The Blitz in 1936?

[Aktungbby]

1936 Our Gang Second Childhood: Origin of word blitz:1935-40; shortening of blitzkrieg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitzkrieg

The origin of the term blitzkrieg is obscure. It was never used in the title of a military doctrine or handbook of the German army or air force, and no "coherent doctrine" or "unifying concept of blitzkrieg" existed.The term seems rarely to have been used in the German military press before 1939 and recent research at the German Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt at Potsdam found it in only two military articles from the 1930s. Both used the term to mean a swift strategic knock-out, rather than a radical new military doctrine or approach to war. The first article (1935) deals primarily with supplies of food and materiel in wartime. The term blitzkrieg is used with reference to German efforts to win a quick victory in the First World War but is not associated with the use of armoured, mechanised or air forces. It argued that Germany must develop self-sufficiency in food, because it might again prove impossible to deal a swift knock-out to its enemies, leading to a long war. In the second article (1938), launching a swift strategic knock-out is described as an attractive idea for Germany but difficult to achieve on land under modern conditions (especially against systems of fortification like the Maginot Line), unless an exceptionally high degree of surprise could be achieved. The author vaguely suggests that a massive strategic air attack might hold out better prospects but the topic is not explored in detail. A third relatively early use of the term in German occurs in Die Deutsche Kriegsstärke (German War Strength) by Fritz Sternberg, a Jewish, Marxist, political economist and refugee from the Third Reich, published in 1938 in Paris and in London as Germany and a Lightning War. Sternberg wrote that Germany was not prepared economically for a long war but might win a quick war ("Blitzkrieg") . He did not go into detail about tactics or suggest that the German armed forces had evolved a radically new operational method. His book offers scant clues as to how German lightning victories might be won.


In English and other languages, the term had been used since the 1920s. The British press used it to describe the German successes in Poland in September 1939, called by Harris "a piece of journalistic sensationalism – a buzz-word with which to label the spectacular early successes of the Germans in the Second World War". It was later applied to the bombing of Britain, particularly London, hence "The Blitz" . The German popular press followed suit nine months later, after the fall of France in 1940; hence although the word had been used in German, it was first popularized by British journalism...Modern historians now understand blitzkrieg as the outcome of the rejuvenation of the traditional German military principles, methods and doctrines of the 19th century with the latest weapon systems of the interwar period.

Oddly enough:

After the German failure in the Soviet Union in 1941, use of the term began to be frowned upon in the Third Reich, and Hitler then denied ever using the term, saying in a speech in November 1941, "I have never used the word Blitzkrieg, because it is a very silly word. In 3/4 January 1942, Hitler dismissed it as "Italian phraseology".

Bottom line; the word was out there by 1935; more an English expression than German, and simply referred to a swift decisive attack (tanks Achtung Panzer etc) ) more than our present historical connotative aerial "London Blitz"... the use by an English character, Zeffie Tilbury, stealing the show as "Grandma" b.1863–d.1950 in the enjoyable Our Gang episode is quirkily correct within time parameters..by one year!

[Fubar2Niner]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

1936 Our Gang Second Childhood: Origin of word blitz:1935-40; shortening of blitzkrieg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitzkrieg Oddly enough: Bottom line; the word was out there by 1935; more an English expression than German, and simply referred to a swift decisive attack (tanks Achtung Panzer etc) ) more than our present historical connotative aerial "London Blitz"... the use by an English character, Zeffie Tilbury, stealing the show as "Grandma" b.1863–d.1950 in the enjoyable Our Gang episode is quirkily correct within time parameters.

Eggxactamundo old mate. Just what I said, more eloquent tho I must say. Once again the beagle and I bow before your knowledge BBY

All the best mate.

Fubar

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Fubar2Niner

Eggxactamundo old mate. Just what I said, more eloquent tho I must say. Once again the beagle and I bow before your knowledge BBY

All the best mate.

Fubar

Well thanks! My attaboy for the day! I did a lot of history term-papers and proofread everyone else's! The trick is to build on everyone else's observations (^Well done Y'all) gleaning, then...strive for accuracy (Never trust a source initially) then "blitz" the subject with a 99% sound argument that will hold up to ' s many articulate, sharp-eyed historians: in this case Platapus who noted the apparent time discrepancy to begin with...Then check for grammar errors to avoid our resident Nazi(s) lest I get a spanker on my mizzen! from a mizzenthrope!

Having watched the video (the phrase in question is about 2:30 in), I think what the lady is saying is "Quick, Hobson, the Flit!". According to Wikipedia, Flit insecticide was then advertised with a similar slogan:

In 1928 Flit, then marketed by a newly formed subsidiary of Jersey Standard, Stanco Incorporated, became the subject of a very successful long running advertising campaign. Theodor Seuss Geisel created the artwork for this campaign, years before he started writing the children's books that made him famous as Dr. Seuss. The ads typically showed people threatened by whimsical, menacing insect-like creatures that would look familiar to fans of Dr. Seuss's later work and contained the tagline "Quick, Henry, the Flit!" This advertising campaign continued for 17 years and made "Quick, Henry, the Flit!" a popular catchphrase in the United States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLIT

[razark]

Originally Posted by AndyJWest

Having watched the video (the phrase in question is about 2:30 in), I think what the lady is saying is "Quick, Hobson, the Flit!".

That's what I heard when I watched the video.

[Platapus]

Holy Parelodlia Batman!

I just cut out that part of the movie and played it back with one of my audio programs, and youse guys is right. She saying Flit.

But that's not how I always heard it. Looks like I had some cognitive biases stuck to my brain.

It is so weird. Now when I played it back, I can't imagine ever confusing that word with blitz.

Well they say the hearing is the 17th thing to go.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by AndyJWest

Having watched the video (the phrase in question is about 2:30 in), I think what the lady is saying is "Quick, Hobson, the Flit!". According to Wikipedia, Flit insecticide was then advertised with a similar slogan:

Originally Posted by razark

That's what I heard when I watched the video.

Well DAMN! plugging in my WIDEX $5K hearing aids; calling in my 'ears of a fox' bride for backup (she could not be sure) and cranking up the volume over the 'flit's noisy engine...I'm not certain

 

(Never trust a source initially)

but I'm inclined to agree it's 'flit'...makes more sense, "99% 'sound' argument that will hold up" , and is a period play on words. The scary part is...I used one of these to 'blitz' legions of horseflies in a MN 20 horse barn where I taught riding in 1969! <1928 FLIT manual spray pump for insecticides

[Eichhörnchen]

Puzzle solved... easy mistake to make. That cognitive bias is a powerful thing and it can fool our eyes as well:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...4&postcount=13

[Jimbuna]

Chalk one up for Aktung