History
The Wehrmacht was created in 1935 as the official military of Nazi Germany. It included the army, the navy, and the air force. The leaders wanted to grow Germany's power and influence in Europe. When the war started in 1939, the Wehrmacht used a strategy called blitzkrieg. This means lightning war. They used fast tanks and airplanes to attack enemies before they could get ready. This helped them conquer many countries in Western Europe very quickly. Things changed when Germany attacked the Soviet Union. The war became much larger and harder to win. The Wehrmacht fought on many fronts at the same time. The soldiers were involved in some of the biggest battles in history. By 1944, the Allies were much stronger. The Wehrmacht lost ground in France and in the East. By May 1945, the German forces were defeated and the country surrendered. After the war, the Wehrmacht was broken up and stopped existing. The new German military was built much differently to avoid the mistakes of the past. The history of the Wehrmacht is a reminder of the dangers of war and total control.
