The Slovak Republic was a puppet state established on 14 March 1939. It possessed a small army of its own, largely made up of parts inherited from the old Czechoslovak Army. As a result of German pressure, the 1st Slovak Infantry Division took part in the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. In the aftermath of the German invasion of France, the German government consolidated its control of the Slovak regime. On 21 June 1941, the Slovak government was informed that it was expected to provide a contingent to participate in the German invasion of the Soviet Union. It accepted the following day, being the first day of the German offensive. The Slovak Army was called up, as the regime sought to demonstrate its indispensability to Nazi Germany and its greater loyalty than Hungary.