Battle of Kursk (the greatest tank battle in history)

[pofoka]

It's 70 years since Kursk, the largest tank battle in history. Will there ever be another battle involving thousands of tanks on each side or has armoured warfare had its day?

The Battle of Kursk was a World War II engagement between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front near Kursk in the Soviet Union in 5-16 July 1943. The German offensive was code-named Operation Citadel and led to one of the largest armoured clashes in history, the Battle of Prokhorovka. For the Germans, the battle represented the final strategic offensive they were able to mount in the east. For the Soviets, the decisive victory gave the Red Army the strategic initiative for the rest of the war.

The Battle of Kursk pitted almost 3,000 German tanks against more than double that quantity of Soviet heavy armour.
Hitler delayed the offensive - codenamed Operation Citadel - to wait for the arrival of the new Panther. It gave the Russians plenty of time to dig formidable defences and concentrate their own armoured units. The German tanks were fewer in number but far superior in armour and firepower. Tigers and the "monster" Ferdinand tank destroyer went in first, attempting to blast their way through.

After eight days the German attack had run out of steam. Stalin launched counteroffensives that over the following six weeks inflicted a crushing defeat on the Wehrmacht. Stalin presided over a battle-hardened Red Army capable of riding German armoured punches. By the time the Western Allies provided a further distraction with the invasion of Sicily on 10 July, the battle had already been lost. The Soviet counteroffensive - Kutuzov - was launched two days later.

It was the death of Blitzkrieg.

(source: Wikipedia & Robin Cross, author of The Battle of Kursk: Operation Citadel 1943 & bbc.com)

Battle of Prokhorovka (part of Battle of Kursk) 12 July 1943

Part 1 - Road to Prohorovka

[pofoka]

Battle of Kursk - Battle of Prokhorovka (part of Battle of Kursk) 12 July 1943

Prohorovka - A bell-tower commemorating the Soviet victory on the Field of Prokhorovka

[ljadw]

It's your money,but I should not spend my money on Cross .

Better figures (from Germany and WWII):

SU : 5000 tanks and AG

Germany :1740 tanks and 540 AG.

Maybe,you also could google on "the myth of Prokhorofka".

[pofoka]

Battle of Kursk - Battle of Prohorovka (part of Battle of Kursk) 12 July 1943

Battlefield and Memorial Park in Prohorovka

[pofoka]

Battle of Kursk - Battle of Prohorovka (part of Battle of Kursk) 12 July 1943

Battlefield and Memorial Park in Prohorovka

[pofoka]

Battle of Kursk - Battle of Prohorovka (part of Battle of Kursk) 12 July 1943

Battlefield and Memorial Park in Prohorovka

[pofoka]

Battlefield and Memorial Park in Prohorovka

[Makarov]

Great pictures Pofoka, and thank´s for sharing them with us
I had some plans visiting Prokhorovka this summer via Kharkiv, Ukraine, but due to the situation in eastern Ukraine I had to postpone it. However, If you don´t mind I would like to know a little bit more of your visit. Is the museum easy to find? Public transportations? Did you go by yourself or did you have someone to drive you? English translations in the museum? Variety of the exhibitions? Something worth to be seen in the sorroundings?

[pofoka]

Thank you very much Makarov!
Yes, the museum easy to find.I was not in the museum. The museum was closed. Maybe sometime... I do not know what is the situation here. But volgograd everything written in Russian. There are all texts in Russian and all signs in Russian:) Everywhere:)I think that here, too.
I was with my friends there. There was not a tour guide. Only map and GPS. And endless driving:))) Great adventure!
Yes, the museum easy to find. There's no mistaking it. The village is small, the museum is huge. Russian tradition:)))
In Russia travel with car a little bit dangerous, but but the perpetual and lifelong experience:)))

ps: I was 3 day in harkiv. Beautiful! The downtown!!! But now not safe there for a foreigner. I think so...

Best regards

[pofoka]

Battlefield and Memorial Park in Prohorovka

[Makarov]

It surely looks fantastic and hopefully one day I will be able to visit it. Closed you say, must have been a Disappointment. As you say, Exhibitions is probably in russian, just like Stalingrad. I visited the museum in Stalingrad back in 2007 and I hired a guide to show me around. I visited Kharkiv in 2011 but I cant remember feeling threatened in any way. Perhaps it´s the current political situation that makes people suspicious towards foreigners.

[pofoka]

Yes, there was big disappointment. The building was painted. Under construction. Sorry, but It was suck

[pofoka]

Battlefield and Memorial Park in Prohorovka

Prohorovka Cathedral, on the former battlefield, commemorates the Red Army losses and victory.

[Anatol]

Song: Sabaton - Panzerkampf Battle of Kursk
http://youtu.be/q5GXhLQA1pU