Question

What is blitzkrieg and how did the Germans use it to invade countries?

Answer 1

Blitzkrieg (blitz=fast, krieg=war) is the name of a combined military operation that uses swift manouvers and powerful formations of troops and armor (supported by ground attack aircrafts) to attack an enemy.

Explanation:

The Germans in WWII first used this very swift and combined/integrated military technique to attack an enemy nation; this technique was used in Poland, France and then Russia.

The idea was to launch a powerful armored/mechanized land attack against the enemy formations. The attack needed the support of artillery and air force so that they needed to execute their operations in strict and regulated connection with the land forces.

Phases:

1) Firstly, fighters aircrafts attack the enemy air force to obtain air superiority;
2) Stukas dive bombers, taking advantage of the air superiority achieved in phase 1, attack enemy forward formations, assembly areas, command posts, communication centers and depots creating widespread destruction and panic;
3) Powerful motorized formation of tanks and soldiers attack the enemy first line of defense probing for a weak spot (they can ask for the support of artillery and dive bombers through the intermediation of specialized officers of the two services attached to the forward formations).

Once achieved penetration the tanks run and operate behind the enemy lines creating havoc and destruction allowing the infantry to consolidate footholds inside enemy territory and, in the process, encircle huge enemy formations that, isolated and without help, will be subsequently destroyed.