History - Changing Nature of Warfare -
Land Warfare
Blitzkrieg
key Features
Phase One
Stuka dive bombers were sent in to soften up the
enemy, destroy all rail lines, communication
centre and all major rail links
Phase Two
The German troops moved in using tanks, motorbikes,
armoured cars and the planes withdraw only at the last
minuet so the enemy did not have time to recover their
senses when the tanks and infantary attack.
Blitzkrieg in Russia
Germany's Success
The speed of the German attacks
took Russia by surprise
Stalin hadn't prepared
for such an invasion
The Luftwaffe established
control of the air so were
able to support the
Germans
Their Panzer tank
units advanced up to
20 miles a day
By November 1941 the Germans
were threatening Moscow,
Leningrad and Kiev
Germany's Failures
The Germans ran short of
supplies as the Soviets
adopted a "scorched
earth" policy as they retreated
The soldiers were only equipped with summer
uniforms. More than 1 million men suffered from
frostbite
The operation was too ambitious
There was not enough time
to achieve the objectives
before winter
The temperatures rarely rises above
freezing in the Russian winter, the
Germans were totally unprepared
Means "Lightening War"
First used by the Germans in WW2 (1939)
Based on speed,
surprise, co-ordination
and movement
It was designed to be
hit hard and move on
instantly
Its aim was to create panic
amongst the civilian population
Poland was defeated in 4 weeks and
France was defeated in 6 weeks
D-Day
Key Features
Preparations
The Allies took extensive
photos of the Normandy
area in order to pick the 5
best beaches
Operation Fortitude
Fake army base at the coast
Pretended to make preparations
to cross the channel
Used blow up tanks and model planes
Aim was to trick the
Germans into thinking the
Allies would cross to
Calais
They also bombarded Calais before hand and had
double agents send messages saying Calais was the
intended target
Mulberry Harbours
Floating harbours dragged along the
channel to Normandy for supplies
PipeLine Under The Ocean (PLUTO)
On the Day
Execution
7,000 naval vessels crossed the channel
Normandy early on the morning of the 6th June
carrying 20,000 men
Landed on 5 different beaches
Paratroopers landed in Normandy on the night of the 5th June to
cut communications and secure key bridges
What Happened
New Technology
"Hoberts Funnies"
The bobbin
Laid down a track so cars could
drive over the sand
The Flail
Mechanical arms churned up the
ground to explode mines safely
before troops walked across