The long awaited counterattack, Operation Kutuzov, would set loose the Russian tank armies. The Stavka wanted to attack now, before Model could redeploy his Panzers. Only the elite SS-Panzerdivisions Totenkopf, Das Reich and Leibstandarte in the south were still making progress, as they reached the fields near a small village called Prokhorovka. On August 11, Model finally called off the fruitless offensive. Nonetheless, the Soviets achieved what they hoped for they blunted the German spear, all while the Russian tank armies were building up for their own killing blow. The others took light damage, mostly to their tracks, which could usually be repaired in the field. Only around 10% of Model’s tanks were lost. German tank losses weren’t actually as high as Russian sources may suggest. Tanks were damaged by the mines, and the relentless Russian artillery caused heavy casualties among the German infantries. So as the days dragged on, the German advance took out several major strongpoints, and they even penetrated the first line of Rokossovsky’s defences, but the large defensive system slowly but steadily whittled away the German forces. ![]() In the air, the superior German FW-190As were able to suppress the Russian fighters and bomber attacks, despite their disadvantage in numbers. Well-positioned Tiger tanks could destroy whole groups of Russian tanks that were sent out in premature counter attacks. Ferdinand tank destroyers could outrange their Russian counterparts, and German pioneers led radio-controlled demolition tanks into the minefields to clear the path. However, the Germans had sent new weapon systems into the battle. As usual, the advance was spearheaded by the German tank divisions and mobile Sturmdivisions, but the minefields and Soviet resistance slowed them down. Still, the German forces were soon moving towards the Russian lines under their own opening barrage of heavy artillery, mortars and Nebelwerfer-rockets. The day before, captured German soldiers had revealed the exact hour the offensive would begin, so tactical surprise was lost. On July 5, 1943, the German offensive began – well, it started with a Soviet artillery barrage that rained down on the German frontlines. The German offensive begins Source: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-154-1964-24 / Dreyer / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons He also prepared the Hagen-Stellung – a defensive line the Germans could fall back on if everything went to hell. Model, however, prepared for a possible Russian counterattack and held the 2nd Panzer Army around the city of Orel in reserve. Model was less optimistic and very much against the whole operation, but despite his doubts, Hitler and High Command urged him to concentrate all his forces and attack from the north. Von Manstein disregarded those numbers, since he still believed in the inferior quality of the Soviet troops. ![]() All in all, the Soviet forces enjoyed at least a 2:1 advantage in men, tanks, artillery and aircraft. Red Army General Konstantin Rokossovsky also had a strong mobile defence force that would engage the Germans if they managed to penetrate the front lines. Russian pioneers lay up to a million mines all around the salient, both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, mostly in front of their forward line. ![]() The defence was centered mostly on strongpoints manned by rifle-battalions. Tens of thousands of Russian workers began building an enormous defence system, digging trenches and tank-traps on 5,000km of frontline. Then the Soviet counter-offensive would easily punch through the German lines and collapse the whole Army Group Centre. The British had cracked the German cyphers and given intel to the Soviets, so Stavka – Russian High Command – had convinced Stalin to delay the Soviet offensive until after the Germans had exhausted their own against the Russian defences. By 1943, the Soviets were much more competent in using their deep-battle doctrine, and they were already preparing a summer offensive to use the salient to their own advantage, since they also knew of the German plans. The Russian army of 1943 was not the same army they so easily outmaneuvered in 1941. Such a success would give the Germans time to rebuild after the recent losses at Stalingrad.īoth the forces of Army Group South led by General-Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, and those of Army Group North under Generaloberst Walter Model, were to perform a massive pincer movement that would smash through on both sides of the salient and encircle the troops inside, but many German Generals expressed doubts. Mansteinīy cutting off the salient, they would not only shorten the frontline, but also trap a large frequency of Russian soldiers and material. Source: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-231-0718-12A / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons – Erich v.
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