Operation Citadel or the Battle of Kursk July 5 – July (20) 1943

Gen.Oberst Hermann Hoth and Gen.Feldm. Erich v. Manstein

Unternehmen Zitadelle – Panzerschlacht um Kursk

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: Generaloberst Hermann Hoth and Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein analyze a map of operations on June 21 1943. Von Manstein was one of the primary commanders at the Battle of Kursk. Note the Krimschild on his left arm. His ongoing disagreements with German dictator Adolf Hitler over the conduct of the war led to his dismissal in March 1944. Von Manstein died aged 85 on June 9 1973 in Bayern. Hoth commanded the 4.Panzer-Armee in the Battle of Kursk reinforced by the II.SS-Panzerkorps under SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser. Hoth died aged 85 on January 25 1971 in Niedersachsen. Photo by KB Heinz Mittelstaedt. Credit: Facundo Filipe. c. Bundesarchiv. Op. map. PD.