![]() ![]() The Battle of Kursk was the largest tank battle in history, involving on both sides some 6,000 tanks, 2,000,000 troops, and 4,000 aircraft. German General Friedrich von Mellenthin stated, “No offensive was ever prepared as carefully as this one." The result of the Battle of Kursk was a strategic Soviet victory, and the axis powers lost their ability to initiate strategic offensive operations, and the Soviet Red Army gained a decisive initiative over the Wehrmacht. The Germans code-named this offensive, Operation Citadel. This battle was the German response to their loss at the Battle of Stalingrad, where the Nazi army had been defeated. It was Germany’s last ground offensive on the Eastern Front and the largest ever tank battle that the world had ever seen. ![]() As events would show, after this battle Germany could not even defend successfully.The Battle of Kursk (July 5 – Aug. 23, 1943) was an unsuccessful German assault on the Soviet position around the city of Kursk in western Russia during World War II. After Citadel Germany was unable to mount further major offensives against the Soviet Union. Citadel depleted what was left of the German strategic reserves. The significance of Citadel was that it destroyed the remaining German offensive strength. However, it would be more appropriate to say that Germany was defeated by the combined effects of the Battles of Moscow in 1941, Stalingrad in 1942, and Kursk in 1943. Citadel was the decisive battle on the Eastern Front in World War II because after this battle the initiative passed to the Soviets, who would never lose it again. The results are important because, with Citadel being the greatest tank battle of the war, it has many lessons that are still important to the conduct of todays Army operations. ![]() Sources include books, journals, articles, theses, and dissertations. This study used Soviet, Anglo-American, and German primary and secondary sources. However, many authorities consider Citadel the decisive turning point. Probably most Western historians believe that Stalingrad was the decisive battle on the Eastern Front. Unfortunately, there is a general lack of knowledge about this battle. This was the greatest tank engagement of World War II. ![]() Abstract: This is a study on the results of Operation Citadel, the Battle of Kursk. ![]()
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