Kursk, Battle of, was a battle between Germany and the Soviet Union during World War II (1939-1945). In June 1941, Germany had invaded the Soviet Union, bringing the Soviets into the war on the side of the Allies. The Battle of Kursk was one of the most important battles in world history and a major turning point in the war. The battle began in July 1943, when Germany launched an offensive called Operation Citadel. Planned by German Chancellor Adolf Hitler and key German generals, the operation sought to destroy Soviet Red Army forces stationed near the city of Kursk in western Russia. The Soviets learned of the coming attack and developed a plan of defense. Eventually, a massive Soviet counteroffensive drove the Germans out of Russia.
On July 5, 1943, the Germans attacked to the north and south of Kursk. They had more than 500,000 troops and more than 2,500 tanks. The Soviets were ready with deep, well-developed defenses. They had about 11/2 million soldiers and 5,000 tanks. After a week of intense fighting and severe losses on both sides, the northern German assault ground to a halt. The Germans to the south of Kursk advanced toward the village of Prokhorovka. The climax of the Battle of Kursk occurred on July 12. That day, about 600 Soviet tanks and about 180 German tanks clashed in the fields near Prokhorovka. The tank battle lasted more than two days and ended with no decisive winner.
Hitler stopped Operation Citadel in mid-July because further fighting in the Kursk region seemed pointless. Also, Hitler needed to transfer troops to defend against the Allied invasion of Sicily.
A Soviet force of around 1 million troops and 3,000 tanks had attacked the Germans north of Kursk on July 12. After five weeks of brutal fighting, the Red Army drove the Germans westward to the Russian city of Bryansk. By August 23, Soviet troops had established control over the Russian city of Belgorod and the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv (also spelled Kharkov).
The Battle of Kursk cost the Soviets about 800,000 casualties and thousands of tanks. The Germans lost at least 100,000 troops and hundreds of tanks. Operation Citadel failed, and the Germans were forced to withdraw westward. From that point on, the Red Army pushed the Germans steadily back until Germany’s surrender in May 1945.
See also Operation Barbarossa ; World War II (The Soviet advance) .
