In September 1939, the armies of Nazi Germany invaded Poland and revealed a stunning new approach to modern warfare. The coordinated use of armor and aircraft to attack effectively with both surprise and speed transfixed an outraged world and ushered in a new era of warfare.

In this detailed look at blitzkrieg, or lightning war, Marcus Jones explores its origins, considers its successes and implications, and dispels myths that have arisen about the concept in the postwar period, thus offering a more critical undestanding of one of the Second World War’s most important military innovations.

Jones is a professor in the department of history, U.S. Naval Academy.