Blitzkrieg:it’s a word you’ve likely heard of. Maybe it was from a history textbook; maybe it was from a documentary; maybe it was from a YouTube video; maybe it was from the hit punk song “Blitzkrieg Bop” by Ramones. Wherever it was, it is undeniable that Blitzkrieg has become a word in mainstream history. Supposedly, Blitzkrieg was a WW2 German tactic that resulted in Germany’s great success early in the war, with many popular sources, such as the Imperial War Museum, corroborating this description.

Despite the term Blitzkrieg being so popular, there exists evidence that Blitzkrieg was, in fact, not a real tactic or a concept at all. In fact, evidence points towards Blitzkrieg being a buzzword, not of German origin but from Western media, but how could this be? It’s such a widespread and generally accepted term.

Join host Ethan Zhao as he explores the evidence and uncovers the question: was Blitzkrieg really a military doctrine like it’s so often claimed to be? Or is Blitzkrieg simply a historical buzzword invented and used by Western media sources?

Sources:

J.P. Harris “The Myth of Blitzkrieg”

R.L. DiNardo “German Armour Doctrine: Correcting the Myths” 

Audio Credits:

All 3rd party audio is open-source

Intro music was Preußens Gloria, a historical Prussian military march that has seen use in German militaries from 19th century Prussia to modern-day Germany.

“Fast Woosh” By StudioKolomna

“Night Detective” By Amaski

“Cricket” By Chieuk