The Top Five Deadly Military Strategies of the Second World War
World War 2 is a unique war. Each country has their own strategy to win the war. Both on land, sea, and air the generals, marshals, and admirals are competing against their opponents. Here is a glimpse of some of the World War II military strategies, both commonly known and rarely mentioned in history books:
1.Blitzkrieg (Germany)
Blitzkrieg is probably the world's most talked-about strategy written in history books. Blitzkrieg is a method of lightning war by using motorized troops (Panzer, mechanical Infantry, and cavalry) as the backbone of an attack. In addition, coordination is also carried out with air forces so that a blow attack can be done so effectively and lethally. Blitzkrieg is built from German limitations in arming ones that are still bound by several agreements.
The idea of Blitzkrieg is actually very simple. Looking for the enemy's weak point, and if you've found it then that's where a massive attack with high speed is done. If a line of defense is to be penetrated, then the motor force will be able to lock the opponent from behind the line of defense so that enemy forces have no choice but to surrender.
Guderian's name is often touted as the person responsible for shaping this strategy. But he is not alone, another genius named Erich Von Manstein even has a bigger share. The two German Generals were the ones who sparked (of course with the blessings of other Generals-General like Von Bloomberg, Rundstedt or Von Leeb) the idea of a combination of mechanical war that had never existed before.
Blitzkrieg has many advantages which one of them is the effectiveness of attacks that make human labor is not wasted. However, this strategy relies heavily on surprise or impromptu elements. When the information, even though only a few leaked to the opposing party, the Blitzkrieg would be a suicide attack, as happened at the Battle of Kursk in 1943.
In modern mechanical warfare, Blitzkrieg's strategy principles are still enforced. Some battles like Operation Desert Storm is very strong in elements use Blitzkrieg strategy and perhaps modern battles in the future. The tanks are still and will likely continue to be the backbone of the troops forward. Of course, the tank itself can not win the war, it must be combined with infantry, even if necessary air force.
2.Great Patriotic Warfare/Human Wave Doctrine (Uni Soviet)
At the beginning of his war with Germany, the Soviet Union actually had far more war equipment than German. They have about 10,000 tanks, 15,000 planes, and more than 50,000 artillery pieces. But the quality of combat equipment was far less than made in Germany. The early Babakan became a time that was so burdensome for the Soviets, one and a half million of his troops became captives and much more were killed. To overcome such a precarious situation, the Soviet strategy of Great Patriotic Warfare or more associated with Human Wave Doctrine
Ever seen the movie Enemy At The Gates? A description of the Battle of Stalingrad, the greatest battle of history in which three hundred German soldiers and about two million Soviet troops were killed 'only' in one city. There, the Soviets recruited the young men even to the interior of the Ural Mountains. These young men are deployed to the battle with very little training, their equipment is much more minimal. In the film depicted how two soldiers were only given a rifle when one who was carrying shotgun was shot, it was expected that the person behind him would take the gun and shoot the opponent.
After the destruction of the Red Army at the end of 1941, the Soviet Union was very short of war equipment. But with the system of forced labor and massive industrial displacement, eventually, the Soviet Union was able to regain its strength again. The year 1942 was a crucial year for the Soviets, as they were supposed to be able to regenerate their armed forces which had been ravaged. The defense ministry decided to recruit as much human labor for the armed forces as possible. Even though they had to leave for war without any equipment that was inadequate and supplies minimal.
Luckily for the Soviets, the winter of 1941 really made Germany's forces chaotic. Blitzkrieg troops who came to Russia without adequate winter preparations had to bother to face a frightening 'General Winter'. No one knows the exact number of German casualties due to the ferocious winter, but throughout the late 1941s to early 1942 (barely a massive frontal battle), about six hundred thousand German troops were killed or wounded. Almost a fifth of all German forces is deployed to Russia.
3.Fire Power Focus (English)
The English people are rigid and cautious. Their nature is so obvious when the war is raging. General Montgomery against Rommel in North Africa opted to withstand attacks, even retreat if necessary, just to wait for their warfare equipment more than enough to repel the opponent. When he had more than 600 artillery guns and about 500 tanks, the famous General became the desert lion then did the movement.
Montgomery opted to take action in the face of Germany. They think that it's better to sacrifice logistics than to waste human resources. And indeed, when compared to other countries actively engaged in World War 2, Britain is the country with the fewest casualties.
Montgomery thought almost like the World War I General. He bombarded the German line before the attack, then made a frontal attack using tanks and infantry with the support of each other. This way is expensive in cost, but it is very effective to minimize casualties.
4.Carpet Bombing (USA)
America, in World War 2 is a country with the most abundant human and natural resources. America is also famous for the attitude of his people who are impatient, always want to get results quickly and thoroughly wasteful and careless.
This characteristic can also characterize this country during the war. If there are results that can be achieved quickly, much wasted natural resources do not matter.
During World War 2, the United States produced long-range bomber aircraft. B25 aircraft bomber for example made in the number of 9000 pieces, not to mention variants B17 made in the amount of 12000 pieces. Aircraft that in the future determine the course of the battle in Europe.
Carpet bomb is a massive and massive bombing method on the target. One attack can involve 100-300 bombers at once or more. The bomb that descended from the plane destroyed the tank so that it could hardly be recognized its authenticity. It was as if a carpet was lowered from the sky, covering the ground that once filled with life.
Carpet bombing strategy is very cruel, but it can not be denied that this strategy has accelerated the course of World War 2 in a matter of years. In addition, the victim fell (from friends) can be minimized as small as possible. The number of victims of this bomb though actually accessible to the public, but never to the surface. Germany and Japan are the two countries most affected by Carpet bombing, the number of casualties in both countries reaches millions of people. And no one wants to investigate the death of his victim.
5.Kamikaze (Jepang)
Japan is a unique country, their tradition of the military has existed since the samurai era and continues to be inherited even until World War 2. Japan does have a strong tradition of self-esteem, they better die than have to bear the embarrassment of a defeat. This ancient-looking tradition is still practiced during World War 2. Some gametes that are trapped in Pacific islands choose to do Harakiri or mass suicide. However, nothing is more destructive than Kamikaze's attacks. Attack by crashing the plane into the opposing ships.
Kamikaze or kami-kaze or Gami-Kaze have the meaning of God's Wind. The idea is simple, putting enough explosives inside an airplane and then sending a pilot to crash into an opponent's ship. Much like a missile that exists today. It's just that at that time rocket missiles have not been or are not widely used, only Germany alone has the technology for it.
Why Japan to do kamikaze? Japan actually still had enough supplies of fighter aircraft at the end of the war. It's just that they do not have enough human resources to fly it. Training a fighter pilot takes a long time, especially in wartime, the training should be done more intensively. Therefore, it is easier to train the pilots a bit (just to fly the plane) and then tell them to collide themselves into the opposing body. For the Japanese troops at that time, dying for the country was a great honor.
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