In May 1940, Germany launched a rapid military campaign known as Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war," against France and the Low Countries, marking a decisive phase in World War II. The strategy relied on swift, coordinated assaults utilizing combined arms tactics, including tanks, infantry, and air support, to achieve overwhelming surprise and speed. The German forces bypassed the heavily fortified Maginot Line, penetrating through the Ardennes Forest, where Allied defenses were weak. This unexpecte