How did the Blitzkrieg work?

Answer 1

Blitzkrieg mean " Lightening War".It is based on speed and surprise and was the tactic used by the Germans early on in WW2.You can read about it's beginning at the enclosed web site,Blitzkrieg

the "blitzkreg" was a form of warfare based on new technologies worked out in the 1930's by the German general staff. before this most wars were conducted at the speed of a foot soldier or at best a horse. with the advent of the truck the tank and the aircraft. the Germans used the speed this offered to concentrate their forces on one spot on the battlefield using the tanks to break thru the lines spreading out to cause panic in the rear areas while the infantry pushed thru the opening with air support covering their advance mopping up the enemy forces as they went. the french had more and better tanks then the Germans when the Nazi's attacked. the french however had their tanks spread out doling them out a few a time to their infantry units instead of in tank outfits like the German panzer gruppen. the main drawback to the biltz was outrunning your supply lines which the Germans did often causing them to halt and allowing the enemy to regroup. sorry to be so long winded but not a simple question.

The short answer is - combined arms deep penetration operations.

Germans focused power on one spot, struck a hole in the enemy line and poured through it all over the enemy rear, never minding their own flanks. They could do this at great speed because of motorisation, but the whole concept was made possible by improved communications, command and control. The Germans also pioneered combined arms operations, i.e. the use of smallish "armies" consisting of all types of weapons, operating independently.

Another ingredient is the "vertical envelopement" - i.e. paradrops behind the enemy main line.