USA HISTORY

Hitler’s “Lightning War” that used air bombing, tanks, smoke screens, paratroopers, ground soldiers, and military vehicles was called the ____

(A) genocide

(B) radar

(C) Operation Overlord

(D) ** Blitzkrieg

(E) none of the above

Concept note-1: -Blitzkrieg, meaning ‘Lightning War’, was the method of offensive warfare responsible for Nazi Germany’s military successes in the early years of the Second World War.

Concept note-2: -The Germans used blitzkrieg tactics to startling effect in Poland (1939), France (1940), Russia (1941), and the Ardennes (1944), although technically speaking, true blitzkrieg ala Guderian was used only in the first two campaigns (Guderian would later be sacked for disagreeing with Hitler’s decisions in Russia).

Concept note-3: -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.

Concept note-4: -Blitzkrieg tactics were used in the successful German invasions of Belgium, the Netherlands, and France in 1940, which saw audacious applications of air power and airborne infantry to overcome fixed fortifications that were believed by the defenders to be impregnable.