Blitzkrieg is a German term that means “lightning war”. It is a military strategy and tactic that was developed and extensively used by the German military during World War II. It is a swift confluence of mechanized forces, air power, and infantry used to achieve rapid and overwhelming victories over the enemy.
The key elements of a blitzkrieg strategy include:
- Speed and Surprise: Blitzkrieg tactics involve rapid and unexpected attacks to catch the enemy off guard and prevent them from effectively responding.
- Concentration of Forces: The strategy focuses on concentrating a significant portion of military forces, including tanks, artillery, and aircraft, at a particular point on the enemy’s front to break through their defenses.
- Deep Penetration: Blitzkrieg seeks to quickly penetrate deep into enemy territory, disrupting their lines of communication and command, and creating confusion and chaos.
- Use of Combined Arms: The tactic combines different branches of the military, such as armored units, infantry, and air support, working in close coordination to exploit weaknesses in the enemy’s defense.
- Bypassing Strongholds: Blitzkrieg often involves bypassing heavily fortified enemy positions to encircle and isolate them, leading to their eventual surrender or destruction.
The most well-known examples of blitzkrieg tactics were seen during the early stages of World War II, particularly in Germany’s invasions of Poland in 1939 and France in 1940. These lightning-fast offensives caught the opposing forces by surprise and allowed Germany to achieve significant territorial gains in a short amount of time. The use of Blitzkrieg was far different than the WW1 strategy Germany used which brought for such a deadly attrition by way of trench warfare. Nearly 2 million German soldiers were killed during World War I.
The speed, flexibility and initiative of the German Wehrmacht took the Allies completely by surprise.
“France is basically defeated in the first 10 days of the war,” says Robert Kirchubel, a military historian with Purdue University’s FORCES initiative and author of “Atlas of the Blitzkrieg: 1939-1941.” “This is a country that had lasted four years against Germany a generation ago in World War I. Now it’s all over in a little less than two weeks.”
Invasion of Poland 1939
The Germans combined von Clausewitz’s idea of attacking a single point, with the maneuverability of new military technologies. It had a profound impact on military thinking and tactics and influenced modern warfare strategies. On September 1, 1939, the Blitzkrieg struck Poland. Concentrated Panzer Divisions were able to punch through the thin Polish lines while Luftwaffe cut off communication and supply with overwhelming bombing. Military leaders of Poland had not modernized their mindset. However, as the war progressed and opposing forces adapted to counter blitzkrieg tactics, its effectiveness diminished.
Here are some key uses of blitzkrieg during World War II:
- The invasion of Poland in September 1939 marked the first large-scale implementation of blitzkrieg tactics. German forces, under the command of General Gerd von Rundstedt, employed a combination of fast-moving armored units, air support, and infantry to encircle and overwhelm the Polish defenses. The Polish forces were caught off guard and unable to mount a strong defense, leading to their rapid defeat.
- The Battle of France saw one of the most successful applications of blitzkrieg tactics. The German forces, led by General Heinz Guderian and supported by air superiority from the Luftwaffe, executed a daring and swift offensive through the Ardennes Forest, bypassing the heavily fortified Maginot Line. The French and Allied forces were taken by surprise, and the German armored divisions advanced rapidly, encircling and isolating enemy units. This led to the fall of France and the evacuation of British forces from Dunkirk.
- In coordination with the Battle of France, German forces launched a blitzkrieg offensive against Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The rapid advancement and encirclement of enemy positions led to the swift capitulation of the Low Countries.
- Blitzkrieg tactics were also employed during the German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia. German forces used their armored units to quickly outmaneuver and defeat the defending forces, leading to the occupation of these countries.
- The invasion of the Soviet Union, known as Operation Barbarossa, also saw the application of blitzkrieg tactics. German forces aimed to quickly advance and capture key objectives, but they faced challenges due to the vastness of the Soviet territory and the harsh Russian winter.
- The German Afrika Korps, led by General Erwin Rommel, utilized blitzkrieg tactics during their campaign in North Africa. They employed armored units and mobile warfare to achieve significant successes against British and Commonwealth forces.
This 1940 newspaper cartoon shows the Blitzkrieg of Adolf Hitler in France and Denmark. SEM/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES
The failure of Blitzkrieg
The rapid and extensive territorial gains made by German forces during the Blitzkrieg phase stretched their military resources thin. Maintaining control over vast conquered territories became challenging, leading to logistical difficulties in supplying and reinforcing troops. The Soviet counteroffensive near Moscow in December 1941 came as a complete surprise for the Wehrmacht. The German invasion of the Soviet Union, known as Operation Barbarossa, faced staunch resistance from the Soviet forces. The vastness of the Soviet territory and the harsh Russian winter tested the German military’s ability to sustain the rapid offensive, leading to significant setbacks and costly engagements.
As the Blitzkrieg strategy became more evident, opposing forces adapted their defenses to counter the rapid advances. The Allies, especially the British and American forces, improved their anti-tank capabilities and employed better strategic planning to mitigate the impact of Blitzkrieg tactics.
In some instances, Blitzkrieg tactics failed to achieve quick and decisive victories, resulting in prolonged battles and stalemates. For example, the Siege of Leningrad and the Battle of Stalingrad in the Soviet Union demonstrated the limitations of Blitzkrieg in urban warfare and against determined resistance.
As the war progressed, the Allies achieved air superiority over Europe, limiting the effectiveness of the Blitzkrieg’s close air support. The Allied bombing campaigns targeted German infrastructure and industrial centers, disrupting their war effort. The Allies’ ability to produce and replace military equipment at a faster rate than Germany also eroded the advantage that Blitzkrieg tactics once provided.
The Blitzkrieg strategy emphasized rapid advances and encirclement of enemy forces, but it lacked clear long-term strategic goals. As a result, the German military struggled to maintain the initiative and transition to more prolonged and static phases of warfare. In occupied territories, partisan resistance movements disrupted German supply lines and hampered their ability to control conquered regions effectively.
Adolf Hitler’s strategic decisions and micromanagement of military operations often led to errors in judgment and prevented the military from executing more effective plans. As more countries joined the Allied forces, the combined strength of the coalition provided greater resources and manpower, countering Germany’s military advantages.
In summary, the German Blitzkrieg ultimately failed due to a combination of overextension, resilient opposition, improved countermeasures, and the lack of clear long-term strategic planning. As the war progressed, the limitations of the Blitzkrieg strategy became more apparent, and the German military found itself facing signs of doom.
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SOURCEs
https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/blitzkrieg_01.shtml
https://www.britannica.com/topic/blitzkrieg
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg