<sod>  [[History]] -- [[Military history]]
 
'''Blitzkrieg''': from the [[German language|German]] "lightning war", describing a military tactic used by the German army at the begining of [[World War II]], where rapid and unrestricted movement of troops allows no time for the opposition to set up a stable defense. 
 
 ''Blitzkrieg'' was a fast and open style of warfare, heavily reliant on new technologies. First aircraft were used as long-range artillery to destroy enemy strongholds, attack troop concentrations, and spread panic. Then combined arms forces of tanks and motorised infantry coordinated by two-way radio destroyed tactical targets before moving on, deep into enemy territory. A key difference to previous tactical models was the devolution of command. Fairly junior officers in the field were encouraged to use their own initiative, rather than rely on a centralised command structure.
 
 <eod> <sod> [[History]] -- [[Military history]]
 
'''Blitzkrieg''': from the [[German language|German]] "lightning war", describing a military tactic used by the German army at the begining of [[World War II]], where rapid and unrestricted movement of troops allows no time for the opposition to set up a stable defense. Current United States military planning includes blitzkrieg as the strategy of [[shock and awe]]. [http://www.dodccrp.org/] (Look under publications for html version)
 
 ''Blitzkrieg'' was a fast and open style of warfare, heavily reliant on new technologies. First aircraft were used as long-range artillery to destroy enemy strongholds, attack troop concentrations, and spread panic. Then combined arms forces of tanks and motorised infantry coordinated by two-way radio destroyed tactical targets before moving on, deep into enemy territory. A key difference to previous tactical models was the devolution of command. Fairly junior officers in the field were encouraged to use their own initiative, rather than rely on a centralised command structure.
 
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