Which military strategy involves the use of swift and surprise attacks?

The military strategy that best exemplifies the use of swift and surprise attacks is Blitzkrieg. This term, which translates to "lightning war," was utilized predominantly during World War II by German forces. The essence of Blitzkrieg is to achieve rapid and decisive victories through a combination of mobile ground forces, air support, and a strategy that seeks to disrupt and confuse the enemy. It emphasizes speed and the element of surprise to penetrate enemy lines, encircle forces, and cause panic.

In contrast, guerrilla warfare, while involving surprise, typically relies on smaller, mobile groups engaging in irregular tactics rather than the rapid, coordinated assaults seen in Blitzkrieg. Shock and Awe is a modern military strategy that focuses on overwhelming force and quick victory but is less about speed and surprise in individual engagements than Blitzkrieg. Trench warfare represents a static form of combat characterized by fortifications and slow advances, opposing the swift maneuvers central to Blitzkrieg tactics.