A “blitz” is different from a “blitzkrieg” because only a “blitz”
A. targets civilians.
B. relies exclusively on air power.
C. takes place at great speed.
D. destroys large portions of the country.
Answer: B. relies exclusively on air power.
Although a blitz and a blitzkrieg are quite similar, the primary difference is that a blitz consists solely of airway raids, while a blitzkrieg is a strong general military campaign. The difference between the two is significant because of the constant changes in warfare strategies in the twentieth century.
A blitz means a heavy air raid, short for ‘blitz Krieg’ in German but used otherwise in English. It rose to infamy specifically during World War II particularly in the years 1940-1941 when the German Luftwaffe launched bombing campaigns on the United Kingdom famously known as the Blitz Mostly frequently this strategy involved bombing of cities as well as Industrial and military targets. For instance, London was hit for 57 non-SUCESSIVE nights as seen during the ‘The Blitz.’ The purpose was to dispiriting the population, stall production, and reduce the enemy’s spirit of combating.
On the other hand, a blitzkrieg, also known as a ‘lightning war,’ is a general technique associated with an air and an extremely swift ground attack. It employs consecutive operations on tanks, motorized infantry and close air support to pierce through an enemy formation and rapidly advance into the depth of the formation. This strategy was famously used by Germany at the beginning of the Second World War including the invasion of Poland in 1939 and France in the 1940s. The basic concept behind blitzkrieg is that the enemy is disoriented by a fast-attacking force that hits the chosen area extremely quickly, while having the forces concentrated at certain points, allowing a rapid and effective strike before the enemy can even prepare for a proper defence.
Both strategies are planned for obtaining a quick win, but the former is a form of air attack, whereas the latter implies the combined employment of air and land forces and immediate action. This division demonstrates the fact that the war has changed and that within the framework of a combat operation, different types of military equipment act in different ways to fulfil their tactical tasks.
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