Weather Plays a Large Role in Hitler's 3rd Generational Warfare
Hitler waited for the correct weather until he began his major offensive. The day before the attack came clouds followed with overcast. A day later, December 16, by arctic air from Scandinavia, heavy snows, and blizzards came storming in which greatly reduced visibility at ground level. Because of the storms, Allied forces were grounded, they had no air support. Another advantage was that the bad weather lowered the Allies guard. Since the battle was a surprise attack, the weather helped them even more so. When the skies finally cleared, however, defeat of the German forces soon followed.
With Hitler's surprise attack in this battle, also known as blitzkrieg, helped him have a fighting chance. In WWII Hitler essentially created this new generation of warfare. 3rd generational warfare is defined as, using speed and surprise to bypass the enemy's lines and collapse their forces from the rear. Hitler did not see any sense in squaring off face to face with other soldiers, he did not have the man power to defeat ever country around him. Instead, Hitler's idea was to outmaneuver each other to gain the greatest advantage. This is why weather played an exceptional role for the first time.
Instead of basing his attacks on artillery power, his focus was much more on speed and surprise. With poor weather, Allied troops let their guards down, Germans were able to hit hard. A disadvantage for the Germans on the other hand was that they had to cover a vast distant while fighting at the same time. Trekking the large snow drifts for miles wears the soldiers out and worsens their fighting abilities. As i said before, Hitler planned his entire attack behind having the opportune weather, which was shitty weather. Besides his surprise advantage with the weather, he needed to ground the Allied troops. For his new 3rd generation of warfare, he needed to dominate on the ground.
With Hitler's surprise attack in this battle, also known as blitzkrieg, helped him have a fighting chance. In WWII Hitler essentially created this new generation of warfare. 3rd generational warfare is defined as, using speed and surprise to bypass the enemy's lines and collapse their forces from the rear. Hitler did not see any sense in squaring off face to face with other soldiers, he did not have the man power to defeat ever country around him. Instead, Hitler's idea was to outmaneuver each other to gain the greatest advantage. This is why weather played an exceptional role for the first time.
Instead of basing his attacks on artillery power, his focus was much more on speed and surprise. With poor weather, Allied troops let their guards down, Germans were able to hit hard. A disadvantage for the Germans on the other hand was that they had to cover a vast distant while fighting at the same time. Trekking the large snow drifts for miles wears the soldiers out and worsens their fighting abilities. As i said before, Hitler planned his entire attack behind having the opportune weather, which was shitty weather. Besides his surprise advantage with the weather, he needed to ground the Allied troops. For his new 3rd generation of warfare, he needed to dominate on the ground.