A sudden, violent military attack designed to defeat an enemy quickly and overwhelmingly, especially by combining air power with ground forces. The term is German and literally means 'lightning war.'
From German 'Blitz' (lightning) and 'Krieg' (war), literally 'lightning war.' The term emerged during World War II to describe the German military strategy of rapid, coordinated attacks. It entered English as a loanword during WWII and has since been used metaphorically for any sudden, overwhelming assault or campaign.
Blitzkrieg revolutionized military strategy by coordinating planes, tanks, and infantry in unprecedented ways—it seemed unstoppable until the Soviets and Allies developed defensive tactics. The word itself became so famous that we now use 'blitz' casually in chess, business, and everyday language to mean any rapid, intense campaign!
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