The genocide was carried out Action during and after World War I and implemented Action in two phases—the wholesale killing Killing of the able-bodied male population through massacre and subjection of army conscripts to forced labour , followed by the deportation Removing of women , children , the elderly , and the infirm on death marches leading to the Syrian Desert .

The rebellion by young Polish conscripts was soon joined Becoming_a_member by high-ranking Polish-Lithuanian officers and members of the political class .

While improvements to fortifications had been undertaken Action under the leadership of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel beginning Process_start in October 1943 , the troops assigned Choosing to defend Defending the area were mostly poorly equipped Supply non-German conscripts .