Blitzkrieg, << BLIHTS kreeg, >> is a military tactic based on speed, surprise, and the use of overwhelming force on a narrow front. German for lightning war, the term blitzkrieg usually refers to Germany’s offensives at the beginning of World War II (1939-1945). The German army used fast-moving tanks and infantry closely supported by warplanes and artillery. The combined force smashed holes in enemy lines and quickly penetrated enemy defenses. The Germans bypassed pockets of resistance at first, then surrounded and erased them. The success of a blitzkrieg depends upon quickness and surprise. See also World War II (The invasion of Poland) .
