What is the Blitzkrieg tactic?

blitzkrieg, (German: “lightning war”) military tactic calculated to create psychological shock and resultant disorganization in enemy forces through the employment of surprise, speed, and superiority in matériel or firepower.

Who designed the Blitzkrieg?

Heinz Guderian
The blitzkrieg was a form of military operation developed by an innovative member of the German military – Heinz Guderian – shortly before World War II.

Why was the German Blitzkrieg successful?

The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) provided close air support, bombing key objectives and establishing local air superiority. Radio communications were the key to effective Blitzkrieg operations, enabling commanders to coordinate the advance and keep the enemy off balance.

What tanks were used in Blitzkrieg?

The Panzer IV Tank played an important role in Blitzkrieg. After Adolf Hitler obtained power in 1933, the German government was open about its tank production. In the spring of 1934 the German Army began developing the Panzer tank. Over the next few years the Panzer I, Panzer II, Panzer III and Panzer IV were produced.

When was the blitzkrieg first used?

1940
The term had appeared in 1935, in a German military periodical Deutsche Wehr (German Defence), in connection to quick or lightning warfare. German manoeuvre operations were successful in the campaigns of 1939–1941 and by 1940 the term blitzkrieg was extensively used in Western media.

What were German panzers?

panzer, German in full Panzerkampfwagen, series of battle tanks fielded by the German army in the 1930s and ’40s. The six tanks in the series constituted virtually all of Germany’s tank production from 1934 until the end of World War II in 1945.

What was the German military strategy of blitzkrieg quizlet?

a German military strategy meaning “lightning war.” It involved using fast-moving airplanes and tanks, followed by massive infantry forces, to take enemy defenders by surprise and quickly overwhelm them. In the case of Poland, the strategy worked. You just studied 12 terms!

What was the strategy behind the German tactic of blitzkrieg quizlet?

The term Blitzkrieg literally means “lighting war” it was invented by German Field marshal Heinz Guderian and author of Auctung Panzer! The Tactic is to use mobile forces such as tanks and armored cars to advance as quickly as possible, under protection of dive bombers.

What is blitzkrieg Why was it a successful military tactic quizlet?

Blitzkrieg, or Lightning war; was an effective military strategy because it gave the target no time to prepare or put up a much of a fight, if any at all. Hitler used this quite well.

How many Panzer I tanks did Germany have in WW2?

When World War 2 started the German army had nearly 1500 Panzer I tanks. They participated in the Blitzkrieg invasion of Poland in 1939, although it was known that they are not suitable for front line fighting because of their lack of firepower and very thin armor.

What is Blitzkrieg in World War 2?

Blitzkrieg means “lightning war”. It was an innovative military technique first used by the Germans in World War Two and was a tactic based on speed and surprise. Blitzkrieg relied on a military force be based around light tank units supported by planes and infantry (foot soldiers).

Did the German Army have a Blitzkrieg doctrine?

First, a formal and established doctrine of blitzkrieg probably did not exist in the German military. The term “blitzkrieg” appeared only rarely in official Wehrmacht literature before or during the war, and the term seems to have much more popular with foreign journalists.

What was the purpose of the Panzer IV in WW2?

The Panzer IV was originally intended to be an infantry-support tank. It was thus armed with a 75 mm howitzer intended primarily to fire high-explosive shells in support of other tanks or infantry. By mid 1942, it was rearmed with a longer 75 mm dual-purpose gun that could defeat most Soviet tanks.