Blitzkrieg

On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Allied nations believed it would resemble the First World War, dominated by trench warfare, however they were wrong. Fast and mobile German armies attacked Poland from the German border and from German-controlled Czechoslovakia. Attacks were often preceded by precise and effective bombings carried out by Stuka dive-bombers and Junker and Heinkel altitude-bombers. Then the fast panzer divisions would cut through the enemy lines. Panzer is the abbreviation of Panzerkampfwagen that were the German tanks. There were many different models that gave German armored divisions an excellent tactical flexibility. They were powerful and outdated many Allied tanks and were projected to cut through enemy infantry while dealing with their heavy weapons. Finally the infantry would kill or capture the survivors. This tactic proved extremely efficient and by October 6, 1930 Poland had been conquered. On April 8, 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. Denmark capitulated on April 10 while Norway resisted until June 10. On May 10, Germany invaded and occupied Luxembourg and attacked Holland, Belgium and France. Holland was defeated on May 17 while Belgium capitulated on May 27. France surrendered on June 22 after a series of humiliating defeats.

Further information on the Blitzkrieg