Tank fight at Prokhorovka

In the spring of 1943, the Germans planned to regain the initiative on their Eastern F ront. A large bulge in the area around the city of Kursk made a tempting target, and the Germans expected their armored spearheads to …

1943-07-06

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In the spring of 1943, the Germans planned to regain the initiative on their Eastern F ront. A large bulge in the area around the city of Kursk made a tempting target, and the Germans expected their armored spearheads to break through as they had in 1941-42. But when the attack began in early July, the Soviets were prepared with massive numbers of mines, fortifications, anti-tank guns, and tanks. Their northern defenses stopped the Germans after a few days. In the South, an elite corps of SS panzer grenadier divisions came close to success, with the fate of the battle determined by a tank slugfest near the town of Prokhorovka.

Prokhorovka, Russia

The Battle of Prokhorovka was fought on 12 July 1943 near Prokhorovka, 87 kilometres (54 mi) southeast of Kursk in the Soviet Union, during the Second World War. Taking place on the Eastern Front, the engagement was part of the wider Battle of Kursk, and occurred when the 5th Guards Tank Army of the Soviet Red Army attacked the II SS-Panzer Corps of the German Wehrmacht in one of the largest tank battles in military history.

Wikipedia: Battle of Prokhorovka

German

Russian