The Second World War and the Blitzkrieg

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Blitzkrieg/ lightening war

Created by Heinz Wilhelm Guderian

Make full use of speedy aircraft and tanks

Three ingredients:

1 surprise attack

2 concentrated troops

3 high-speed

Military theory basis

• strategic circuitous and encirclement, annihilating enemies rapidly

• Focus air power on attacking the political, economic and military targets

• Tank columns with air force’s cover, attacking and paralyzing the heart territories

• Mussolini ordered Italian troops to invade Ethiopia.(1935)

Rome-Berlin Axis(1936)

Backgrounds

• 1937,7,7 Sino-Japanese War broke out over the Marco Polo Bridge Incident.

Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles,

creating a powerful air force

German troops reoccupied the Rhineland(1936)

and entered Austria (1938)

Policy of Appeasement

Munich Agreement (1938)

allowing Germany to take Sudetenland

• Collaboration between Hitler and Stalin,

Non-Aggression Pact (1939.8)

• September 1st,1939, 4:45 in the morning, German troops take the offensive on all fronts to Poland. “Operation White”

• German military forces

• 53 divisions (7 armored 8 motor)

• 2800 tanks

• 6000 artilleries

• 2000+ aircrafts

• 40 warships

On September 28th, Warsaw was lost.

Poland GermanyDead 66000 10060Wounded 100000+ 30300Captured 600000+Steps:1 bomber: attack arsenals, airports, railways,

highways, bridges.2 motor and armored divisions as pioneers:breakthrough the defense lines on two sides.3 Encirclement attack by the main forces and

side forces.

1970,12,7

• The Maginot Line

To avoid being invaded by Germany, French took 15 years to build the Maginot Line as long as 700 miles. And it was regarded as “end of Prussia”. French people therefore felt at ease to defense and waited Germany by the Line.

• Two main factors that led to the failure of France:

1 A depressed state of mind in military defense.

2 Appeasement policy; not positive to offense.

• Some movies：• 《 Casablanca》• 《 Schindler's List 》• 《 Der Untergang 》• 《 Saving Private Ryan 》• 《 The Bridge On The River Kwai 》• 《 The English Patient 》• 《血战台儿庄》。。。