World War II began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. Despite fierce resistance from Polish forces, Germany conquered the western two-thirds of Poland while the Soviet Union, which invaded on September 17, conquered the eastern section. Over the next six years, the Germans killed six million Poles, but Poland never surrendered. Instead, Polish pilots helped to defeat the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, and Polish soldiers fought with the Allies in North Africa, Italy, and Western Europe. Some of those soldiers were among the Poles that the Soviets had deported to Siberia. Those deported Poles also included large numbers of civilians, many of whom were eventually released and made their way to parts of the British Empire including India, Australia, and East Africa. Learn about how the Polish experience during World War II is reflected in the Polish Center of Discovery and Learning’s collections by clicking on the boxes below.