World War II
Blitzkrieg
•Key to
success
•Emphasis on a common outlook and freedom-of-action that
are exploited by mission and Schwerpunkt concepts
to fix responsibilities as well as to rapidly shape, focus, and shift operations
and support at all levels.
•Flexible
command—based on a common outlook and freedom-of-action that are exploited by mission
and Schwerpunkt—that encourages lower-level combat leaders (forward) to exploit
opportunities generated by rapid action within a broad loosely woven scheme
laid down from central command.
•Intelligence,
reconnaissance (air and ground) and stratagem emphasized before and during combat
operations to unmask and shape patterns of adversary strengths, weaknesses, moves, and
intentions.
•Broad use
of Schwerpunkt concept coupled with fast
tempo/fluidity-of-action of armored teams and air support permit
blitzers to repeatedly reshape strength and rapidly shift it against,
or through, weaknesses thereby generate doubt and uncertainty which magnify
into panic and chaos.
•Superior
mobile communications to maintain cohesion of overall effort and to enable
higher command levels to allocate reserves and support and to
reshape as well as shift focus of main effort.
•Essential
and only essential logistics tail (using airlift when appropriate and
necessary) to support high-speed movement and
rapid shift among routes of advance.
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