[Ads-l] Further Antedatings of "Blitzkrieg"

Bonnie Taylor-Blake b.taylorblake at GMAIL.COM
Thu Mar 26 16:31:36 UTC 2015


There was a belief that an offensive could be carried out rapidly, and
that an army which attacks strongly and with vigour is irresistible.
This was the theory of the famous "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war) of
which Herr Hitler spoke, and which seemed to be particularly the creed
of the German General Staff.

>From I.E. Revesz, "Peace or War in Europe?; The Problem Studied from
Eighteen Countries; An Improved Outlook," The Yorkshire Post (Leeds,
England), 27 November 1937, p. 10; via British Newspaper Archive.


On Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 12:14 PM, Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:

> blitzkrieg (OED 1939)
>
> 1938 H. V. Kaltenborn in _Escanaba (Mich.) Daily Press_ 3 May 8/1 (Newspape=
> rs.com)  The German General Staff is planning the Blitzkrieg  -- the only k=
> ind of war in which she would have a chance of success.  This means that sh=
> e will strike instantly and without any such formality as a declaration of =
> war.
>
> 1938 H. V. Kaltenborn in _Brooklyn Daily Eagle_ 21 July 13/1 (Newspapers.co=
> m)  She [Germany] is putting Europe on warning that at least one country is=
>  ready for the only kind of war in which the victor power could gain someth=
> ing worth while.  This is the Blitzkrieg, the lightning-like war, in which =
> every military arm strikes at the enemy's vital nerve centers without so mu=
> ch as a declaration of war with the idea of paralyzing his offensive power =
> within the first 48 hours of hostilities.
>
> Fred Shapiro

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