What Is a Lightning War

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.

Why was it called the lightning war?

“Blitzkrieg,” a German word meaning “Lightning War,” was Germany’s strategy to avoid a long war in the first phase of World War II in Europe. … German air power prevented the enemy from adequately resupplying or redeploying forces and thereby from sending reinforcements to seal breaches in the front.

Why was it called blitzkrieg?

Blitzkrieg, which means “lightning war” in German, had its roots in earlier military strategy, including the influential work of the 19th-century Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz.