World War II included a military campaign.
The Blitz , from the German word Blitzkrieg meaning ` lightning war ' , was the name used by the British press to describe the heavy air raids carried out over Britain in 1940 and 1941 , during the Second World War . The German air offensive was concentrated , aimed at the direct bombing of industrial targets and civilian centres which began with heavy raids on London during the latter phase of the battle for air superiority over the United Kingdom which became known as the Battle of Britain . World War II . The war continued primarily between the European Axis powers and the coalition of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth , with campaigns including the North Africa and East Africa campaigns , the aerial Battle of Britain , the Blitz bombing campaign , the Balkan Campaign as well as the long-running Battle of the Atlantic .