Blitzkrieg ( The Lightning War)
The "Lightning War" was a battle tactic used by the German Military during WWII.It was a new kind of fighting
used by the Germans to undergo Poland, France, Denmark, Norway and Russia.This devastating war was based on speed, co-ordination and movement. It was designed to hit hard and move rapidly.Nonetheless, it's considered to be a military philosophy with numerous stages of development and contributors, Heinz Guderian is credited with presenting the idea to Adolph Hitler. Hence, many overwhelming forces indicated mobilized advances for the Germans. This particular industrial action resulted in the British and French to stay pushed back close to the beaches of Dunkirk. Instead of using trenches like done in World War I,the blitzkrieg (Lightning War) used fast tanks and soldiers in vehicles to attack quickly. This simplified Germany's defeat for some of their enemies in a matter of weeks. The Phony War was also a part of the Lightning War, where the French and the Bitish both mobilized their armies, along the Maginot Line that borders Germany. It was called the Phony War because nothing happened, and German soldiers just starred back at these troops. However, this changed quickly as the Phony war ended on April 9th, 1940 and soon after Hitler launched a suprise invasion of Denmark and Norway. After sweeping through several different countries, Hitlers plan was to strike France, distracting the allies to focus on the countries which he invaded. Htilers troops reached France in 10 days and trapping the allied forces, Belgium soon surrendered. Thus leading to a correlation of events, the allies being trapped Britain sent out 850 ships to rescue the army. With the Fall of France, Hitler then turned his attention to Britain, with the Operation Sea Lion plan. Due to Britains strong resistance, it caused a shift in hitlers strategy in Eruope. Germany soon led out an attack on North Africa with Italy, thus leadaing Italy to become Germanys most important axis ally. Great Britain struck back, and was a distater for the Italians, leaving 130,000 Italian prisoners, and sweeping 500 miles acroos North Africa. Hitler after, wanted invade the Balkans, and had begun planning to attack his ally , the USSR by Spring. He wanted to expand his influence here and also build bases in South Eastern Europe, which was the key component to his plan. However, even with countries like Yugoslavia and Greece, they soon to fell and or surrendered to Hitlers immense power. This lead to Hitler invading the Soviet Union, and wanting to penetrate the heart city of Russia, Moscow. With this he would gain immmense control over the Country, and this was called operation Barbarossa. However Hitlers troops were not accustomed to the temperature and geography of Russia and fell. Soon later the United States began aiding its allies, leading into the Atlantic Charter.
The "Lightning War" was a battle tactic used by the German Military during WWII.It was a new kind of fighting
used by the Germans to undergo Poland, France, Denmark, Norway and Russia.This devastating war was based on speed, co-ordination and movement. It was designed to hit hard and move rapidly.Nonetheless, it's considered to be a military philosophy with numerous stages of development and contributors, Heinz Guderian is credited with presenting the idea to Adolph Hitler. Hence, many overwhelming forces indicated mobilized advances for the Germans. This particular industrial action resulted in the British and French to stay pushed back close to the beaches of Dunkirk. Instead of using trenches like done in World War I,the blitzkrieg (Lightning War) used fast tanks and soldiers in vehicles to attack quickly. This simplified Germany's defeat for some of their enemies in a matter of weeks. The Phony War was also a part of the Lightning War, where the French and the Bitish both mobilized their armies, along the Maginot Line that borders Germany. It was called the Phony War because nothing happened, and German soldiers just starred back at these troops. However, this changed quickly as the Phony war ended on April 9th, 1940 and soon after Hitler launched a suprise invasion of Denmark and Norway. After sweeping through several different countries, Hitlers plan was to strike France, distracting the allies to focus on the countries which he invaded. Htilers troops reached France in 10 days and trapping the allied forces, Belgium soon surrendered. Thus leading to a correlation of events, the allies being trapped Britain sent out 850 ships to rescue the army. With the Fall of France, Hitler then turned his attention to Britain, with the Operation Sea Lion plan. Due to Britains strong resistance, it caused a shift in hitlers strategy in Eruope. Germany soon led out an attack on North Africa with Italy, thus leadaing Italy to become Germanys most important axis ally. Great Britain struck back, and was a distater for the Italians, leaving 130,000 Italian prisoners, and sweeping 500 miles acroos North Africa. Hitler after, wanted invade the Balkans, and had begun planning to attack his ally , the USSR by Spring. He wanted to expand his influence here and also build bases in South Eastern Europe, which was the key component to his plan. However, even with countries like Yugoslavia and Greece, they soon to fell and or surrendered to Hitlers immense power. This lead to Hitler invading the Soviet Union, and wanting to penetrate the heart city of Russia, Moscow. With this he would gain immmense control over the Country, and this was called operation Barbarossa. However Hitlers troops were not accustomed to the temperature and geography of Russia and fell. Soon later the United States began aiding its allies, leading into the Atlantic Charter.
Top Ten Best Articles
1. Blitzkrieg- Review of Robert T Foleys Lightning War. This article covered Germanys tactics during the Lightning War, new forms of warfare, Antecedents, and Germans development of strategy. "Rather than repeating the World War One Schlieffen Plan, the Germans in 1940 advanced with their main thrust through the Ardennes Forest, in order to smash the vulnerable flank of the Allies."
2. The Bombing War- Review by Richard Overy. Article explains that the destruction from events in World War 1, made many overestimate the impact of WW2's politcal, social and economic effect in terms of destruction. "Alarmists predicted millions of dead in London in a single, devastating attack. The city would be entirely destroyed by explosive and incendiary bombs, and its population annihilated by poison gas dropped from the air..."
hese fears were underlined dramatically by the obliteration of the Basque town of Guernica by German bombers during the Spanish civil war and by the Italian air force's use of poison gas to destroy their opponents' armies."
3. BLITZKRIEG (LIGHTNING WAR)- Overview on Germanies efforts to defeat Great Britain, and the effects it proposed on the war, thus the allies that soon intervened. "Germany proved unable to defeat the Soviet Union, which together with Great Britain and the United States seized the initiative from Germany. "
4. German term for “lightning war”- Includes events that may have influenced and produced products of the Lightning War, air force and technology was one of the tactics heavily relied upon, also including theoires of Revisionism. "Revisionism must not be taken to extremes. German operational successes in the early years of World War II were by no means the product of sheer good fortune. .. In that sense blitzkrieg is best understood as a post facto construction for explaining a complex structure of events and ideas."
5. Before Super Computers: The Lightning War - Overviews the time of World War 1 and 2 where commercial and government inventors began experimenting with machines that were created to decipher messages, thus its effect in the long run and cryptosystems. "One sophisticated German machine was TUNNY (the Allied codename for it), used bythe highest level officials. In 1943, capitalizing on an error by German code clerks, British
cryptanalysts solved the system in theory..By the end ofthe war, V.S. Army and Navy cryptologists had considerable experience with special-purpose devices; this experience made clear to both services that rapid data
processing would be vital to American cryptology in the future."
6. Blitzkrieg- Overviews the driving force and adhesive to the midnset of winning and tactics used. "Speed, and still more speed, and always speed was the secret……..and that demanded audacity, more audacity and always audacity' Major General Fuller"
7. The Phoney War- Overviewing some revealtions that occured during the Phoney War, and that it was not completley silent and nothingness. "During the Phoney War, Britain was also engaged in ‘bombing’ raids over Germany – but it was not bombs that were dropped but propaganda leaflets. Sir Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State for War, called them “truth raids”. The ‘raids’ served two purposes: The Germans would read about the evils of Nazi Germans. It was show the leaders of Germany just how vulnerable their country was to bombing raids."
8. World War II: Operation Barbarossa- Overviewed being one of the most deadliest and important leading event of World War II. "Despite massive advances, Hitler's plan to conquer the Soviet Union before winter had failed, at great cost, and that failure would prove to be a turning point in the war. "
9. Operation Barbossa Effects- Went into in depth detail of the destruction of military forces and units, explained the units that attacked and were attacked. "Three army groups attacked Russia on June 22nd 1941. Army Group North, led by von Leeb, Army Group Centre, commanded by von Bock and Army Group South commanded by von Rundstedt...In total, Germany amassed 117 army divisions for the attack excluding Rumanian and Hungarian units. In total, Russia amassed 132 army divisions for the defence of the ‘motherland’, including 34 armoured divisions."
10. Operation 'Sealion' - The German Plan of Invasion- Includes on wether this operation would have remained succesful or not if it were launched. " Hitler postponed Sealion indefinitely on the grounds that essential conditions did not exist. On 9 January 1941 Hitler issued the order to discontinue preparations for 'Sealion'."
1. Blitzkrieg- Review of Robert T Foleys Lightning War. This article covered Germanys tactics during the Lightning War, new forms of warfare, Antecedents, and Germans development of strategy. "Rather than repeating the World War One Schlieffen Plan, the Germans in 1940 advanced with their main thrust through the Ardennes Forest, in order to smash the vulnerable flank of the Allies."
2. The Bombing War- Review by Richard Overy. Article explains that the destruction from events in World War 1, made many overestimate the impact of WW2's politcal, social and economic effect in terms of destruction. "Alarmists predicted millions of dead in London in a single, devastating attack. The city would be entirely destroyed by explosive and incendiary bombs, and its population annihilated by poison gas dropped from the air..."
hese fears were underlined dramatically by the obliteration of the Basque town of Guernica by German bombers during the Spanish civil war and by the Italian air force's use of poison gas to destroy their opponents' armies."
3. BLITZKRIEG (LIGHTNING WAR)- Overview on Germanies efforts to defeat Great Britain, and the effects it proposed on the war, thus the allies that soon intervened. "Germany proved unable to defeat the Soviet Union, which together with Great Britain and the United States seized the initiative from Germany. "
4. German term for “lightning war”- Includes events that may have influenced and produced products of the Lightning War, air force and technology was one of the tactics heavily relied upon, also including theoires of Revisionism. "Revisionism must not be taken to extremes. German operational successes in the early years of World War II were by no means the product of sheer good fortune. .. In that sense blitzkrieg is best understood as a post facto construction for explaining a complex structure of events and ideas."
5. Before Super Computers: The Lightning War - Overviews the time of World War 1 and 2 where commercial and government inventors began experimenting with machines that were created to decipher messages, thus its effect in the long run and cryptosystems. "One sophisticated German machine was TUNNY (the Allied codename for it), used bythe highest level officials. In 1943, capitalizing on an error by German code clerks, British
cryptanalysts solved the system in theory..By the end ofthe war, V.S. Army and Navy cryptologists had considerable experience with special-purpose devices; this experience made clear to both services that rapid data
processing would be vital to American cryptology in the future."
6. Blitzkrieg- Overviews the driving force and adhesive to the midnset of winning and tactics used. "Speed, and still more speed, and always speed was the secret……..and that demanded audacity, more audacity and always audacity' Major General Fuller"
7. The Phoney War- Overviewing some revealtions that occured during the Phoney War, and that it was not completley silent and nothingness. "During the Phoney War, Britain was also engaged in ‘bombing’ raids over Germany – but it was not bombs that were dropped but propaganda leaflets. Sir Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State for War, called them “truth raids”. The ‘raids’ served two purposes: The Germans would read about the evils of Nazi Germans. It was show the leaders of Germany just how vulnerable their country was to bombing raids."
8. World War II: Operation Barbarossa- Overviewed being one of the most deadliest and important leading event of World War II. "Despite massive advances, Hitler's plan to conquer the Soviet Union before winter had failed, at great cost, and that failure would prove to be a turning point in the war. "
9. Operation Barbossa Effects- Went into in depth detail of the destruction of military forces and units, explained the units that attacked and were attacked. "Three army groups attacked Russia on June 22nd 1941. Army Group North, led by von Leeb, Army Group Centre, commanded by von Bock and Army Group South commanded by von Rundstedt...In total, Germany amassed 117 army divisions for the attack excluding Rumanian and Hungarian units. In total, Russia amassed 132 army divisions for the defence of the ‘motherland’, including 34 armoured divisions."
10. Operation 'Sealion' - The German Plan of Invasion- Includes on wether this operation would have remained succesful or not if it were launched. " Hitler postponed Sealion indefinitely on the grounds that essential conditions did not exist. On 9 January 1941 Hitler issued the order to discontinue preparations for 'Sealion'."
Primary Documents:
1. Non-aggression act. German State Secretary Weizsacker describes an encounter with Soviet Ambassador."When I told him that as far as I knew Germany was the only country not participating..."
http://www-tc.pbs.org/behindcloseddoors/pdfs/NaziSovietNegotiation1.pdf
2. Rumors of a German Invasion. An article explaining the Germans invading the Soviet Union eve after the pact."1. That Germany supposedly has made various territorial and economic demands on the U.S.S.R.
and that at present negotiations are impending between Germany and the U.S.S.R. for the
conclusion of a new and closer agreement between them." 1. That Germany supposedly has made various territorial and economic demands on the U.S.S.R. and that at present negotiations are impending between Germany and the U.S.S.R. for the conclusion of a new and closer agreement between them.
3. The Atlantic Conference : Introduction A primary source explaining the introduction to the Atlantic Charter in result of the Lightning War.
1. Non-aggression act. German State Secretary Weizsacker describes an encounter with Soviet Ambassador."When I told him that as far as I knew Germany was the only country not participating..."
http://www-tc.pbs.org/behindcloseddoors/pdfs/NaziSovietNegotiation1.pdf
2. Rumors of a German Invasion. An article explaining the Germans invading the Soviet Union eve after the pact."1. That Germany supposedly has made various territorial and economic demands on the U.S.S.R.
and that at present negotiations are impending between Germany and the U.S.S.R. for the
conclusion of a new and closer agreement between them." 1. That Germany supposedly has made various territorial and economic demands on the U.S.S.R. and that at present negotiations are impending between Germany and the U.S.S.R. for the conclusion of a new and closer agreement between them.
3. The Atlantic Conference : Introduction A primary source explaining the introduction to the Atlantic Charter in result of the Lightning War.
Audio/Video
Audio: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg/videos
Operation Barbossa
Audio: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg/videos
Operation Barbossa
Hitler Invades France
German Invasion of Denmark and Norway
Breakthrough of Troops
Operations
German Invasion on Poland
Cartoon based on the Lightning War