Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg (German, literally "lightning war") is a popular name for an operational-level military doctrine which employed mobile forces attacking with speed and surprise to prevent an enemy from implementing a coherent defense. The doctrines resulting in the blitzkrieg effect were developed in the years after World War I as a method to help prevent trench warfare.

Methods of operations

Schwerpunkt

Blitzkrieg sought decisive actions at all times. To this end, the theory of a schwerpunkt (focal point) developed; it was the point of maximum effort. Panzer and Luftwaffe forces were used only at this point of maximum effort whenever possible. By local success at the schwerpunkt, a small force achieved a breakthrough and gained advantages by fighting in the enemy's rear. It is summarised by Guderian as "Nicht kleckern, klotzen!" (Don't tickle, smash!)

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To achieve a breakout, infantry or, less commonly, panzer forces themselves (otherwise preserved for manoeuvre beyond) would attack the enemy's defensive line, supported by artillery fire and Luftwaffe bombing. These forces created a breach in the depth of the enemy's line. Through this breach passed the panzer forces in their entirety, as the breaching force attacked to the flanks to increase security through distance. This point of breakout has been labelled a "hinge", for from it panzer forces manoeuvred forward and developed "leverage" against the defensive line's forces.

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In this, the opening phase of an operation, the Luftwaffe sought a coup against enemy air forces. It attempted to strafe and bomb landed aircraft and runways, disabling them, or deploy in fighter sweeps to clear the skies in large battles. From the beginning, air superiority was a goal; to operate as designed, the panzer force required that reconnaissance aircraft, ground-attack aircraft, and in some cases transport aircraft all be able to fly. With the Luftwaffe itself driven from the sky in the war's later years, operating under Allied air superiority would be a hindrance (See below).

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A final element was the use of airborne forces beyond the enemy lines. These were not only to disrupt enemy activities or take important positions, in Blitzkrieg they were also to serve as a psychological inducement for the troops trying to forge ahead into enemy territory - since any rapid advance is in danger of eventually slowing down when urgency is lost and supply lines lengthen, while troop strengths fall due to inevitable casualities. It was the stated purpose of commanding officers that the airborne troops deployed far beyond enemy lines serve as a sort of 'beacon' which the advancing troops were to relieve. In this urgent rush to save their comrades from eventually being overwhelmed by heavier enemy forces was thus seen an important element of preventing an advance from slowing down too much.

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Paralysis

Having achieved a breakthrough into the enemy's rear areas, German forces attempted to paralyse the enemy's decision making and implementation process. Moving faster than enemy forces, panzer forces exploited weaknesses and acted before opposing forces could formulate a response. Guderian wrote that "Success must be exploited without respite and with every ounce of strength, even by night. The defeated enemy must be given no peace."

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Central to this is the decision cycle. Every decision made by German or opposing forces required time to gather information, make a decision, disseminate orders to subordinates, and then implement this decision through action. Through superior mobility and faster decision-making cycles, panzer forces could take action on a situation sooner than the forces opposing them.

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Directive control was a fast and flexible method of command. Rather than receiving an explicit order, a commander would be told of his superior's intent and the role which his unit was to fill in this concept. The exact method of execution was then a matter for the low-level commander to determine as best fit the situation. Staff burden was reduced at the top and spread among commands more knowledgeable about their own situation. In addition, the encouragement of initiative at all levels aided implementation. As a result, significant decisions could be effected quickly and either verbally or with written orders a few pages in length.

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Kesselschlacht

An operation's final phase, the Kesselschlacht (cauldron battle), was a concentric attack on an encircled force. It was here that most losses were inflicted upon the enemy, primarily through the capture of prisoners and weapons.

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