The German compound combines lightning with war. English adopted it as a name for a rapid offensive.
The puzzle concerns the word’s literal construction, not the military effectiveness of any campaign.
blitzkrieg
A swift, concentrated military offensive.
Lightning supplies the speed
How blitzkrieg reached English
oldest firstGerman
- Blitz‘lightning’
- Krieg‘war’
combined
English
blitzkrieg
‘A rapid offensive’