Zitadelle - The Retreat

On July 12, the German and Russian armored forces met to the west of Prokhorovka in the Ukraine. Nearly 1,300 tanks and assault guns clashed in what was to become the largest tank battle in history. The battle raged, in …

1943-07-14

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On July 12, the German and Russian armored forces met to the west of Prokhorovka in the Ukraine. Nearly 1,300 tanks and assault guns clashed in what was to become the largest tank battle in history. The battle raged, in many cases at point blank range, well into the evening hours. As the smoke cleared on the 13th, the shocking results became all too apparent. The German losses amounted to over 350 armored vehicles. As these losses could be ill afforded by the Germans, this battle was to become the turning point in the Zitadelle offensive. On the 14th, the Russians launched their massive counter-strikes, and the Germans began to fall back behind rear guard units and harassing attacks. The 3rd Panzer Division comprised the left arm of Grossdeutschland’s assault force, and was called upon to assist in main assault and to then cover the retreat from the Prokhorovka area. All German attempts to hold back the Russian onslaught were of no avail. Both in the northern and southern sectors, the Russians were able to roll the Germans back beyond their original jump off points. Zitadelle had been a disaster.

Kalinovka, Ukraine

The Battle of Kursk was a Second World War engagement between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front near Kursk in the Soviet Union, during July and August 1943. The battle began with the launch of the German offensive Operation Citadel, on 5 July, which had the objective of pinching off the Kursk salient with attacks on the base of the salient from north and south simultaneously. After the German offensive stalled on the northern side of the salient, on 12 July the Soviets commenced their Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation with the launch of Operation Kutuzov against the rear of the German forces in the northern side. On the southern side, the Soviets also launched powerful counterattacks the same day, one of which led to a large armoured clash, the Battle of Prokhorovka. On 3 August, the Soviets began the second phase of the Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation with the launch of Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev against the German forces in the southern side of the Kursk salient.

Wikipedia: Battle of Kursk

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