Battle of Kursk stages of the battle. Kursk Bulge: the battle that decided the outcome of the Great Patriotic War

Battle of Kursk- one of the largest and most important battles The Great Patriotic War, which took place from July 5 to August 23, 1943.
The German command gave a different name to this battle - Operation Citadel, which, according to Wehrmacht plans, was supposed to counterattack the Soviet offensive.

Causes of the Battle of Kursk

After the victory at Stalingrad, the German army began to retreat for the first time during the Great Patriotic War, and the Soviet army launched a decisive offensive that could only be stopped at the Kursk Bulge and the German command understood this. The Germans organized a strong defensive line, and in their opinion, it should have withstood any attack.

Strengths of the parties

Germany
At the start of the Battle of Kursk, the Wehrmacht troops numbered more than 900 thousand people. In addition to the huge amount of manpower, the Germans had a considerable number of tanks, among which were tanks of all the latest models: these are more than 300 Tiger and Panther tanks, as well as a very powerful tank destroyer (anti-tank gun) Ferdinand or Elephant "including about 50 combat units.
It should be noted that among the tank army there were three elite tank divisions that had not suffered a single defeat before - they included real tank aces.
And in support ground army was sent air fleet total number more than 1000 combat aircraft of the latest models.

USSR
To slow down and complicate the enemy's offensive, the Soviet Army installed approximately one and a half thousand mines on every kilometer of the front. The number of infantrymen in the Soviet Army reached more than 1 million soldiers. And the Soviet Army had 3-4 thousand tanks, which also exceeded the number of German ones. However large number Soviet tanks- these are outdated models and are not rivals to the same “Tigers” of the Wehrmacht.
The Red Army had twice as many guns and mortars. If the Wehrmacht has 10 thousand of them, then the Soviet Army has more than twenty. There were also more planes, but historians cannot give exact figures.

Progress of the battle

During Operation Citadel, the German command decided to launch a counterattack on the northern and southern wings of the Kursk Bulge in order to encircle and destroy the Red Army. But German army failed to implement this. The Soviet command hit the Germans with a powerful artillery strike to weaken the initial enemy attack.
Before the start of the offensive operation, the Wehrmacht launched powerful artillery strikes on the positions of the Red Army. Then, on the Northern front, the arcs went on the offensive German tanks, but soon met very strong resistance. The Germans repeatedly changed the direction of the attack, but did not achieve significant results; by July 10, they managed to break through only 12 km, losing about 2 thousand tanks. As a result, they had to go on the defensive.
On July 5, the attack began on the southern front of the Kursk Bulge. First came a powerful artillery barrage. Having suffered setbacks, the German command decided to continue the offensive in the Prokhorovka area, where tank forces were already beginning to accumulate.
The famous Battle of Prokhorovka, the largest tank battle in history, began on July 11, but the height of the battle in the battle was on July 12. On a small section of the front, 700 German and about 800 Soviet tanks and guns collided. The tanks of both sides mixed and throughout the day many tank crews abandoned combat vehicles and fought in hand-to-hand combat. By the end of July 12, the tank battle began to wane. The Soviet army failed to defeat the enemy's tank forces, but managed to stop their advance. Having broken a little deeper, the Germans were forced to retreat, and the Soviet Army launched an offensive.
German losses in the Battle of Prokhorovka were insignificant: 80 tanks, but the Soviet Army lost about 70% of all tanks in this direction.
In the next few days, they were almost completely bled dry and had lost their attacking potential, while the Soviet reserves had not yet entered the battle and were ready to launch a decisive counterattack.
On July 15, the Germans went on the defensive. As a result, the German offensive did not bring any success, and both sides suffered serious losses. The number of those killed on the German side is estimated at 70 thousand soldiers, a large amount of equipment and guns. According to various estimates, the Soviet army lost up to 150 thousand soldiers, a large number of this figure being irretrievable losses.
The first offensive operations on the Soviet side began on July 5, their goal was to deprive the enemy of maneuvering his reserves and transferring forces from other fronts to this section of the front.
On July 17, the Izyum-Barvenkovsky operation began from the Soviet army. The Soviet command set the goal of encircling the Donbass group of Germans. The Soviet army managed to cross the Northern Donets, seize a bridgehead on the right bank and, most importantly, pin down German reserves on this section of the front.
During the Mius offensive operation of the Red Army (July 17 - August 2), it was possible to stop the transfer of divisions from Donbass to the Kursk Bulge, which significantly reduced the defensive potential of the arc itself.
On July 12, the offensive began in the Oryol direction. Within one day, the Soviet army managed to drive the Germans out of Orel, and they were forced to move to another defensive line. After Orel and Belgorod, the key cities, were liberated during the Oryol and Belgorod operations, and the Germans were driven back, it was decided to arrange a festive fireworks display. So on August 5, the first fireworks display during the entire period of hostilities in the Great Patriotic War was organized in the capital. During the operation, the Germans lost over 90 thousand soldiers and a large amount of equipment.
In the southern region, the offensive of the Soviet army began on August 3 and was called Operation Rumyantsev. As a result of this offensive operation, the Soviet army managed to liberate a number of strategically important cities, including the city of Kharkov (August 23). During this offensive, the Germans attempted to counterattack, but they did not bring any success to the Wehrmacht.
From August 7 to October 2 it was held offensive“Kutuzov” - Smolensk offensive operation, during which the left wing of the German armies of the Center group was defeated and the city of Smolensk was liberated. And during the Donbass operation (August 13 – September 22), the Donetsk basin was liberated.
From August 26 to September 30, the Chernigov-Poltava offensive operation took place. It's over complete success for the Red Army, since almost all of Left Bank Ukraine was liberated from the Germans.

Aftermath of the battle

The Kursk operation became turning point The Great Patriotic War, after which the Soviet Army continued its offensive and liberated Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and other republics from the Germans.
The losses during the Battle of Kursk were simply colossal. Most historians agree that more than a million soldiers died on the Kursk Bulge. Soviet historians say that the losses of the German army amounted to more than 400 thousand soldiers, the Germans talk about a figure of less than 200 thousand. In addition, a huge amount of equipment, aircraft and guns were lost.
After the failure of Operation Citadel, the German command lost the ability to carry out attacks and went on the defensive. In 1944 and 45, local offensives were launched, but they did not bring success.
The German command has repeatedly said that defeat on the Kursk Bulge is a defeat on the Eastern Front and it will be impossible to regain the advantage.

Start battle path Ural Volunteer Tank Corps

The defeat of the Nazi army at Stalingrad in the winter of 1942-1943 shook the fascist bloc to its core. For the first time since the beginning of World War II, Hitler's Germany faced the formidable specter of inevitable defeat in all its inevitability. Her military power, the morale of the army and the population was thoroughly undermined, and prestige in the eyes of the allies was seriously shaken. In order to improve the internal political situation in Germany and prevent the collapse of the fascist coalition, the Nazi command decided in the summer of 1943 to conduct a major offensive operation on the central section of the Soviet-German front. With this offensive, it hoped to defeat the group of Soviet troops located on the Kursk ledge, again seize the strategic initiative and turn the tide of the war in its favor. By the summer of 1943, the situation on the Soviet-German front had already changed in favor Soviet Union. By the beginning of the Battle of Kursk, the overall superiority in forces and means was on the side of the Red Army: in people by 1.1 times, in artillery by 1.7 times, in tanks by 1.4 times and in combat aircraft by 2 times.

The Battle of Kursk ranks in the Great Patriotic War special place. It lasted 50 days and nights, from July 5 to August 23, 1943. This battle has no equal in its ferocity and tenacity of struggle.

Wehrmacht goal: The general plan of the German command was to encircle and destroy the troops of the Central and Voronezh fronts defending in the Kursk area. If successful, it was planned to expand the offensive front and regain the strategic initiative. To implement his plans, the enemy concentrated powerful attack groups, which numbered over 900 thousand people, about 10 thousand guns and mortars, up to 2,700 tanks and assault guns, about 2050 aircraft. Great hopes were placed on newest tanks"Tiger" and "Panther", assault guns "Ferdinand", fighter planes "Focke-Wulf-190-A" and attack aircraft "Heinkel-129".

The goal of the Red Army: The Soviet command decided to first bleed the enemy's strike forces in defensive battles and then launch a counteroffensive.

The battle that began immediately took on a grand scale and was extremely tense. Our troops did not flinch. They faced avalanches of enemy tanks and infantry with unprecedented tenacity and courage. The advance of enemy strike forces was suspended. Only at the cost of huge losses did he manage to wedge himself into our defenses in some areas. On the Central Front - 10-12 kilometers, on Voronezh - up to 35 kilometers. The largest oncoming tank battle of the entire Second World War near Prokhorovka finally buried Hitler’s Operation Citadel. It happened on July 12. 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns. This battle was won by Soviet soldiers. The Nazis, having lost up to 400 tanks during the day of battle, were forced to abandon the offensive.

On July 12, the second stage of the Battle of Kursk began - the counteroffensive of Soviet troops. August 5 Soviet troops liberated the cities of Orel and Belgorod. On the evening of August 5, in honor of this major success, a victorious salute was given in Moscow for the first time in two years of war. From that time on, artillery salutes constantly announced glorious victories. Soviet weapons. On August 23, Kharkov was liberated.

Thus ended the Battle of the Kursk Arc of Fire. During it, 30 selected enemy divisions were defeated. Nazi troops lost about 500 thousand people, 1500 tanks, 3 thousand guns and 3700 aircraft. For courage and heroism, over 100 thousand Soviet soldiers who took part in the Battle of the Arc of Fire were awarded orders and medals. The Battle of Kursk ended a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War in favor of the Red Army.

Losses in the Battle of Kursk.

Type of loss	Red Army	Wehrmacht	Ratio
Personnel
Guns and mortars
Tanks and self-propelled guns
Aircraft

UDTK on the Kursk Bulge. Oryol offensive operation

The 30th Ural Volunteer Tank Corps, part of the 4th Tank Army, received its baptism of fire in the Battle of Kursk.

T-34 tanks - 202 units, T-70 - 7, BA-64 armored vehicles - 68,

self-propelled 122 mm guns - 16, 85 mm guns - 12,

M-13 installations - 8, 76 mm guns - 24, 45 mm guns - 32,

37 mm guns - 16, 120 mm mortars - 42, 82 mm mortars - 52.

The army commanded by Lieutenant General tank troops Vasily Mikhailovich Badanov, arrived on the Bryansk Front on the eve of the fighting that began on July 5, 1943, and during the counter-offensive of Soviet troops she was brought into battle in the Oryol direction. The Ural Volunteer Tank Corps under the command of Lieutenant General Georgy Semenovich Rodin had the task: advancing from the Seredichi area to the south, cut off enemy communications on the Bolkhov-Khotynets line, reach the area of ​​​​the village of Zlyn, and then straddle the Orel-Bryansk railway and highway and cut off the escape route of the Oryol group of Nazis to the west. And the Urals carried out the order.

On July 29, Lieutenant General Rodin assigned the task to the 197th Sverdlovsk and 243rd Molotov tank brigades: to cross the Nugr River in cooperation with the 30th motorized rifle brigade (msbr), capture the village of Borilovo and then advance in the direction settlement Vishnevsky. The village of Borilovo was located on a high bank and dominated the surrounding area, and from the bell tower of the church it was visible for several kilometers in circumference. All this made it easier for the enemy to conduct defense and complicated the actions of the advancing corps units. At 20:00 on July 29, after a 30-minute artillery barrage and a salvo of guards mortars, two tank motorized rifle brigades began crossing the Nugr River. Under the cover of tank fire, the company of Senior Lieutenant A.P. Nikolaev, as on the Ors River, was the first to cross the Nugr River, capturing the southern outskirts of the village of Borilovo. By the morning of July 30, the battalion of the 30th Motorized Rifle Brigade, with the support of tanks, despite stubborn enemy resistance, captured the village of Borilovo. All units of the Sverdlovsk brigade of the 30th UDTK were concentrated here. By order of the corps commander, at 10:30 the brigade began an offensive in the direction of height 212.2. The assault was difficult. It was completed by the 244th Chelyabinsk Tank Brigade, which was previously in the reserve of the 4th Army, brought into battle.

Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Petrovich Nikolaev, company commander of the motorized rifle battalion of the 197th Guards Sverdlovsk tank brigade. From personal archiveN.A.Kirillova.

On July 31, in liberated Borilov, the heroically killed tank crews and machine gunners were buried, including tank battalion commanders: Major Chazov and Captain Ivanov. The massive heroism of the corps soldiers shown in the battles from July 27 to 29 was highly appreciated. In the Sverdlovsk brigade alone, 55 soldiers, sergeants and officers were awarded government awards for these battles. In the battle for Borilovo, Sverdlovsk medical instructor Anna Alekseevna Kvanskova accomplished a feat. She rescued the wounded and, replacing incapacitated artillerymen, brought shells to firing positions. A. A. Kvanskova was awarded the Order of the Red Star, and was subsequently awarded the Order of Glory III and II degrees for her heroism.

Guard Sergeant Anna Alekseevna Kvanskova assists the lieutenantA.A.Lysin, 1944.

Photo by M. Insarov, 1944. CDOOSO. F.221. OP.3.D.1672

The exceptional courage of the Ural warriors, their readiness to carry out, without sparing their lives, combat mission, aroused admiration. But mixed with it was the pain of the losses suffered. It seemed that they were too large compared to the results achieved.

A column of German prisoners of war captured in battles in the Oryol direction, USSR, 1943.

Damaged German equipment during the battles on the Kursk Bulge, USSR, 1943.

A people who forgets their past has no future. This is what the ancient Greek philosopher Plato once said. In the middle of the last century, “fifteen sister republics” united “ Great Russia", inflicted a crushing defeat on the plague of humanity - fascism. The fierce battle was marked by a number of victories of the Red Army, which can be called key. The topic of this article is one of decisive battles WWII - Kursk Bulge, one of the fateful battles that marked the final mastery of strategic initiative by our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. From that time on, the German occupiers began to be crushed on all fronts. The purposeful movement of fronts to the West began. From that time on, the fascists forgot what “forward to the East” meant.

Historical parallels

The Kursk confrontation took place 07/05/1943 - 08/23/1943 on the primordially Russian Land, over which the great noble prince Alexander Nevsky once held his shield. His prophetic warning to the Western conquerors (who came to us with a sword) about imminent death from the onslaught of the Russian sword that met them once again took effect. It is characteristic that the Kursk Bulge was somewhat similar to the battle given by Prince Alexander to the Teutonic Knights on 04/05/1242. Of course, the armament of the armies, the scale and time of these two battles are incommensurable. But the scenario of both battles is somewhat similar: the Germans with their main forces tried to break through the Russian battle formation in the center, but were crushed by the offensive actions of the flanks.

If we pragmatically try to say what is unique about the Kursk Bulge, summary will be as follows: unprecedented in history (before and after) operational-tactical density per 1 km of front.

Battle disposition

The offensive of the Red Army after Battle of Stalingrad from November 1942 to March 1943 was marked by the defeat of about 100 enemy divisions, thrown back from North Caucasus, Don, Volga. But due to the losses suffered by our side, by the beginning of spring 1943 the front had stabilized. On the map of the fighting in the center of the front line with the Germans, towards the Nazi army, a protrusion stood out, to which the military gave the name Kursk Bulge. The spring of 1943 brought calm to the front: no one was attacking, both sides were rapidly accumulating forces in order to again seize the strategic initiative.

Preparation for Nazi Germany

After the defeat of Stalingrad, Hitler announced mobilization, as a result of which the Wehrmacht grew, more than covering the losses incurred. There were 9.5 million people “under arms” (including 2.3 million reservists). 75% of the most combat-ready active troops (5.3 million people) were on the Soviet-German front.

The Fuhrer longed to seize the strategic initiative in the war. The turning point, in his opinion, should have occurred precisely on that section of the front where the Kursk Bulge was located. To implement the plan, the Wehrmacht headquarters developed the strategic operation “Citadel”. The plan involved delivering attacks converging on Kursk (from the north - from the Orel region; from the south - from the Belgorod region). In this way, the troops of the Voronezh and Central Fronts fell into the “cauldron”.

For this operation, 50 divisions were concentrated in this section of the front, including. 16 tank and motorized troops, totaling 0.9 million selected, fully equipped troops; 2.7 thousand tanks; 2.5 thousand aircraft; 10 thousand mortars and guns.

In this group, the transition to new weapons was mainly carried out: Panther and Tiger tanks, Ferdinand assault guns.

In preparing the Soviet troops for battle, one should pay tribute to the leadership talent of Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief G.K. Zhukov. He, together with the Chief of the General Staff A.M. Vasilevsky, reported to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief J.V. Stalin the assumption that the Kursk Bulge would become the main future site of the battle, and also predicted the approximate strength of the advancing enemy group.

Along the front line, the fascists were opposed by the Voronezh (commander - General N. F. Vatutin) and the Central Front (commander - General K. K. Rokossovsky) with a total number of 1.34 million people. They were armed with 19 thousand mortars and guns; 3.4 thousand tanks; 2.5 thousand aircraft. (As we can see, the advantage was on their side). Secretly from the enemy, the reserve Steppe Front (commander I.S. Konev) was located behind the listed fronts. It consisted of a tank, aviation and five combined arms armies, supplemented by separate corps.

Control and coordination of the actions of this group were carried out personally by G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky.

Tactical battle plan

Marshal Zhukov's plan assumed that the battle on the Kursk Bulge would have two phases. The first is defensive, the second is offensive.

A deeply echeloned bridgehead (300 km deep) was equipped. The total length of its trenches was approximately equal to the Moscow-Vladivostok distance. It had 8 powerful lines of defense. The purpose of such defense was to weaken the enemy as much as possible, deprive him of the initiative, making the task as easy as possible for the attackers. In the second, offensive phase of the battle, two offensive operations were planned. First: Operation Kutuzov with the aim of eliminating the fascist group and liberating the city of Orel. Second: “Commander Rumyantsev” to destroy the Belgorod-Kharkov group of invaders.

Thus, with the actual advantage of the Red Army, the battle on the Kursk Bulge took place on the Soviet side “from defense.” For offensive actions, as tactics teach, two to three times the number of troops was required.

Shelling

It turned out that the time of the offensive of the fascist troops became known in advance. The day before, German sappers began making passages in minefields. Soviet front-line intelligence began a battle with them and took prisoners. The time of the offensive became known from the “tongues”: 03:00 07/05/1943.

The reaction was prompt and adequate: At 2-20 07/05/1943, Marshal Rokossovsky K.K. (commander of the Central Front), with the approval of the Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief G.K. Zhukov, carried out a preventive powerful artillery shelling by frontal artillery forces. This was an innovation in combat tactics. The occupiers were fired upon by hundreds of Katyusha rockets, 600 guns, and 460 mortars. For the Nazis this was a complete surprise; they suffered losses.

Only at 4:30, having regrouped, they were able to carry out their artillery preparation, and at 5:30 go on the offensive. The Battle of Kursk has begun.

Start of the battle

Of course, our commanders could not predict everything. In particular, both the General Staff and Headquarters expected the main blow from the Nazis in the southern direction, towards the city of Orel (which was defended by the Central Front, commander - General Vatutin N.F.). In reality, the battle on the Kursk Bulge from the German troops was focused on the Voronezh Front, from the north. Two battalions moved against Nikolai Fedorovich’s troops heavy tanks, eight tank divisions, assault gun division, one motorized division. In the first phase of the battle, the first hot spot was the village of Cherkasskoye (virtually wiped off the face of the earth), where two Soviet rifle divisions within 24 hours they held back the advance of five enemy divisions.

German offensive tactics

This one is famous for its martial art Great War. The Kursk Bulge fully demonstrated the confrontation between two strategies. What did the German offensive look like? Heavy equipment was moving ahead along the front of the attack: 15-20 Tiger tanks and Ferdinand self-propelled guns. Following them were from fifty to a hundred medium Panther tanks, accompanied by infantry. Thrown back, they regrouped and repeated the attack. The attacks were reminiscent sea ​​tides and low tides following each other.

We will follow the advice of the famous military historian, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Professor Matvey Vasilyevich Zakharov, we will not idealize our defense of the 1943 model, we will present it objectively.

We have to talk about German tactics conducting a tank battle. The Kursk Bulge (this should be admitted) demonstrated the art of Colonel General Hermann Hoth; he “jewellerly,” if one can say so about tanks, brought his 4th Army into battle. At the same time, our 40th Army with 237 tanks, the most equipped with artillery (35.4 units per 1 km), under the command of General Kirill Semenovich Moskalenko, turned out to be much to the left, i.e. out of work Opposing 6th guards army(Commander I.M. Chistyakov) had a gun density per 1 km of 24.4 with 135 tanks. Mainly the 6th Army, far from the most powerful, was hit by Army Group South, whose commander was the most gifted Wehrmacht strategist, Erich von Manstein. (By the way, this man was one of the few who constantly argued on issues of strategy and tactics with Adolf Hitler, for which, in fact, he was dismissed in 1944).

Tank battle near Prokhorovka

In the current difficult situation, in order to eliminate the breakthrough, the Red Army brought into battle strategic reserves: the 5th Guards tank army(Commander P. A. Rotmistrov) and 5th Guards Army (Commander A. S. Zhadov)

The possibility of a flank attack by the Soviet tank army in the area of ​​the village of Prokhorovka was previously considered by the German General Staff. Therefore, the divisions “Totenkopf” and “Leibstandarte” changed the direction of attack to 90 0 - for a head-on collision with the army of General Pavel Alekseevich Rotmistrov.

Tanks on the Kursk Bulge: 700 combat vehicles went into battle on the German side, 850 on ours. Impressive and scary picture. As eyewitnesses recall, the roar was so loud that blood flowed from the ears. They had to shoot point-blank, which caused the towers to collapse. When approaching the enemy from the rear, they tried to fire at the tanks, causing the tanks to burst into flames. The tankers seemed to be in prostration - while they were alive, they had to fight. It was impossible to retreat or hide.

Of course, it was unwise to attack the enemy in the first phase of the operation (if during the defense we suffered losses of one in five, what would they have been like during the offensive?!). At the same time Soviet soldiers true heroism was demonstrated on this battlefield. 100,000 people were awarded orders and medals, and 180 of them were awarded high rank Hero of the Soviet Union.

Nowadays, the day of its end - August 23 - is celebrated annually by residents of the country like Russia.

August 23rd is celebrated military glory Russia - Day of the defeat of the Wehrmacht forces by Soviet troops on the Kursk Bulge. The Red Army was led to this important victory by almost two months of intense and bloody battles, the outcome of which was not at all predetermined. The Battle of Kursk is one of the largest battles in world history. Let's remember about it in a little more detail.

Fact 1

The salient in the center of the Soviet-German front to the west of Kursk was formed during the stubborn battles of February–March 1943 for Kharkov. Kursk Bulge was up to 150 km deep and 200 km wide. This ledge is called the Kursk Bulge.

Battle of Kursk

Fact 2

The Battle of Kursk is one of key battles The Second World War was not only due to the scale of the fighting that took place on the fields between Orel and Belgorod in the summer of 1943. Victory in this battle meant the final turning point in the war in favor of the Soviet troops, which began after the Battle of Stalingrad. With this victory, the Red Army, having exhausted the enemy, finally seized the strategic initiative. This means that from now on we are advancing. The defense was over.

Another consequence - political - was the final confidence of the Allies in victory over Germany. At a conference held in November–December 1943 in Tehran on the initiative of F. Roosevelt, the post-war plan for the dismemberment of Germany was already discussed.

Scheme of the Battle of Kursk

Fact 3

1943 was a year of difficult choices for the command of both sides. Defend or attack? And if we attack, how large-scale tasks should we set ourselves? Both the Germans and the Russians had to answer these questions one way or another.

Back in April, G.K. Zhukov sent his report to Headquarters on possible military actions in the coming months. According to Zhukov, the best solution for the Soviet troops in the current situation would be to wear down the enemy on their defense by destroying as many tanks as possible, and then bring in reserves and go on a general offensive. Zhukov's considerations formed the basis of the campaign plan for the summer of 1943, after it was discovered that Hitler's army was preparing for a major offensive on the Kursk Bulge.

As a result, the decision of the Soviet command was to create a deeply echeloned (8 lines) defense on the most likely areas of the German offensive - on the northern and southern fronts of the Kursk ledge.

In a situation with a similar choice, the German command decided to attack in order to maintain the initiative in their hands. Nevertheless, even then, Hitler outlined the objectives of the offensive on the Kursk Bulge not to seize territory, but to exhaust the Soviet troops and improve the balance of forces. Thus, the advancing German army was preparing for a strategic defense, while the defending Soviet troops intended to attack decisively.

Construction of defensive lines

Fact 4

Although the Soviet command correctly identified the main directions of German attacks, mistakes were inevitable with such a scale of planning.

Thus, the Headquarters believed that a stronger group would attack in the Orel area against the Central Front. In reality, the southern group operating against the Voronezh Front turned out to be stronger.

In addition, the direction of the main German attack on the southern front of the Kursk Bulge was inaccurately determined.

Fact 5

Operation Citadel was the name of the German command’s plan to encircle and destroy Soviet armies on the Kursk ledge. It was planned to deliver converging attacks from the north from the Orel area and from the south from the Belgorod area. The impact wedges were supposed to connect near Kursk. The maneuver with the turn of Hoth's tank corps towards Prokhorovka, where the steppe terrain favors the action of large tank formations, was planned in advance by the German command. It was here that the Germans, reinforced with new tanks, hoped to crush the Soviet tank forces.

Soviet tank crews inspect a damaged Tiger

Fact 6

The battle of Prokhorovka is often called the largest tank battle in history, but this is not so. It is believed that the multi-day battle that took place in the first week of the war (June 23–30) 1941 was larger in terms of the number of tanks participating. It occurred in Western Ukraine between the cities of Brody, Lutsk and Dubno. While about 1,500 tanks from both sides fought at Prokhorovka, more than 3,200 tanks took part in the battle of 1941.

Fact 7

In the Battle of Kursk, and in particular in the battle of Prokhorovka, the Germans especially relied on the strength of their new armored vehicles - Tiger and Panther tanks, Ferdinand self-propelled guns. But perhaps the most unusual new product was the “Goliath” wedges. This tracked self-propelled mine without a crew was controlled remotely via wire. It was intended to destroy tanks, infantry and buildings. However, these wedges were expensive, slow-moving and vulnerable, and therefore did not provide much help to the Germans.

Memorial in honor of the heroes of the Battle of Kursk

Preparation of the Kursk strategic defensive operation (April - June 1943)

6.4. Directive of the Supreme High Command Headquarters on the creation of a Reserve Front (from 15.4 - Steppe Military District) consisting of 5 combined arms, 1 tank and 1 air armies and several rifle, cavalry, tank (mechanized) corps.

8.4. Report of Marshal G.K. Zhukov to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on possible actions Germans and Soviet troops in the spring and summer of 1943 and the advisability of switching to deliberate defense in the Kursk region.

10.4. Request General Staff commanders of the front troops about their considerations in assessing the situation and possible actions of the enemy.

12–13.4. The Supreme Command Headquarters, based on the report of Marshals G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky, General A.I. Antonov, as well as taking into account the considerations of the front commanders, made a preliminary decision to switch to deliberate defense in the Kursk region.

15.4. Order No. 6 of the Wehrmacht headquarters on preparations for the offensive operation near Kursk (code name “Citadel”)

6–8.5. Operations of the Soviet Air Force to destroy enemy aircraft at airfields and in the air on the central sector of the Soviet-German front.

8.5. The Headquarters of the Supreme High Command advises the commanders of the Bryansk, Central, Voronezh and South-Western fronts on the timing of a possible enemy offensive.

10.5. Directive of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command to the commander of the troops of the Western, Bryansk, Central, Voronezh and Southwestern fronts on improving defense.

May - June. Organization of defense in the zones of the Bryansk, Central, Voronezh and Southwestern fronts, creation of deeply echeloned defensive lines, replenishment of troops, accumulation of reserves and material resources. Continuation of Soviet Air Force operations to destroy enemy aircraft at airfields and in the air.

2.7. Directive from the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command to the commanders of the front forces, indicating the timing of the possible start of the enemy’s offensive (3–6.7).

4.7. The Germans conducted reconnaissance in force in the defense zones of the 6th and 7th Guards. armies of the Voronezh Front. The offensive of several reinforced enemy battalions was repulsed.

5.7. At 02:20 Based on reconnaissance data about the time of the start of the German offensive (scheduled for 03:00 minutes 5.7), artillery counter-preparation was carried out and air strikes were carried out on enemy troops concentrated in the initial areas.

5.7. The Germans, with the main forces of Army Groups "Center" and "South", went on the offensive on the northern (05:30) and southern (06:00) fronts of the Kursk bulge, delivering massive attacks in the general direction of Kursk.

The operation was attended by troops of the Central Front (commander General K.K. Rokossovsky) - 48, 13, 70, 65, 60th, 2nd Tank, 16th air army, 9 and 19 TK - in the Oryol direction; Voronezh Front (commander General N.F. Vatutin) - 38th, 40th, 6th Guards, 7th Guards, 69th, 1st Guards. Tank, 2nd Air Army, 35th Guards. sk, 5th guards tk - in the Belgorod direction. In their rear, strategic reserves were deployed, united in the Steppe Military District (since July 9, Steppe Front, commander General I.S. Konev) - 4th Guards, 5th Guards, 27th, 47th, 53rd, 5th Guards. tank, 5th air army, one sk, three tk, three mk and three kk - with the task of preventing a deep breakthrough of the enemy, and when going on a counteroffensive, increase the force of the strike.

5.7. At 05:30 the strike force of the 9th German Army (9 divisions, including 2 tank divisions; 500 tanks, 280 assault guns), with aviation support, attacked positions at the junction of the 13th (General N.P. Pukhov) and 70th (General I. V. Galanin) armies in a sector of 45 km, concentrating the main efforts in the Olkhovat direction. By the end of the day, the enemy managed to wedge 6–8 km into the army’s defenses and reach the second defensive line.

6.7. By the decision of the front commander, a counterattack was launched against the wedged enemy in the Olkhovatka area by part of the forces of the 13th and 2nd tank armies and the 19th tank army. The enemy's advance here was stopped.

7.7. The Germans transferred the main efforts to the 13th Army zone in the direction of Ponyri. Counterattacks of the 15th and 18th Guards. sk and 3 tk.

7-11.7. Repeated attempts by the German 9th Army to break through the defenses of the Central Front were unsuccessful. During the seven days of the offensive, the enemy advanced only 10–12 km.

12.7. The transition of the 9th German Army to defense in the Central Front. Completion of the defensive operation.

13.7. At a meeting at Hitler's headquarters, a decision was made to switch to the defense of the troops of the 9th Army in the north and to continue the offensive by the troops of the 4th Panzer Army in the south of the Kursk ledge.

5.7. At 06:00 After artillery preparation and massive air raids, the strike force of Army Group South, consisting of the 4th Panzer Army and Task Force Kempf (1,500 tanks), went on the offensive.

The enemy sent the main forces (2 SS tanks, 48 ​​tanks, 52 ak) against the 6th Guards. the army of General I.M. Chistyakov in the Oboyan direction.

Against the 7th Guards. In the army of General M.S. Shumilov, three tank and three infantry divisions of 3 Tank Corps, 42 AK and AK "Raus" were advancing in the Korochan direction.

The intense battles that unfolded continued throughout the day and were fierce.

The counterattack launched by part of the forces of the 1st Guards. the tank army of General M.E. Katukov did not give a positive result.

By the end of the first day of the battle, the enemy managed to break into the defenses of the 6th Guards. army at 8-10 km.

On the night of July 6, by decision of the front commander of the 1st Guards. Tank Army, 5th and 2nd Guards. TK were deployed on the second defensive line of the 6th Guards. army on a 52-kilometer front.

6.7. The enemy in the Oboyan direction broke through the main line of defense of the 6th Guards. army, and by the end of the day, having advanced 10–18 km, he broke through the second line of defense of this army in a narrow area.

In the Korochan direction, the enemy's 3rd Tank Tank reached the second line of defense of the 7th Guards. army.

7.7. At night, J.V. Stalin gave personal instructions to General N.F. Vatutin to wear down the enemy on prepared lines and not allow him to break through before the start of our active operations on the Western, Bryansk and other fronts.

7-10.7. They walked fiercely tank battles on the Oboyansky and Korochansky directions. The German tank group managed to break through to the army defensive zone of the 6th Guards. army, and in the Korochan direction the enemy broke into the second line of defense of the 7th Guards. army. However, the further advance of the Germans was delayed, but not stopped. The Germans, having advanced to a depth of 35 km and unable to overcome the resistance of the front tank forces on the Oboyan highway, decided to break through to Kursk from the south through Prokhorovka.

9.7. In the created alarming situation on the Voronezh Front, the Supreme High Command Headquarters ordered the commander of the Steppe Front to advance the 4th Guards, 27th, 53rd Armies to the Kursk-Belgorod direction and transfer the 5th Guards to the subordination of N.F. Vatutin. army of General A.S. Zhadov, 5th Guards. the tank army of General P. A. Rotmistrov and a number of separate tank corps. The commander of the Voronezh Front and Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky, who was on this front, decided to launch a powerful counterattack against the German group advancing on Kursk from the south.

11.7. The enemy unexpectedly launched a strong tank and air strike and pushed back formations and units of the 1st Guards. tank, 5th, 6th, 7th Guards. armies and captured the line planned for the deployment of the 5th Guards. tank army. After this, the 1st Guards. tank and 6th Guards. the armies were unable to participate in the counterattack.

12.7. One of the largest counter events took place tank battles, which received the name “Prokhorovskoe” in history. About 1,500 tanks took part in it on both sides. The battle took place simultaneously in two areas: the main forces of the parties fought on the Prokhorovsky field - 18th, 29th, 2nd and 2nd Guards. TK 5th Guards tank army and division of the 5th Guards. army, they were opposed by the SS divisions “Adolf Hitler” and “Reich” of the 2nd SS Panzer Corps; In the Korochan direction, brigades of the 5th Guards acted against the 3rd German Tank Corps. MK 5th Guards tank army.

23.7. The defensive operation of the Voronezh Front was completed.

12.7. A turning point in the Battle of Kursk in favor of the Red Army. On this day, simultaneously with the Battle of Prokhorov, the offensive of the troops of the Western and Bryansk Fronts began in the Oryol direction. The plans outlined by the German command suffered a complete collapse.

It should be noted that as a result of intense air battles during the Kursk defensive operation Soviet aviation firmly gained air supremacy.

Includes the Oryol and Belgorod-Kharkov strategic offensive operations.

The left wing of the Western Front (commander General V.D. Sokolovsky) took part - 11th Guards, 50th, 11th and 4th Tank Armies; Bryansk Front (commander General M.M. Popov) - 61st, 3rd, 63rd, 3rd Guards. tank and 15th air armies; the right wing of the Central Front - the 48th, 13th, 70th and 2nd Tank Armies.

12–19.7. Breakthrough of enemy defenses by troops of the Western Front. Advance of the 11th Guards. the army of General I. Kh. Bagramyan, 1, 5, 25 Tank Tank to a depth of 70 km and expanding the breakthrough to 150 km.

15.7. The Central Front is included in the operation.

12–16.7. Breakthrough of enemy defenses by troops of the Bryansk Front - 61st (General P. A. Belov), 63rd (General V. Ya. Kolpakchi), 3rd (General A. V. Gorbatov) armies, 1st Guards, 20th Tank Army to a depth of 17–22 km.

19.7. The commander of the Bryansk Front, at the direction of the Supreme Command Headquarters, introduces the 3rd Guards into the battle. tank army of General P. S. Rybalko (800 tanks). The army, together with combined arms formations, breaking through numerous defensive lines, suffered heavy losses. In addition, it was repeatedly regrouped from one direction to another and was eventually transferred to the Central Front.

19.7. Fierce fighting in all directions. Slowdown in the rate of advance of Soviet troops.

20.7. The entry into battle by the commander of the troops of the Western Front of the 11th Army of General I. I. Fedyuninsky, who arrived from the reserve of the Supreme High Command Headquarters, which advanced 15 km in 5 days.

26.7. The entry into battle of the 4th Tank Army of General V.M. Badanov, transferred from the reserve of the Supreme High Command Headquarters to the Western Front (650 tanks). She broke through along with the 11th Guards. the army defended the enemy’s defensive lines and advanced 25–30 km in 10 days. In just 30 days, the army fought 150 km and at the end of August was withdrawn for replenishment.

29.7. The troops of the 61st Army of the Bryansk Front captured a large enemy defense center in the city of Bolkhov.

3–5.8. Departure of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to the active army. He visited the headquarters of the Western and Kalinin fronts.

5.8. Liberation of Orel by troops of the 3rd and 69th armies of the Bryansk Front. By order of I.V. Stalin, who was in active army, in Moscow the first artillery salute was given in honor of the liberation of the city by Soviet troops. Belgorod and Orel.

7.8. The armies of the Western Front went on the offensive north of the Oryol bridgehead, which forced the Germans to weaken resistance in the Bryansk direction, and Soviet troops began to pursue the enemy.

12.8. Troops of the 65th and 70th armies of the Central Front liberated the city of Dmitrovsk-Orlovsky.

13.8. The commander of the Central Front received a directive from the General Staff, which noted serious shortcomings in the use of tanks.

15.8. Troops of the Bryansk Front liberated the city of Karachev.

18.8. Soviet troops reached the approaches to Bryansk and created the conditions for a new operation. During the 37 days of the Oryol operation, Soviet troops advanced 150 km to the west and eliminated the enemy bridgehead from which the Germans had been threatening Moscow for two years.

Belgorod-Kharkov strategic offensive operation “Commander Rumyantsev” (August 3-23)

Troops of the Voronezh and Steppe Fronts were involved in the operation (38, 47, 40, 27, 6th Guards, 5th Guards, 52nd, 69th, 7th Guards Armies, 5th Guards and 1st Guards Tank Armies , 5th separate TK and 1st MK).

3–4.8. Breakthrough of enemy defenses by troops of the Voronezh Front, introduction of tank armies and corps into the breakthrough and their entry into operational depth.

5.8. Liberation of Belgorod by units of the 69th and 7th Guards. armies.

6.8. Advancement of tank formations to a depth of 55 km.

7.8. Advancement of tank formations to a depth of 100 km. Capturing important enemy strongholds. Bogodukhov and Grayvoron.

11.8. The exit of tank troops to the Akhtyrka - Trostyanets area.

11–16.8. Enemy counterattack on the troops of the 1st Guards. tank army.

17.8. The troops of the Steppe Front began fighting on the outskirts of Kharkov.

18.8. Enemy counterattack from the Akhtyrka area against the 27th Army. Directive from the Supreme Command Headquarters to the commander of the Voronezh Front on shortcomings in the conduct of the operation.

23.8. By introducing new forces, the Voronezh Front managed to complete the task and liberate Akhtyrka again by August 25.

23.8. The troops of the Steppe Front, with the assistance of the Voronezh and Southwestern Fronts (53rd, 69th, 7th Guards, 57th Army and 5th Guards Tank Army) liberated Kharkov after stubborn battles. During the operation, the troops advanced 140 km in 20 days.

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