Editing Gerd von Rundstedt (section)

===Invasion of Poland===
Rundstedt's retirement did not last long. By early 1939 Hitler had decided to force a confrontation with Poland over the [[Polish Corridor]], and planning for a war with Poland began. In May, Hitler approved Rundstedt's appointment as commander of Army Group South, to invade Poland from [[Silesia]] and [[Slovakia]]. His chief of staff was General [[Erich von Manstein]], his chief of operations Colonel [[Günther Blumentritt]]. His principal field commanders would be (from west to east as they entered Poland) General [[Johannes Blaskowitz]] (8th Army), General [[Walther von Reichenau]] (10th Army), and General [[Wilhelm List]] (14 Army).{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

Rundstedt's armies advanced rapidly into southern Poland, capturing [[Kraków]] on 6 September, but Reichenau's over-ambitious attempt to take [[Warsaw]] by storm on 9 September was repelled. Soon after, Blaskowitz's exposed northern flank was attacked by the Polish [[Poznań Army]], leading to the major engagement of the Polish campaign, the [[Battle of the Bzura]]. Rundstedt and Manstein travelled to Blaskowitz's headquarters to take charge, and by 11 September the Poles had been contained in a pocket around [[Kutno]]. By 18 September the Poznan Army had been destroyed, and Warsaw was besieged. Reichenau's forces took [[Lublin]] on 11 September, while List's army was advancing to the east towards [[Lvov]], where they eventually linked up with Soviet forces advancing from the east under the terms of the [[Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union|Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]]. Warsaw surrendered on 28 September, and by 6 October fighting in southern Poland had ceased.

From the first days of the invasion, there had been incidents of German troops shooting Polish soldiers after they had surrendered, and killing civilians, especially [[History of the Jews in Poland|Polish Jews]]. Some of these incidents were the work of units of the [[SS-Verfügungstruppe|SS-VT]], forerunner of the [[Waffen-SS]], but some involved regular Army units.<ref name="Browning p. 29">{{harvnb|Browning|2004|p=29}}</ref> Rundstedt's biographer says: "There is certainly no evidence that Rundstedt ever condoned, let alone encouraged, these acts."<ref>{{harvnb|Messenger|2011|p=90}}</ref> Rundstedt told Reichenau that such actions did not have his authorisation.<ref name="Browning p. 29"/> In fact, both Rundstedt and Blaskowitz complained to the chief of staff, General [[Franz Halder]], about the Army Command's apparent tolerance of such incidents. Nevertheless, as commander of Army Group South, Rundstedt was legally responsible for the behaviour of his troops, and these incidents later formed part of the charges of [[war crime]]s against him.

Behind the Army came SS {{lang|de|[[Einsatzgruppen]]}} (task forces) commanded by [[Theodor Eicke]], who began systematically executing Jews and members of the Polish educated classes.<ref>{{harvnb|Rhodes|2003|pp=6–7}}</ref> One {{lang|de|Einsatzgruppe}} commanded by [[Udo von Woyrsch]] operated in 14th Army's area. At [[Dynów]] Woyrsch's men herded the town's Jews into the [[synagogue]] then burned it down. By 20 September, over 500 Jews had been killed.<ref>{{harvnb|Friedländer|2009|p=154}}</ref> In 1939, this was still too much for most German Army officers to stand. After complaints from numerous officers, Rundstedt banned Woyrsch's units from the area, but after his departure his order was rescinded.<ref>{{harvnb|Messenger|2011|p=92}}</ref> On 20 October Rundstedt resigned his command and was transferred to the western front.{{efn|Fest says that Rundstedt "left his post in horror after a short period," but does not cite a source for this observation.{{Sfn|Fest|1996|p=116}}}}