811
    @pavoldanko4811 Рік тому +4

    Poland: "I declare war!"
    Japan: "Must have been the wind."