Blitzkrieg
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Blitzkrieg (lightning war) was the military doctrine of Germany during the first half of WWII. It consisted of an all-mechanized army blowing through the enemy lines (via air support and artillery support) so fast that the enemy would be overwhelmed and defeated. Blitzkrieg relied on a highly mobile and highly professional army. It was developed after WWI by Heinz Guderian, author of Achtung: Panzer.
Blitzkrieg warfare was applied in five major places: Spanish Civil War, Invasion of Poland, Battle of France, North Africa Campaign, Operation Barbarossa. Each time, Germany's enemy was too surprised to effectively defend itself. However, as the German war machine ran out of resources and technical superiority, blitzkrieg methodology began to disappear (at least in the German form).
However, German blitzkrieg was neither the first nor the last use of maneuver tactics in a combined arms fashion. Other examples include: German Schlieffen Plan in WWI, Russian Deep Operations in WWII, Operation Shock and Awe in Iraq War.
For more information, read:
Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/blitzkrieg.htm
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,762668-1,00.html
Illustrated History of WWII by Reader’s Digest
Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler
Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine
Blitzkrieg (lightning war) was the military doctrine of Germany during the first half of WWII. It consisted of an all-mechanized army blowing through the enemy lines (via air support and artillery support) so fast that the enemy would be overwhelmed and defeated. Blitzkrieg relied on a highly mobile and highly professional army. It was developed after WWI by Heinz Guderian, author of Achtung: Panzer.
Blitzkrieg warfare was applied in five major places: Spanish Civil War, Invasion of Poland, Battle of France, North Africa Campaign, Operation Barbarossa. Each time, Germany's enemy was too surprised to effectively defend itself. However, as the German war machine ran out of resources and technical superiority, blitzkrieg methodology began to disappear (at least in the German form).
However, German blitzkrieg was neither the first nor the last use of maneuver tactics in a combined arms fashion. Other examples include: German Schlieffen Plan in WWI, Russian Deep Operations in WWII, Operation Shock and Awe in Iraq War.
For more information, read:
Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/blitzkrieg.htm
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,762668-1,00.html
Illustrated History of WWII by Reader’s Digest
Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler
Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine
posted by George Hageman at 2:49 PM
1 Comments:
Blitzkrieg was never a Wehrmacht doctrine, in fact the German military never used the phrase, it was coined by an American Journalist.
"lighting war" was not totally what Guderian was talking about in Achtung Panzer, it was more deep penetration a strategy where, as you correctly state a force attacks in a small sector but in force so it can punch through the front line, but Guderian advocated the use of planes etc to attack the rear preventing reinforcements and upsetting supply lines, allowing the rapid movement of the tanks and machinized troops to rear areas where they could cause most damage.
I'm not sure your analysis of the Russians during the second world war using any form of "blitzkrieg" is even correct. They tended to just throw men and machines into things en mass, this does not mean they were tacticless just troops were manoeuvered on huge scale and the phrase "steam roller" does spring to mind.
For the real history and development of "blitzkrieg" it is well worth reading Achtung Panzer, its not very long but VERY interesting.
Thought provoking never the less... Keep up the good work.
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