Blitzkrieg, meaning "lightning war" in German, is a military tactic designed to achieve rapid and overwhelming victory by concentrating combined arms forces-such as tanks, motorized infantry, artillery, and air support-in a surprise attack on a narrow front. The goal is to break through enemy defenses quickly, disrupt their ability to respond, and encircle and destroy opposing forces decisively

. Key features of blitzkrieg include:

• Speed and surprise : Rapid, concentrated attacks prevent the enemy from organizing an effective defense.
• Combined arms coordination : Tanks, infantry, artillery, and aircraft work closely together to exploit breaches and create confusion.
• Psychological impact : The tactic aims to shock and demoralize enemy troops, sometimes using noise and psychological warfare.
• Encirclement (Kesselschlacht) : After breaking through, forces encircle the enemy in a "cauldron" to force surrender or annihilation.
• Use of radio communications : This enabled real-time coordination and flexibility in the fast-moving battles.

Blitzkrieg was developed from earlier Prussian military principles of concentrated force (Schwerpunkt) and maneuver warfare, adapted with 20th- century technology like tanks, aircraft, and radios

. It was first tested by Germany in the Spanish Civil War and famously used during the invasions of Poland (1939), France, Belgium, the Netherlands (1940), and later against the Soviet Union (1941)

. The tactic allowed Germany to achieve rapid victories early in World War II by paralyzing enemy defenses and preventing prolonged battles, although it ultimately failed to secure victory over the Soviet Union and Great Britain

. In summary, blitzkrieg is a fast, coordinated, and overwhelming military strategy aimed at quickly defeating an enemy through surprise, speed, and concentrated firepower