Battle of Kursk in July 1943 remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the
Battle of Prokhorovka, and the costliest single day of aerial warfare. The Wehrmacht´s goal during Operation Citadel was to pinch off a huge salient that bulged more than 80 km. A rapid panzer advance, punching inwards from either shoulder of the salient, would trap hundreds of thousands Soviet troops and, in turn, shorten the German front. In the build-up to the battle both sides massed their best troops. By early July 1943 the Wehrmacht had concentrated 43 divisions. Barring their way were 100 Soviet divisions and five tank armies. Soviet had a massive supply of men and hardware at this stage of the war and General and Marshal Georgy Zhukov wanted to trade their lives for German panzers. The Soviet strength in the Kursk salient was growing much faster than the Wehrmacht could muster forces to attack it. From reports and tactical intelligence, Georgy Zhukov knew almost the hour when the German assault would begin. The Soviets designed a system to slow and exhaust the powerful German panzer spearheads by forcing them to attack through a vast interconnected web of minefields, pre-sighted artillery fire zones, and concealed anti-tank strong-points comprising eight progressively spaced defense lines 250 km deep, it was by far the most extensive defensive works ever constructed. Behind the Soviet front were more than 3,000 tanks, the majority T-34/76s. Credit: Tim Ripley. Left image: the 34-year-old SS-Standartenführer Theodor ‘Teddy’ Wisch succeeded
Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich as commander of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Divisions Leibstandarte SS in April 1943. In July of that year, at the time of the Kursk offensive, Theodor Wisch was further promoted to SS-Oberführer. He was later seriously wounded in combat on the Western Front by a naval artillery barrage in the
Falaise Pocket on August 20 1944. Theodor Wisch ended the war as SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor der Waffen-SS and holder of the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords. He died aged 87 on January 11 1995 in Norderstedt in Schleswig-Holstein. Credit: Bekors. Commons: Bundesarchiv.
During Operation "Zitadelle," Teddy Wisch as commander of the Leibstandarte SS showed himself a soldierly leader with high military skill, strong energy and toughness. With a permanent personal commitment he led the division through these hard offensive and defensive battles from the front line. The armored personnel carrier of the divisional commander during the middle of the tank attacks, or among the attacking grenadiers, or rushing across the battlefield from command post to command post were images constantly repeated during these days. Because of his permanently proven bravery, his never-ending high proof of worth and the excellent leadership of his division Wisch was awarded the high award of the Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in August 1944 (one of only 160 awarded during the whole war).
ReplyDeleteZhukov always had overwhelming numbers. And he didnt mind wasting them.
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