Battle Tactics in World War 2

      There were many different strategies and tactics used by the different armies in World War II. Although no army fought the same way the entire duration of the war, there were tactics used that were more favored than others. These tactics, such as Kamikaze, Blitzkrieg, and Guerrilla, defined the way we think of battles in WWII. Such methods began simply as  last resorts, but soon became forces to be reckoned with, feared by all. My page will give examples and explain some of the more well known, and-in my opinion-more effective battle tactics of the second World War.  

      The first, and probably most popular tactic of battle was the Japanese Kamikaze, or "Divine Wind." This term is taken from a godly power that they believed was watching over them. Some believe this was suggested by a Japanese naval Commander, but credit is most commonly given to Vice-Admiral Takashiro Ohnishi. Ohnishi knew that his 1st Air Fleet, part of the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force in the Philippines couldn't damage American ships with the aircraft available, because they were not designed to take on the force of the United States Navy. He had a solution, though. Guided weapons-weapons that were controlled, or steered during flight-have greater accuracy, and therefore inflict greater damage. With this in mind, Ohnishi decided to have volunteer pilots fly bomb-carrying planes into their targets.

    Japanese pilots would pack their aircraft full of explosives of any kind. These pilots were typically young men who volunteered to carry out these attacks for their country, due to patriotic and religious reasons. They would fly their planes into, and collide with, targets such as warships and carriers in suicidal dive-bombing attacks. This was effective not only because of the collision impact, but also because of the explosive force. This strategy did have many flaws though, including vulnerability to Anti-Air equipment, faulty explosives, and defective planes and pilots. These attacks were first introduced in October of 1944 in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. This method grew to be greatly feared by the time the Kamikazes made their final appearance in Okinawa. In June 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, the Japanese unleashed their heaviest attacks yet. In Operation Kikusui, Japan concentrated multiple waves of planes, a total of about 700 on U.S. warships. The Japanese Kamikazes sunk approximately 40 ships during WWII.

     The Japanese weren't the only ones who had effective strategies in the war, however. The German Blitzkrieg, or "Lightning War" was another important tactic of WWII. The first ideas of the concept were introduced by British military theoretician Basil Liddell-Hart. The Germans had to develop new tactics after WWI, so they listened to Liddell-Hart, who announced ideas of "fast and deep armor advancements." Although Hart's ideas were never taken to action by the British, German officer Heinz Guderian used these methods in tank and plane demonstrations to his superiors. Germany had more motive to accept these ideas than any other country because of its struggles after WWI. Her new leader Adolf Hitler, wanted to go to war again, but needed something that would change the course of future battles. When he saw one of Guderian's demos he knew he'd found what he needed. By 1938, Germany was ready to use Blitzkrieg.

     Blitzkrieg stressed speed and surprise in the concentration of heavy weapons such as tanks, planes, and artillery. Germany would send heavy weapons and infantry in "lightning attacks" to an enemy's front line. These forces would penetrate defenses, hit hard, and roam freely amongst the enemy. This method caused panic and confusion. Air support cut off enemy supplies and reinforcements. The wave would then surround the enemy, resulting in surrender. These attacks were easily coordinated thanks to Communication Baystation(CB). Europe first saw the wrath of Blitzkrieg in September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. Germany took the west, and the Soviets took the east. The Germans had successfully defeated Poland. Blitzkrieg was also sussessful against Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Yugoslavia, Greece, and the Netherlands. This was extremely fast, and the German army was able to reach capitol cities in a matter of a few mere weeks. Germany continued to utilize this method until it failed against Great Britain and the Soviet Union in 1941. Similar methods such as the U.S. "Shock and Awe" are still used today.

     The final tactic that was well-known in WWII was Guerrilla. A guerrilla is a small band of fighters who weaken their enemy with surprise raids and hit-and-run attacks. The guerrillas would use small groups to quickly, but effectively attack enemy lines. Guerrillas would form their lines, and fire. They would then retreat out of sight and out of harm's way. Many a time they would regroup and hit again. This was probably the most universal method. During WWII guerrilla warfare was used by different countries around the pacific. The most popular, however, was Ho Chi Minh from Indochina, or Vietnam. This method was used as early as the Revolutionary War and is still used today.

     Finally, the different battle tactics used were an important characteristic of WWII. The German Blitzkrieg, Japanese Kamikaze, and Guerrilla were well-known, feared, and very effective. They were also factors in determining the outcomes of many battles during the war. These methods tell us a lot about the armies of WWII and the way they fought. They also tell us much about the clever minds of world leaders. Many of these are still used today, by countries around the globe. We can all learn something from the battle tactics of World War 2.

More Images 

 1) Kamikaze Pilot Kiyoshi Ogawa (man)                                                                                                               

 2) Bunker Hill Kamikaze Aftermath (ship fire)

 3) Blitzkrieg Damage in Poland (ruins)

Sources

http://www.airgroup4.com/kamikaze.htm

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1740.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze

http://www.2worldwar2.com/kamikaze-pilots.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitzkrieg

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/blitzkrieg.htm

http://www.2worldwar2.com/blitzkrieg.htm

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005437

"Creating America" Ch. 7 pg.207

"Creating America" Ch. 27 pg. 760

Mr. Craun

 Thank You!