Blitzkrieg is a tactic of instant combat (German Blitzkrieg, from Blitz - lightning and Krieg - war), which brings victory to the conquering army. The main conditions are the coordination of forces, the ability to act quickly and strict discipline. The meaning of the word "blitzkrieg" was never taken literally by the Germans, and up to a certain point it was used only in military circles. In official sources, this term appeared only after the German attack on Poland in September 1939. In different publications, you can find a description of several versions of the appearance of the blitzkrieg theory. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Heinz Guderian's Blitzkrieg Theory
Most often, the credit for its development is attributed to Colonel Heinz Guderian, who, in the presence of the German high command, stated that he knew how to conquer enemy territory very quickly using light tanks, aircraft and small infantry units. The reaction to such a statement was predictable. Nobody believed him. However, Hitler trusted Guderian to demonstrate the blitzkrieg technique in action against the troops of France and the British Empire. The result was not long in coming: the enemy was pushed back to the beaches of Dunkirk in a matter of weeks. AlsoThe fact that, being conservatives, the French and the British used only strategic tactics that had been proven over the years, without making any changes, worked into the hands of the Germans. Poland, using the Blitzkrieg plan, managed to enslave in just seventeen days.
Hans von Seeckt and his vision
Chief of Staff of the Army Hans von Seeckt in the twenties of the twentieth century began to study the causes of the defeat of German troops in the First World War. He came to the conclusion that only the tactics of the last two years had a positive result, so it was they who had to be taken as the basis for preparing a new generation of the German army. In his opinion, the attack on the enemy should have taken place according to the following scheme:
1. First, a short but powerful attack on the enemy's weakest flank using artillery, smoke and stun grenades.
2. Further, the work of the assault squads on the final cleansing of the occupied territories.
According to Hans von Seeckt, blitzkrieg is an improvement in military affairs in general. He believed that not only the theory of warfare, but also military equipment, including weapons, needed modernization.
Some sources claim that the “blitzkrieg” warfare technique was discovered by Charles de Gaulle and described in his book in 1934, and the German command only slightly modified it. In his understanding, blitzkrieg is the modernization of military power.
Operation "Blitzkrieg" in the interpretation of the USSR
"Deep offensive operation theory" described in textbooks on tank battles,released in 1935, this is a Soviet-style blitzkrieg.
The main goal is a quick, even swift penetration into enemy territory, using tanks not for long-term battles, but to destabilize the combat mood of the enemy army and disrupt offensive and defensive operations.
Classic Operation Blitzkrieg
The first strikes on the target were carried out from aircraft against strategic facilities, communication routes, weapons depots, ammunition and military equipment, cutting off all escape routes and reducing the enemy's ability to resist. Artillery, on the other hand, was used to break through the enemy line, followed by tanks and assault squads of marines.
The main task of the second stage of Operation Blitzkrieg is to enter deep behind enemy lines and firmly consolidate our positions there. The assault detachments tried to destroy the enemy's communications as much as possible, to deprive them of command in order to destabilize the enemy and lower his morale. To communicate with their units, the German troops used only radio, which has already established itself as the most reliable in military field conditions.
The fiasco of the Wehrmacht Blitzkrieg in the USSR
The main and fatal mistake of Germany during the attack on the USSR was the reliance on the tactics of a positional offensive. The Russians, given the experience of the civil war, made the most of the maneuvering technique, which often confused the advancing enemy. Placing the main emphasis on tanks, the Wehrmacht counted on the deepest penetration into the territoryUSSR, using the tactics of "blitzkrieg". It worked only during the first years of the war, and then became meaningless, because the Soviet factories made tanks capable of moving on wheels and tracks, which greatly complicated the task of the enemy.
Using the blitzkrieg tactics, the Germans did not change anything during the war, considering their strategy to be ideal. Their predictability and unwillingness to deviate from the chosen battle pattern played a cruel joke. This is what the Soviet troops took advantage of, achieving victory in heavy battles and freeing their native land from the invaders, however, as well as most of Europe.
