Blitzkrieg, or blitzkrieg, was a tactic used by Nazi Germany during World War II. This tactic makes full use of the quick advantage of aircraft, tanks, and mechanized troops to defeat the enemy by surprise attacks, and uses mechanized troops to quickly cut through the enemy's main force to achieve the desired results. The core elements of Blitz include speed, surprise attacks, and concentration, which are both strategically and tactically important. Blitzkrieg makes full use of the speed superiority of modern warfare tools, such as aircraft, tanks, armored vehicles, and motorcycles, to deliver lightning-fast strikes on the enemy faster than the opponent can react.
The origins of the Blitzkrieg can be traced back to the military command strategy of the Kingdom of Prussia, the predecessor of Germany. During several wars in the late 19th century, the Kingdom of Prussia's military generals adopted a rapid, centralized strategic mindset. This idea was further developed in World War I, especially in the Battle of Riga, where the Germans achieved the rudiments of blitzkrieg, that is, a rapid advance and encirclement of enemy forces. However, due to the limitations of military technology and strategic thinking at the time, these tactics were not fully utilized.
In World War II, the German blitzkrieg was a great success in the early stages of the war. For example, Germany conquered Poland in 27 days, Denmark in 1 day, Norway in 23 days, Netherlands in 5 days, Belgium in 18 days, and France in 39 days. These victories demonstrated the power of blitzkrieg, which used new types of aircraft, tanks, and airborne troops to quickly outflank the enemy, forming a tactical pattern of encirclement and annihilation. This tactic is usually completed in a matter of days, at a speed unprecedented in human history.
The weakness of Blitzkrieg is that it requires the terrain and climatic conditions of the enemy country to be suitable for rapid maneuver operations. Later in the war, when Germany faced countries with vast depths, such as the Soviet Union, the blitzkrieg was less effective, as the Germans were unable to form an effective pincer offensive in those countries. In addition, the requirements for logistical supply in blitzkrieg are extremely high, and if the supply lines are too long or cut off, the fast-advancing troops will face a major crisis.