Despite the artistic exaggerations associated with Prokhorovka, the Battle of Kursk was indeed the last attempt by the Germans to win back the situation. Taking advantage of the negligence of the Soviet command and inflicting a major defeat on the Red Army near Kharkov in the early spring of 1943, the Germans got another "chance" to play the card of the summer offensive on the models of 1941 and 1942.

But by 1943, the Red Army was already different, just like the Wehrmacht, it was worse than itself two years ago. Two years of bloody meat grinder were not in vain for him, plus the delay with the start of the offensive on Kursk, made the very fact of the offensive obvious to the Soviet command, which quite reasonably decided not to repeat the mistakes of the spring-summer 1942 of the year and voluntarily ceded to the Germans the right to launch offensive operations in order to exhaust them on the defensive, and then smash the weakened strike groups.

In general, the implementation of this plan once again showed how much the level of strategic planning of the Soviet leadership had grown since the start of the war. And at the same time, the inglorious end of the "Citadel" once again showed the subsidence of this level among the Germans, who tried to reverse the difficult strategic situation with obviously insufficient means.

In fact, even Manstein, the most intelligent German strategist, had no particular illusions about this decisive battle for Germany, arguing in his memoirs that if everything had turned out differently, then one could somehow jump off the USSR to a draw, that is, in fact admitted that after Stalingrad there was no talk of victory for Germany at all.

In theory, the Germans, of course, could push through our defenses and reach Kursk, surrounding a couple of dozen divisions, but even in this wonderful scenario for the Germans, their success did not lead them to solving the problem of the Eastern Front, but only led to a delay before the inevitable end, because Germany's military production by 1943 was already clearly inferior to the Soviet one, and the need to close up the "Italian hole" did not make it possible to gather any large forces to conduct further offensive operations on the Eastern Front.

But our army did not allow the Germans to amuse themselves with the illusion of even such a victory. The shock groupings were bled dry during a week of heavy defensive battles, and then the rink of our offensive began to roll, which, starting from the summer of 1943, was practically unstoppable, no matter how much the Germans would resist in the future.

In this regard, the Battle of Kursk is indeed one of the iconic battles of World War II, and not only due to the scale of the battle and the millions of soldiers and tens of thousands of military equipment involved. In it, it was finally demonstrated to the whole world, and above all to the Soviet people, that Germany was doomed.

Remember today all those who died in this epoch-making battle and those who survived it, reaching from Kursk to Berlin.

Below is a selection of photographs of the Battle of Kursk.

Commander of the Central Front, General of the Army K.K. Rokossovsky and a member of the Military Council of the front, Major General K.F. Telegin at the forefront before the Battle of Kursk. 1943

Soviet sappers laying TM-42 anti-tank mines in front of the front line of defense. Central Front, Kursk Bulge, July 1943

The transfer of "Tigers" for the operation "Citadel".

Manstein and his generals "at work".

German regulator. Behind the tracked tractor RSO.

Construction of fortifications on the Kursk Bulge. June 1943.

On a halt.

On the eve of the Battle of Kursk. Running in infantry tanks. Red Army soldiers in the trenches and the T-34 tank, which overcomes the trench, passing over them. 1943

German machine gunner with MG-42.

Panthers are preparing for Operation Citadel.

Self-propelled howitzers "Wespe" ("Wespe") of the 2nd battalion artillery regiment "Grossdeutschland" on the march. Operation Citadel, July 1943.

German tanks Pz.Kpfw.III before the start of Operation Citadel in a Soviet village.

The crew of the Soviet tank T-34-76 "Marshal Choibalsan" (from the tank column "Revolutionary Mongolia") and attached troops on vacation. Kursk Bulge, 1943.

A smoke break in the German trenches.

A peasant woman tells Soviet intelligence officers about the location of enemy units. North of the city of Orel, 1943.

Petty officer V. Sokolova, medical instructor of anti-tank artillery units of the Red Army. Oryol direction. Kursk Bulge, summer 1943.

German 105-mm self-propelled guns "Vespe" (Sd.Kfz.124 Wespe) from the 74th regiment of self-propelled artillery of the 2nd tank division of the Wehrmacht, passes near an abandoned Soviet 76-mm gun ZIS-3 near the city of Orel. German offensive operation "Citadel". Orel region, July 1943.

The Tigers are on the attack.

Photojournalist of the newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda O. Knorring and cameraman I. Malov are filming the interrogation of the captive chief corporal A. Bauschoff, who voluntarily defected to the side of the Red Army. The interrogation is conducted by Captain S.A. Mironov (right) and translator Iones (center). Orel-Kursk direction, July 7, 1943.

German soldiers on the Kursk salient. Part of the hull of the B-IV radio-controlled tank is visible from above.

Destroyed by Soviet artillery, German B-IV robotic tanks and Pz.Kpfw. III (one of the tanks has the number F 23). Northern face of the Kursk Bulge (near the village of Glazunovka). July 5, 1943

Tank landing of sappers-bombers (sturmpionieren) from the SS division "Das Reich" on the armor of the StuG III Ausf F assault gun. Kursk Bulge, 1943.

Destroyed Soviet tank T-60.

Self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" is on fire. July 1943, the village of Ponyri.

Two wrecked "Ferdinand" from the headquarters company of the 654th battalion. Ponyri station area, July 15-16, 1943. On the left is the staff "Ferdinand" No. II-03. The car was burned with bottles of kerosene mixture after a shell damaged its undercarriage.

Heavy assault gun "Ferdinand", destroyed by a direct hit of an air bomb from a Soviet Pe-2 dive bomber. Tactical number unknown. The area of ​​the Ponyri station and the May 1 state farm.

Heavy assault gun "Ferdinand", tail number "723" from the 654th division (battalion), shot down near the state farm "May 1". The caterpillar was destroyed by shell hits and the gun was jammed. The vehicle was part of "Major Kal's strike group" as part of the 505th heavy tank battalion of the 654th division.

Tank column moves to the front.

Tigers" from the 503rd heavy tank battalion.

Katyushas are firing.

Tanks "Tiger" of the SS Panzer Division "Das Reich".

A company of American M3s "General Lee" tanks supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease is advancing to the front line of defense of the Soviet 6th Guards Army. Kursk Bulge, July 1943.

Soviet soldiers at the padded "Panther". July 1943.

Heavy assault gun "Ferdinand", tail number "731", chassis number 150090 from the 653rd division, blown up by a mine in the defense zone of the 70th army. Later, this car was sent to an exhibition of captured equipment in Moscow.

Self-propelled guns Su-152 Major Sankovsky. Its crew destroyed 10 enemy tanks in the first battle during the Battle of Kursk.

T-34-76 tanks support an infantry attack in the Kursk direction.

Soviet infantry in front of a wrecked "Tiger" tank.

Attack T-34-76 near Belgorod. July 1943.

Faulty "Panthers" of the 10th "Panterbrigade" of the von Lauchert tank regiment abandoned near Prokhorovka.

German observers are watching the battle.

Soviet infantrymen are hiding behind the body of the destroyed "Panther".

Soviet mortar crew changes firing position. Bryansk front, Oryol direction. July 1943.

An SS grenadier looks at a freshly knocked out T-34. It was probably destroyed by one of the first Panzerfaust modifications, which were first widely used on the Kursk Bulge.

Destroyed German tank Pz.Kpfw. V modification D2, shot down during the operation "Citadel" (Kursk Bulge). This photo is interesting because it has a signature - "Ilyin" and the date "26/7". This is probably the name of the gun commander who knocked out the tank.

The advanced units of the 285th Infantry Regiment of the 183rd Infantry Division are fighting the enemy in the captured German trenches. In the foreground is the body of a killed German soldier. Battle of Kursk, July 10, 1943.

Sappers of the SS division "Leib Standard Adolf Hitler" at the wrecked T-34-76 tank. July 7, near the village of Pselets.

Soviet tanks at the line of attack.

Destroyed tanks Pz IV and Pz VI near Kursk.

Pilots of the squadron "Normandie-Niemen".

Reflection of a tank attack. Ponyri village area. July 1943.

Padded "Ferdinand". The corpses of his crew lay nearby.

Artillerymen are fighting.

Destroyed German vehicles during the fighting in the Kursk direction.

A German tanker inspects the trace of a hit in the frontal projection of the "Tiger". July, 1943

Red Army soldiers next to the downed Yu-87 dive bomber.

Wrecked Panther. In the form of a trophy, she reached Kursk.

Machine gunners on the Kursk Bulge. July 1943.

Self-propelled guns Marder III and panzergrenadiers at the starting line before the attack. July 1943.

Broken Panther. The tower was blown off by an explosion of ammunition.

Burning German self-propelled guns "Ferdinand" from the 656th regiment on the Orlovsky face of the Kursk Bulge, July 1943. The photo was taken through the hatch of the driver of the Pz.Kpfw control tank. III tanks-robots B-4.

Soviet soldiers at the padded "Panther". A huge hole from a 152-mm St. John's wort is visible in the tower.

Burnt tanks of the column "For Soviet Ukraine". On the tower torn off by the explosion, the inscription "For Radianska Ukraine" (For Soviet Ukraine) is visible.

Killed German tanker. In the background is a Soviet T-70 tank.

Soviet soldiers inspect a German heavy self-propelled artillery mount of the Ferdinand tank destroyer class, which was shot down during the Battle of Kursk. The photo is also interesting with a rare for 1943 steel helmet SSH-36 on a soldier on the left.

Soviet soldiers near the destroyed Stug III assault gun.

Destroyed on the Kursk Bulge German tank robot B-IV and a German motorcycle with a sidecar BMW R-75. 1943

Self-propelled guns "Ferdinand" after the detonation of ammunition.

The calculation of the anti-tank guns fires at enemy tanks. July 1943.

The picture shows a destroyed German medium tank PzKpfw IV (modifications H or G). July 1943.

The commander of the tank Pz.kpfw VI "Tiger" No. 323 of the 3rd company of the 503rd heavy tank battalion, non-commissioned officer Futermeister (Futermeister) shows the trace of a Soviet projectile on the armor of his tank to Staff Sergeant Major Heiden. Kursk Bulge, July 1943.

Statement of the combat mission. July 1943.

Pe-2 dive front-line bombers on a combat course. Oryol-Belgorod direction. July 1943.

Towing the faulty "Tiger". On the Kursk Bulge, the Germans suffered significant losses due to non-combat breakdowns of their equipment.

T-34 goes on the attack.

Captured by the "Der Fuhrer" regiment of the "Das Reich" division, the British tank "Churchipl" supplied under Lend-Lease.

Tank destroyer Marder III on the march. Operation Citadel, July 1943.

in the foreground on the right is a wrecked Soviet T-34 tank, further at the left edge is a photo of a German Pz.Kpfw. VI "Tiger", in the distance another T-34.

Soviet soldiers inspect the blown up German tank Pz IV ausf G.

The fighters of the division of senior lieutenant A. Burak, with the support of artillery, are advancing. July 1943.

A German prisoner of war on the Kursk Bulge with a broken 150-mm infantry gun sIG.33. On the right lies a dead German soldier. July 1943.

Oryol direction. Fighters under cover of tanks go on the attack. July 1943.

German units, which include captured Soviet T-34-76 tanks, are preparing for an attack during the Battle of Kursk. July 28, 1943.

Soldiers of the RONA (Russian Liberation People's Army) among the captured Red Army soldiers. Kursk Bulge, July-August 1943.

Soviet tank T-34-76 shot down in a village on the Kursk Bulge. August, 1943.

Under enemy fire, tankers are pulling out a wrecked T-34 from the battlefield.

Soviet soldiers rise to the attack.

Officer of the division "Grossdeutschland" in the trench. End of July-beginning of August.

Member of the battles on the Kursk Bulge, scout, guard senior sergeant A.G. Frolchenko (1905 - 1967), awarded the Order of the Red Star (according to another version, the photo shows Lieutenant Nikolai Alekseevich Simonov). Belgorod direction, August 1943.

A column of German prisoners captured in the Oryol direction. August 1943.

German soldiers from the SS troops in a trench with a MG-42 machine gun during Operation Citadel. Kursk Bulge, July-August 1943.

On the left is an anti-aircraft self-propelled gun Sd.Kfz. 10/4 on the basis of a half-track tractor with a 20-mm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. Kursk Bulge, August 3, 1943.

The priest blesses the Soviet soldiers. Oryol direction, 1943.

A Soviet T-34-76 tank shot down near Belgorod and a tanker killed.

A column of captured Germans in the Kursk region.

German PaK 35/36 anti-tank guns captured on the Kursk salient. In the background is a Soviet ZiS-5 truck towing a 37 mm 61-k anti-aircraft gun. July 1943.

Soldiers of the 3rd SS division "Totenkopf" ("Dead Head") are discussing a plan of defensive actions with the commander of the "Tiger" from the 503rd battalion of heavy tanks. Kursk Bulge, July-August 1943.

Captured Germans in the Kursk region.

Tank commander, Lieutenant B.V. Smelov shows a hole in the turret of the German tank "Tiger", shot down by the crew of Smelov, Lieutenant Likhnyakevich (who knocked out 2 fascist tanks in the last battle). This hole was made by an ordinary armor-piercing projectile from a 76-millimeter tank gun.

Senior Lieutenant Ivan Shevtsov next to the German tank "Tiger" he knocked out.

Trophies of the Battle of Kursk.

German heavy assault gun "Ferdinand" of the 653rd battalion (division), captured in good condition along with the crew by the soldiers of the Soviet 129th Oryol Rifle Division. August 1943.

Eagle taken.

The 89th Rifle Division enters the liberated Belgorod.

On August 23, Russia celebrates the Day of the defeat of the Nazi troops in the Battle of Kursk

In world history there are no analogues of the Battle of Kursk, which lasted 50 days and nights - from July 5 to August 23, 1943. The victory in the Battle of Kursk was a decisive turning point in the course of the Great Patriotic War. The defenders of our Motherland managed to stop the enemy and deal him a deafening blow, from which he could not recover. After the victory in the Battle of Kursk, the advantage in the Great Patriotic War was already on the side of the Soviet army. But such a radical change cost our country dearly: military historians still cannot accurately assess the losses of people and equipment on the Kursk Bulge, concurring in only one assessment - the losses of both sides were colossal.

According to the plan of the German command, the Soviet troops of the Central and Voronezh fronts defending in the Kursk region were to be destroyed as a result of a series of massive attacks. The victory in the Battle of Kursk gave the Germans the opportunity to expand their offensive plan against our country and their strategic initiative. In short, victory in this battle meant victory in the war. In the Battle of Kursk, the Germans had high hopes for their new equipment: Tiger and Panther tanks, Ferdinand assault guns, Focke-Wulf-190-A fighters and Heinkel-129 attack aircraft. Our attack aircraft used the new PTAB-2.5-1.5 anti-tank bombs, which pierced the armor of the fascist Tigers and Panthers.

The Kursk Bulge was a ledge about 150 kilometers deep and up to 200 kilometers wide, facing west. This arc was formed during the winter offensive of the Red Army and the subsequent counter-offensive of the Wehrmacht in Eastern Ukraine. The battle on the Kursk Bulge is usually divided into three parts: the Kursk defensive operation, which lasted from July 5 to 23, Oryol (July 12 - August 18) and Belgorod-Kharkov (August 3 - 23).

The German military operation to seize control of the strategically important Kursk Bulge was codenamed "Citadel". Avalanche-like attacks on Soviet positions began on the morning of July 5, 1943 with artillery fire and air strikes. The Nazis advanced on a broad front, attacking from heaven and earth. As soon as it began, the battle took on a grandiose scope and was of an extremely tense character. According to Soviet sources, the defenders of our Motherland were opposed by about 900 thousand people, up to 10 thousand guns and mortars, about 2.7 thousand tanks and more than 2 thousand aircraft. In addition, aces of the 4th and 6th air fleets fought in the air from the German side. The command of the Soviet troops managed to collect more than 1.9 million people, more than 26.5 thousand guns and mortars, over 4.9 thousand tanks and self-propelled artillery installations and about 2.9 thousand aircraft. Our soldiers repelled the attacks of the enemy's strike groups, showing unprecedented stamina and courage.

On July 12, Soviet troops on the Kursk Bulge went on the offensive. On this day, in the area of ​​​​the Prokhorovka railway station, 56 km north of Belgorod, the largest oncoming tank battle of the Second World War took place. About 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns took part in it. The battle near Prokhorovka lasted all day, the Germans lost about 10 thousand people, over 360 tanks and were forced to retreat. On the same day, Operation Kutuzov began, during which the enemy’s defenses were broken through in the Bolkhovsky, Khotynets and Oryol directions. Our troops advanced inside the German positions, and the enemy command gave the order to retreat. By August 23, the enemy was driven back 150 kilometers to the west, the cities of Orel, Belgorod and Kharkov were liberated.

Aviation played a significant role in the Battle of Kursk. Air strikes destroyed a significant amount of enemy equipment. The advantage of the USSR in the air, achieved in the course of fierce battles, became the key to the overall superiority of our troops. In the memoirs of the German military, admiration for the enemy and recognition of his strength are felt. The German General Forst wrote after the war: “Our offensive began, and a few hours later a large number of Russian aircraft appeared. Air battles broke out over our heads. During the entire war, none of us saw such a spectacle. A German fighter pilot from the Udet squadron, shot down on July 5 near Belgorod, recalls: “Russian pilots began to fight much harder. Looks like you have some old footage. I never thought that I would be shot down so soon…”

And about how fierce the battles were on the Kursk Bulge and about what superhuman efforts this victory was achieved, the memoirs of the battery commander of the 239th mortar regiment of the 17th artillery division M. I. Kobzev will best tell:

– The fierce battles on the Oryol-Kursk Bulge in August 1943 especially stuck in my memory,” Kobzev wrote. - It was in the Akhtyrka area. My battery was ordered to cover the withdrawal of our troops with mortar fire, blocking the way for the enemy infantry advancing behind the tanks. The calculations of my battery had a hard time when the Tigers began to pour a hail of fragments on it. They disabled two mortars and almost half of the servants. The loader was killed by a direct hit of the projectile, the enemy bullet hit the gunner's head, the chin of the third number was torn off by a fragment. Miraculously, only one battery mortar remained intact, disguised in corn thickets, which, together with a reconnaissance officer and a radio operator, dragged 17 kilometers together for two days until we found our regiment that had retreated to the given positions.

On August 5, 1943, when the Soviet army clearly had an advantage in the Battle of Kursk in Moscow, for the first time in 2 years since the beginning of the war, an artillery salute was fired in honor of the liberation of Orel and Belgorod. Subsequently, Muscovites often observed fireworks on the days of significant victories in the battles of the Great Patriotic War.

Vasily Klochkov

The Battle of Kursk, which lasted from July 5 to August 23, 1943, became one of the key battles of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Soviet and Russian historiography divides the battle into Kursk defensive (July 5–23), Oryol (July 12 - August 18) and Belgorod-Kharkov (August 3–23) offensive operations.

Front on the eve of the battle
During the winter offensive of the Red Army and the subsequent counter-offensive of the Wehrmacht in Eastern Ukraine, a ledge up to 150 km deep and up to 200 km wide was formed in the center of the Soviet-German front, facing the west - the so-called Kursk Bulge (or ledge). The German command decided to conduct a strategic operation on the Kursk salient.
For this, a military operation was developed and approved in April 1943 under the code name Zitadelle ("Citadel").
For its implementation, the most combat-ready formations were involved - a total of 50 divisions, including 16 tank and motorized, as well as a large number of individual units included in the 9th and 2nd field armies of the Army Group "Center", in 4- 1st Panzer Army and Task Force "Kempf" of the Army Group "South".
The grouping of German troops numbered over 900 thousand people, about 10 thousand guns and mortars, 2 thousand 245 tanks and assault guns, 1 thousand 781 aircraft.
Since March 1943, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (VGK) has been working on a strategic offensive plan, the task of which was to defeat the main forces of Army Group South and Center, to crush the enemy defenses on the front from Smolensk to the Black Sea. It was assumed that the Soviet troops would be the first to go on the offensive. However, in mid-April, based on information that the Wehrmacht command was planning to launch an offensive near Kursk, it was decided to bleed the German troops with a powerful defense, and then go on the counteroffensive. Possessing a strategic initiative, the Soviet side deliberately began hostilities not on the offensive, but on the defensive. The development of events showed that this plan was correct.
By the beginning of the Battle of Kursk, the Soviet Central, Voronezh and Steppe fronts included more than 1.9 million people, more than 26 thousand guns and mortars, over 4.9 thousand tanks and self-propelled artillery installations, about 2.9 thousand aircraft.
Troops of the Central Front under the command of General of the Army Konstantin Rokossovsky defended the northern front (facing the enemy area) of the Kursk salient, and the troops of the Voronezh Front under the command of Army General Nikolai Vatutin- southern. The troops occupying the ledge relied on the Steppe Front as part of a rifle, three tank, three motorized and three cavalry corps. (commander - Colonel General Ivan Konev).
The actions of the fronts were coordinated by representatives of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command Marshals of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov and Alexander Vasilevsky.

The course of the battle
On July 5, 1943, German strike groups launched an attack on Kursk from the Orel and Belgorod regions. During the defensive phase of the Battle of Kursk On July 12, the largest tank battle in the history of the war took place on the Prokhorovsky field.
Up to 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns simultaneously participated in it from both sides.
The battle near the Prokhorovka station in the Belgorod region was the largest battle of the Kursk defensive operation, which went down in history as the Kursk Bulge.
Staff documents contain evidence of the first battle, which took place on July 10 near Prokhorovka. This battle was carried out not by tanks, but by the rifle units of the 69th Army, which, having exhausted the enemy, themselves suffered heavy losses and were replaced by the 9th Airborne Division. Thanks to the paratroopers, on July 11, the Nazis were stopped at the outskirts of the station.
On July 12, a huge number of German and Soviet tanks collided on a narrow section of the front, only 11-12 kilometers wide.
Tank units "Adolf Hitler", "Dead Head", division "Reich" and others were able to regroup their forces on the eve of the decisive battle. The Soviet command did not know about this.
The Soviet units of the 5th Guards Tank Army were in a deliberately difficult situation: the strike group of tanks was located between the beams southwest of Prokhorovka and was deprived of the opportunity to deploy the tank group to its full extent. Soviet tanks were forced to advance in a small area, limited on one side by the railway, and on the other by the floodplain of the Psyol River.

The Soviet T-34 tank under the command of Pyotr Skrypnik was hit. The crew, having pulled out their commander, took refuge in the funnel. The tank was on fire. The Germans noticed him. One of the tanks moved towards the Soviet tankers to crush them with caterpillars. Then the mechanic, in order to save his comrades, rushed out of the saving trench. He ran to his burning car, and sent it to the German "Tiger". Both tanks exploded.
For the first time, Ivan Markin wrote about a tank duel in the late 50s in his book. He called the battle of Prokhorovka the largest tank battle of the 20th century.
In fierce battles, the Wehrmacht troops lost up to 400 tanks and assault guns, went on the defensive, and on July 16 began to withdraw their forces.
July, 12 the next stage of the Battle of Kursk began - the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops.
5th of August as a result of operations "Kutuzov" and "Rumyantsev" Orel and Belgorod were liberated, in the evening of the same day in Moscow, in honor of this event, for the first time during the war years, an artillery salute was fired.
August 23 Kharkov was liberated. Soviet troops advanced 140 km to the south and south-west and took up an advantageous position for launching a general offensive to liberate Left-Bank Ukraine and reach the Dnieper. The Soviet Army finally consolidated its strategic initiative, the German command was forced to go on the defensive on the entire front.
More than 4 million people from both sides took part in one of the largest battles in the history of the Great Patriotic War, about 70 thousand guns and mortars, over 13 thousand tanks and self-propelled guns, about 12 thousand combat aircraft were involved.

Results of the battle
After a powerful tank battle, the Soviet Army reversed the events of the war, took the initiative in its own hands and continued to advance to the West.
After the Nazis failed to pull off their operation "Citadel", on the world level it looked like a complete defeat of the German campaign in front of the Soviet Army;
the fascists were morally suppressed, their confidence in their superiority was gone.
The significance of the victory of the Soviet troops on the Kursk salient goes far beyond the limits of the Soviet-German front. It had a huge impact on the further course of the Second World War. The Battle of Kursk forced the fascist German command to withdraw large formations of troops and aviation from the Mediterranean theater of operations.
As a result of the defeat of significant Wehrmacht forces and the transfer of new formations to the Soviet-German front, favorable conditions were created for the landing of Anglo-American troops in Italy, their advance to its central regions, which ultimately predetermined the exit of this country from the war. As a result of the victory at Kursk and the withdrawal of Soviet troops to the Dnieper, a radical change ended not only in the Great Patriotic War, but throughout the Second World War in favor of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition.
For exploits in the Battle of Kursk, more than 180 soldiers and officers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, more than 100 thousand people were awarded orders and medals.
About 130 formations and units received the title of guards, more than 20 received the honorary titles of Oryol, Belgorod, Kharkov.
For the contribution to the victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Kursk region was awarded the Order of Lenin, and the city of Kursk was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree.
On April 27, 2007, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Kursk was awarded the honorary title of the Russian Federation - the City of Military Glory.
In 1983, the feat of Soviet soldiers on the Kursk Bulge was immortalized in Kursk - On May 9, a memorial to those who died during the Great Patriotic War was opened.
On May 9, 2000, in honor of the 55th anniversary of the victory in the battle, the memorial complex "Kursk Bulge" was opened.

Material prepared according to "TASS-Dossier"

Wounded memory

Dedicated to Alexander Nikolaev,
the driver of the T-34 tank, who made the first tank ram in the battle of Prokhorovka.

The memory will not heal like a wound,
Let's not forget the soldiers of all the simple ones,
That entered this battle, dying,
And they survived forever.

No, not a step back, we look straight ahead,
Only the blood drained from the face,
Only clenched teeth stubbornly -
Here we will stand to the end!

Let any price be the life of a soldier,
We will all become armor today!
Your mother, your city, the honor of a soldier
Behind a boyish thin back.

Two steel avalanches - two forces
Merged among the rye fields.
No you, no me - we are one,
We met like a steel wall.

No maneuvers, no formation - there is strength,
The power of rage, the power of fire.
And the fierce battle mowed down
Both armor and soldier names.

The tank was hit, the battalion commander was wounded,
But again - I'm in battle - let the metal burn!
A shout on the radio to a feat is equal to:
- All! Farewell! I'm going to ram!

Enemies stumble, the choice is hard -
You won't believe your eyes right away.
A burning tank flies without a miss -
He gave his life for his country.

Only the black square of the funeral
Explain to mothers and relatives ...
His heart is in the ground, like fragments...
He remained always young.

... Not a blade of grass on the burnt land,
Tank on tank, armor on armor...
And on the forehead of the commanders wrinkles -
There is nothing to compare the battle with in the war ...
The earthly wound will not heal -
His feat is always with him.
Because he knew when he was dying
How easy it is to die young...

In the memorial temple it is quiet and holy,
Your name is a scar on the wall...
You stayed to live here - yes, it is necessary,
So that the earth does not burn in fire.

On this land, once black,
The burning trail does not let you forget.
Your torn soldier's heart
In spring, cornflowers bloom ...

Elena Mukhamedshina

After the Battle of Stalingrad, which ended in disaster for Germany, the Wehrmacht attempted revenge the very next year, 1943. This attempt went down in history as the Battle of Kursk and became the final turning point in the Great Patriotic War and World War II.

Prehistory of the Battle of Kursk

During the counteroffensive from November 1942 to February 1943, the Red Army managed to defeat a large group of Germans, encircle and force the surrender of the 6th Wehrmacht Army near Stalingrad, and also liberate very vast territories. So, in January-February, Soviet troops managed to capture Kursk and Kharkov and thereby cut through the German defenses. The gap reached about 200 kilometers wide and 100-150 deep.

Realizing that a further Soviet offensive could lead to the collapse of the entire Eastern Front, the Nazi command in early March 1943 took a number of vigorous actions in the Kharkov region. A strike group was created very quickly, which by March 15 again captured Kharkov and made an attempt to cut off the ledge in the Kursk region. However, here the German advance was stopped.

As of April 1943, the line of the Soviet-German front was practically even throughout its entire length, and only in the Kursk region did it bend, forming a large ledge that jutted into the German side. The configuration of the front made it clear where the main battles would unfold in the summer campaign of 1943.

Plans and forces of the parties before the Battle of Kursk

In the spring, heated debate broke out in the German leadership regarding the fate of the summer 1943 campaign. Part of the German generals (for example, G. Guderian) generally proposed to refrain from the offensive in order to accumulate forces for a large-scale offensive campaign in 1944. However, most of the German military leaders were strongly in favor of the offensive as early as 1943. This offensive was supposed to be a kind of revenge for the humiliating defeat at Stalingrad, as well as the final turning point of the war in favor of Germany and its allies.

Thus, for the summer of 1943, the Nazi command again planned an offensive campaign. However, it is worth noting that from 1941 to 1943 the scale of these campaigns steadily decreased. So, if in 1941 the Wehrmacht launched an offensive along the entire front, then in 1943 it was only a small section of the Soviet-German front.

The meaning of the operation, called the "Citadel", was the offensive of large Wehrmacht forces at the base of the Kursk Bulge and their strike in the general direction of Kursk. The Soviet troops in the ledge were bound to be surrounded and destroyed. After that, it was planned to launch an offensive into the formed gap in the Soviet defense and go to Moscow from the southwest. This plan, if it had been successfully implemented, would have been a real disaster for the Red Army, because there were a very large number of troops in the Kursk salient.

The Soviet leadership learned the important lessons of the spring of 1942 and 1943. So, by March 1943, the Red Army was thoroughly exhausted by offensive battles, which led to the defeat near Kharkov. After that, it was decided not to start the summer campaign with an offensive, since it was obvious that the Germans were also planning to attack. Also, the Soviet leadership had no doubts that the Wehrmacht would attack precisely on the Kursk Bulge, where the configuration of the front line contributed to this as much as possible.

That is why, after weighing all the circumstances, the Soviet command decided to wear down the German troops, inflict serious losses on them and then go on the offensive, finally securing the turning point in the war in favor of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition.

For the attack on Kursk, the German leadership concentrated a very large grouping, the number of which was 50 divisions. Of these 50 divisions, 18 were armored and motorized. From the sky, the German group was covered by aviation of the 4th and 6th air fleets of the Luftwaffe. Thus, the total number of German troops at the beginning of the battle of Kursk was approximately 900 thousand people, about 2,700 tanks and 2,000 aircraft. Due to the fact that the northern and southern groups of the Wehrmacht on the Kursk Bulge were part of different army groups ("Center" and "South"), the leadership was carried out by the commanders of these army groups - Field Marshals Kluge and Manstein.

The Soviet grouping on the Kursk Bulge was represented by three fronts. The northern front of the ledge was defended by the troops of the Central Front under the command of General of the Army Rokossovsky, the southern - by the troops of the Voronezh Front under the command of General of the Army Vatutin. Also in the Kursk ledge were the troops of the Steppe Front, commanded by Colonel General Konev. The general command of the troops in the Kursk Salient was carried out by Marshals Vasilevsky and Zhukov. The number of Soviet troops was approximately 1 million 350 thousand people, 5000 tanks and about 2900 aircraft.

The beginning of the Battle of Kursk (5 - 12 July 1943)

On the morning of July 5, 1943, German troops launched an offensive against Kursk. However, the Soviet leadership knew about the exact time of the start of this offensive, thanks to which it was able to take a number of countermeasures. One of the most significant measures was the organization of artillery counter-training, which allowed in the first minutes and hours of the battle to inflict serious losses and significantly reduce the offensive capabilities of the German troops.

Nevertheless, the German offensive began, and in the early days he managed to achieve some success. The first line of Soviet defense was broken through, but the Germans failed to achieve serious successes. On the northern face of the Kursk Bulge, the Wehrmacht attacked in the direction of Olkhovatka, but, failing to break through the Soviet defenses, they turned towards the settlement of Ponyri. However, here, too, the Soviet defense managed to withstand the onslaught of the German troops. As a result of the battles on July 5-10, 1943, the German 9th Army suffered monstrous losses in tanks: about two-thirds of the vehicles were out of action. On July 10, units of the army went on the defensive.

The situation unfolded more dramatically in the south. Here, the German army managed to penetrate the Soviet defenses in the first days, but did not break through it. The offensive was carried out in the direction of the settlement of Oboyan, which was held by the Soviet troops, who also inflicted significant damage on the Wehrmacht.

After several days of fighting, the German leadership decided to shift the direction of the lava strike to Prokhorovka. The implementation of this decision would have made it possible to cover a larger area than planned. However, units of the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army stood in the way of the German tank wedges.

On July 12, one of the largest tank battles in history took place in the Prokhorovka area. From the German side, about 700 tanks participated in it, while from the Soviet side - about 800. Soviet troops launched a counterattack on Wehrmacht units in order to eliminate the enemy's penetration into the Soviet defenses. However, this counterattack did not achieve significant results. The Red Army only managed to stop the advance of the Wehrmacht in the south of the Kursk Bulge, but it was possible to restore the position at the beginning of the German offensive only two weeks later.

By July 15, having suffered huge losses as a result of continuous violent attacks, the Wehrmacht had practically exhausted its offensive capabilities and was forced to go on the defensive along the entire length of the front. By July 17, the withdrawal of German troops to their original lines began. Given the current situation, as well as pursuing the goal of inflicting a serious defeat on the enemy, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command already on July 18, 1943 authorized the transition of Soviet troops on the Kursk Bulge to a counteroffensive.

Now the German troops were forced to defend themselves in order to avoid a military catastrophe. However, parts of the Wehrmacht, seriously exhausted in offensive battles, could not offer serious resistance. The Soviet troops, reinforced with reserves, were full of power and readiness to crush the enemy.

To defeat the German troops covering the Kursk Bulge, two operations were developed and carried out: "Kutuzov" (to defeat the Oryol group of the Wehrmacht) and "Rumyantsev" (to defeat the Belgorod-Kharkov group).

As a result of the Soviet offensive, the Oryol and Belgorod groupings of German troops were defeated. On August 5, 1943, Oryol and Belgorod were liberated by Soviet troops, and the Kursk Bulge practically ceased to exist. On the same day, Moscow for the first time saluted the Soviet troops, who liberated the cities from the enemy.

The last battle of the Battle of Kursk was the liberation of the city of Kharkov by the Soviet troops. The battles for this city took on a very fierce character, however, thanks to the decisive onslaught of the Red Army, the city was liberated by the end of August 23. It is the capture of Kharkov that is considered the logical conclusion of the Battle of Kursk.

Side losses

Estimates of the losses of the Red Army, as well as the Wehrmacht troops, have different estimates. Even more ambiguous are the large differences between the estimates of the losses of the parties in different sources.

Thus, Soviet sources indicate that during the Battle of Kursk, the Red Army lost about 250 thousand people killed and about 600 thousand wounded. At the same time, some Wehrmacht data indicate 300 thousand killed and 700 thousand wounded. Losses of armored vehicles range from 1,000 to 6,000 tanks and self-propelled guns. The losses of Soviet aviation are estimated at 1600 aircraft.

However, regarding the estimate of the losses of the Wehrmacht, the data differ even more. According to German data, the losses of German troops ranged from 83 to 135 thousand people killed. But at the same time, Soviet data indicate the number of dead Wehrmacht soldiers at about 420 thousand. Losses of German armored vehicles range from 1,000 tanks (according to German data) to 3,000. Aviation losses amount to approximately 1,700 aircraft.

The results and significance of the Battle of Kursk

Immediately after the battle of Kursk and directly during it, the Red Army began a series of large-scale operations to liberate Soviet lands from German occupation. Among these operations: "Suvorov" (operation to liberate Smolensk, Donbass and Chernigov-Poltava.

Thus, the victory at Kursk opened up vast operational scope for the Soviet troops to operate. The German troops, bled dry and defeated as a result of summer battles, ceased to be a serious threat until December 1943. However, this absolutely does not mean that the Wehrmacht at that time was not strong. On the contrary, fiercely snarling, the German troops sought to hold at least the line of the Dnieper.

For the command of the allies, who landed troops on the island of Sicily in July 1943, the battle of Kursk became a kind of "help", since the Wehrmacht was now unable to transfer reserves to the island - the Eastern Front was more priority. Even after the defeat near Kursk, the command of the Wehrmacht was forced to transfer fresh forces from Italy to the east, and in their place to send units battered in battles with the Red Army.

For the German command, the Battle of Kursk became the moment when plans to defeat the Red Army and defeat the USSR finally became an illusion. It became clear that for a sufficiently long time the Wehrmacht would be forced to refrain from conducting active operations.

The Battle of Kursk was the completion of a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic and World War II. After this battle, the strategic initiative finally passed into the hands of the Red Army, thanks to which, by the end of 1943, vast territories of the Soviet Union, including such large cities as Kyiv and Smolensk, were liberated.

In international terms, the victory in the Battle of Kursk was the moment when the peoples of Europe, enslaved by the Nazis, perked up. The people's liberation movement in the countries of Europe began to grow even faster. It culminated in 1944, when the decline of the Third Reich became very clear.

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From Kursk and Orel

The war brought us

to the most enemy gates,

Such things, brother.

Someday we'll remember this

And you won't believe yourself

And now we need one victory, One for all, we will not stand up for the price!

(lyrics from the movie "Belorussky Station")

To at The Russian Battle, according to historians, was a turning point inGreat Patriotic War . More than six thousand tanks took part in the battles on the Kursk Bulge. There has never been such a thing in world history, and probably never will be again. The actions of the Soviet fronts on the Kursk Bulge were led by Marshals Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov and Vasilevsky.

If the Battle of Stalingrad made Berlin plunge into mourning tones for the first time, then Battle of Kursk finally announced to the world that now the German soldier will only retreat. Not a single piece of native land will be given to the enemy! It is not for nothing that all historians, both civilian and military, agree in one opinion - Battle of Kursk finally predetermined the outcome of the Great Patriotic War, and with it, the outcome of the Second World War.

From a speech on the radio by the Prime Minister of Great Britain W. Churchill : “I readily admit that most of the Allied military operations in the West in 1943 could not have been carried out in the form and at the time they were carried out, were it not forheroic, magnificent deeds and victories of the Russian army , who defends her native land under vile, unprovoked attack with unparalleled energy, skill and devotion, protects at a terrible price - the price of Russian blood.

No government in the history of mankind would have been able to survive such severe and cruel wounds that Hitler inflicted on Russia ...Russia not only survived and recovered from these terrible wounds, but also inflicted mortal damage on the German military machine. No other power in the world could do this.”

Historical parallels

The Kursk confrontation took place on 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 Western conquerors (who came to us with a sword) about imminent death from the onslaught of the Russian sword that met them once again gained strength. It is characteristic that the Kursk Bulge was somewhat similar to the battle given by Prince Alexander by the Teutonic knights on Lake Peipsi on 04/05/1242. Of course, the weapons 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 you pragmatically try to say what is unique about the Kursk Bulge, a brief summary will be as follows: unprecedented in history (before and after) operational-tactical density per 1 km of the front.- Read more at

The Battle of Kursk is the beginning.

“... On the eve of the Battle of Kursk, we, as part of the 125th special communications battalion, were transferred to the city of Orel. By that time, there was nothing left of the city, I remember only two surviving buildings - the church and the station. On the outskirts, some sheds have been preserved in some places. Piles of broken bricks, not a single tree in the whole huge city, constant shelling and bombing. At the temple there was a priest and several female choristers who remained with him. In the evening, our entire battalion, together with the commanders, gathered in the temple, the priest began to serve a prayer service. We knew we were going to attack the next day. Remembering their relatives, many wept. Scary…

There were three of us, radio operator girls. The rest of the men: signalmen, reel operators. Our task is to establish the most important thing - communication, without communication the end. I can’t say how many of us survived, we were scattered all over the front at night, but I think that it was not much. Our losses were very large. The Lord has saved me…” Osharina Ekaterina Mikhailovna (mother Sofia))

Here it all began! The morning of July 5, 1943, the silence over the steppes is living out its last moments, someone is praying, someone is writing the last lines of a letter to their beloved, someone is simply enjoying another moment of life. A few hours before the German offensive, a wall of lead and fire collapsed on the positions of the Wehrmacht.Operation Citadelgot the first hole. Artillery strikes were carried out along the entire front line, on German positions. The essence of this warning strike was not even so much in dealing damage to the enemy, but in psychology. Psychologically broken German troops went on the attack. The original plan was no longer working. For a day of stubborn fighting, the Germans were able to advance 5-6 kilometers! And these are unsurpassed tactics and strategists, whose shod boots trampled European soil! Five kilometers! Every meter, every centimeter of Soviet land was given to the aggressor with incredible losses, with inhuman labor.

(Volynkin Alexander Stepanovich)

The main blow of the German troops fell in the direction - Maloarkhangelsk - Olkhovatka - Gnilets. The German command sought to get to Kursk along the shortest path. However, it was not possible to break the 13th Soviet army. The Germans threw into battle up to 500 tanks, including a new development, the heavy Tiger tank. It did not work out to disorient the Soviet troops with a wide front of the offensive. The retreat was well organized, the lessons of the first months of the war were taken into account, besides, the German command could not offer something new in offensive operations. And it was no longer necessary to count on the high morale of the Nazis. Soviet soldiers defended their country, and warriors - heroes were simply invincible. How can one not remember the Prussian king Frederick II, who was the first to say that a Russian soldier can be killed, but impossible to defeat! Maybe if the Germans had listened to their great ancestor, there would not have been this catastrophe called the World War.

Only lasted six days Operation "Citadel", for six days the German units tried to move forward, and all these six days the stamina and courage of a simple Soviet soldier thwarted all the plans of the enemy.

July, 12 Kursk Bulge found a new, full-fledged owner. Troops of two Soviet fronts, Bryansk and Western, launched an offensive operation against German positions. This date can be taken as the beginning of the end of the Third Reich. From that day until the very end of the war, German weapons no longer knew the joy of victory. Now the Soviet army was waging an offensive war, a war of liberation. During the offensive, the cities were liberated: Orel, Belgorod, Kharkov. German attempts to counterattack had no success. It was no longer the strength of the weapon that determined the outcome of the war, but its spirituality, its purpose. The Soviet heroes liberated their land, and nothing could stop this force, it seemed that the land itself helps the soldiers go on and on, freeing city after city, village after village.

The Battle of Kursk is the greatest tank battle.

Neither before nor after has the world known such a battle. More than 1,500 tanks from both sides throughout the day on July 12, 1943, fought the hardest battles on a narrow heel of land near the village of Prokhorovka. Initially, inferior to the Germans in the quality of tanks and in quantity, the Soviet tankers covered their names with endless glory! People burned in tanks, were blown up by mines, the armor could not withstand the hit of German shells, but the battle continued. At that moment, nothing else existed, neither tomorrow nor yesterday! The dedication of the Soviet soldier, who once again surprised the world, did not allow the Germans to either win the battle itself or strategically improve their positions.

“... We suffered on the Kursk Bulge. Our 518th Fighter Regiment was defeated. The pilots died, and those who survived were sent to reform. So we ended up in aircraft workshops, began to repair aircraft. We repaired them both in the field, and during the bombing, and during the shelling. And so on until we were mobilized ... "( Kustova Agrippina Ivanovna)

“... Our artillery guards anti-tank fighter battalion under the command of Captain Leshchin has been on formation and combat exercises since April 1943 near Belgrade, Kursk region, to master new military equipment - anti-tank guns of 76 caliber.

I took part in the battles on the Kursk Bulge as the head of the division radio, which provided communication between the command and the batteries. The division command ordered me and other artillerymen to withdraw the remaining damaged equipment from the battlefield at night, as well as the wounded and killed soldiers. For this feat, all the survivors were awarded high government awards, the dead were awarded posthumously.

I remember well that on the night of July 20-21, 1943, on a combat alert, we quickly set out on our way to the settlement of Ponyri and began to take up firing positions in order to delay the Nazi tank column. The density of anti-tank weapons was the highest - 94 guns and mortars. The Soviet command, having accurately determined the directions of German attacks, managed to concentrate a large amount of anti-tank artillery on them. At 0400, a rocket signal was given, and artillery preparation began, which lasted about 30 minutes. German tanks T-4 "Panther", T-6 "Tiger", self-propelled guns "Ferdinand" and other artillery mortar guns in the amount of more than 60 barrels rushed to our combat positions. An unequal battle ensued, our division also took part in it, which destroyed 13 fascist tanks, but all 12 guns were crushed under the tracks of German tanks.

Of my brother-soldiers, I remember the guard lieutenant Aleksey Azarov the most - he knocked out 9 enemy tanks, for which he was awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The commander of the second battery, Guard Lieutenant Kardybaylo knocked out 4 enemy tanks and was awarded the Order of Lenin.

The Battle of Kursk was won. In the most convenient place for the offensive, the German army was waiting for a trap that was capable of crushing the armored fist of the fascist divisions. There was no doubt about the victory, even before the start of the defensive operation, the Soviet military leaders were planning a further offensive ... "

(Sokolov Anatoly Mikhailovich)

The role of intelligence

From the beginning of 1943, in the intercepts of secret messages of the High Command of the Nazi army and secret directives of A. Hitler was increasingly mentioned Operation Citadel. According to the memoirs of A. Mikoyan, on March 27 he was informed in general details. V. Stalin about German plans. On April 12, the exact text of Directive No. 6 “On the Plan of Operation Citadel” translated from German of the German High Command, translated from German, was placed on Stalin’s table, endorsed by all services of the Wehrmacht, but not yet signed by Hitler, who signed it only three days later.

There are several versions regarding the sources of information.

central front

The command of the Central Fleet inspects the wrecked German equipment. Front commander in the centerK. K. Rokossovsky and commander 16th VA S. I. Rudenko. July 1943.

V. I. Kazakov, the commander of the artillery of the Central Front, speaking about the preparation, noted that she:

was an integral and, in essence, the dominant part of the general counter-training, which pursued the goal of disrupting the enemy's offensive.

In the zone of the Central Fleet (13A), the main efforts were focused on suppressing the enemy artillery grouping and observation posts (OPs), including artillery ones. This group of objects accounted for more than 80% of the planned targets. This choice was explained by the presence in the army of powerful means of combating enemy artillery, more reliable data on the position of his artillery group, the relatively small width of the expected strike zone (30-40 km), as well as the high density of combat formations of divisions of the first echelon of the troops of the Central Fleet, which led to their greater sensitivity (vulnerability) to artillery strikes. By inflicting a powerful fire strike on German artillery positions and NP, it was possible to significantly weaken and disorganize the enemy’s artillery preparation and ensure the survivability of the troops of the first echelon of the army to repel the attack of attacking tanks and infantry.

Voronezh Front

In the VF zone (6th Guards A and 7th Guards A), the main efforts were aimed at suppressing infantry and tanks in the areas of their probable location, which accounted for about 80% of all targets hit. This was due to a wider zone of a probable enemy strike (up to 100 km), greater sensitivity of the defense of the first echelon troops to tank strikes, and fewer means of combating enemy artillery in the armies of the VF. It was also not excluded that on the night of July 5, part of the enemy artillery would change their firing positions when the combat guards of the 71st and 67th Guards departed. sd. Thus, the gunners of the VF, first of all, sought to inflict damage on tanks and infantry, that is, the main force of the German attack, and suppress only the most active enemy batteries (reliably explored).

"We will stand like Panfilov"

On August 17, 1943, the armies of the Steppe Front (SF) approached Kharkov, starting a battle on its outskirts. 53 A Managarova I. M. acted vigorously, and especially her 89 guards. sd colonel M. P. Seryugin and 305 sd colonel A. F. Vasiliev. Marshal G. K. Zhukov wrote in his book “Memoirs and Reflections”:

"... The most fierce battle unfolded over the height of 201.7 in the Polevoy area, which was captured by the consolidated company of the 299th Infantry Division, consisting of 16 people under the command of Senior Lieutenant V.P. Petrishchev.

When only seven people remained alive, the commander, turning to the fighters, said: - Comrades, we will stand on a height as the Panfilovites stood at Dubosekov. We will die, but we will not retreat!

And they didn't back down. The heroic fighters held the height until the division's units approached. For courage and heroism, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, senior lieutenant V.P. Petrishchev, junior lieutenant V.V. Zhenchenko, senior sergeant G.P. Polikanov and sergeant V.E. Breusov were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The rest were awarded orders.

- Zhukov GK. Memories and reflections.

The course of the battle.Defense

The closer the launch date of Operation Citadel drew near, the more difficult it was to conceal its preparations. Already a few days before the start of the offensive, the Soviet command received a signal that it would begin on July 5th. From reconnaissance reports it became known that the enemy offensive was scheduled for 3 o'clock. The headquarters of the Central (commander K. Rokossovsky) and Voronezh (commander N. Vatutin) fronts decided to produce artillery on the night of July 5 countertraining. It started at 1 o'clock. 10 min . After the roar of the cannonade subsided, the Germans could not recover for a long time. As a result of the previously carried out artillery countertraining in the areas of concentration of enemy strike groups, German troops suffered losses and launched an offensive 2.5-3 hours later planned time . Only after some time, the German troops were able to start their own artillery and aviation training. The attack of German tanks and infantry formations began at about half past five in the morning.

The German command pursued the goal of ramming through the defenses of the Soviet troops and reaching Kursk. In the zone of the Central Front, the main blow of the enemy was taken by the troops of the 13th Army. On the very first day, the Germans brought up to 500 tanks into battle here. On the second day, the command of the troops of the Central Front launched a counterattack against the advancing grouping by part of the forces of the 13th and 2nd tank armies and the 19th tank corps. The German advance here was delayed and finally thwarted on July 10 . In six days of fighting, the enemy penetrated the defenses of the Central Front only 10-12 km.

When the Nazi offensive began on July 5 in the direction of Kursk, we were transferred closer to the front line to reserve positions in order to be ready to repel the onslaught of the enemy. But we didn't have to defend ourselves. On the night of July 11, we replaced units that had thinned out and needed rest on one of the bridgeheads on the western bank of the Zushi near the village of Vyazhi. On the morning of July 12, after a powerful artillery preparation, an offensive began on the city of Orel (in the place of this breakthrough, near the village of Vyazhi, 8 km from Novosil, a monument was erected after the war).

The memory has preserved many episodes of heavy fighting that unfolded on the ground and in the air ...

On command, we quickly jump out of the trenches and shout “Hurrah!” attack enemy positions. The first losses from enemy bullets and minefields. Here we are already in well-equipped enemy trenches, operating with machine guns and grenades. The first killed German is a red-haired guy, with a machine gun in one hand and a coil of telephone wire in the other ... Having quickly overcome several lines of trenches, we liberate the first village. There was some kind of enemy headquarters, ammunition depots... There is still a warm breakfast for the German soldiers in the field kitchens. Following the infantry, which had done its job, the tanks went into the gap, which, firing on the move, famously rush past us forward.

In the days that followed, the fighting was almost non-stop; our troops, despite the counterattacks of the enemy, stubbornly advanced towards the goal. Before our eyes even now are the fields of tank battles, where sometimes at night it was light from dozens of flaming vehicles. Unforgettable are the battles of our fighter pilots - there were few of them, but they bravely attacked the Junkers' wedges, which were trying to bomb our troops. I remember the deafening crack of exploding shells and mines, fires, mutilated earth, the corpses of people and animals, the persistent smell of gunpowder and burning, constant nervous tension, from which a short sleep did not save.

In battle, the fate of a person, his life depend on many accidents. In those days of fierce battles for Orel, it was pure chance that saved me several times.

During one of the marches, our marching column was subjected to intense artillery fire. On command, we rushed into a shelter, a roadside ditch, lay down, and suddenly, two or three meters from me, a shell pierced into the ground, but did not explode, but only showered me with earth. Another case: on a hot day, already on the outskirts of Orel, our battery provides active support to the advancing infantry. All mines are used up. People are very tired, terribly thirsty. About three hundred meters from us, a well crane sticks out. The foreman orders me and another fighter to collect pots and go for water. Before we had time to crawl even 100 meters, a flurry of fire fell on our positions - mines of heavy six-barreled German mortars burst. The aim of the enemy was accurate! After the raid, many of my comrades were killed, many were wounded or shell-shocked, some of the mortars failed. It looks like this "outfit for water" saved my life.

A few days later, having suffered heavy losses in manpower and equipment, our unit was withdrawn from the combat area and settled in the forest, east of the city of Karachev, for rest and reorganization. Here, many soldiers and officers received government awards for participating in the hostilities near Orel and the liberation of the city. I was awarded the medal "For Courage".

The defeat of the German troops on the Kursk Bulge and the appreciation of this feat of arms made us very happy, but we could not and cannot forget our comrades-in-arms, who are no longer with us. Let us always remember the soldiers who gave their lives in the nationwide Patriotic War, fighting for the freedom and independence of our Fatherland!Sluka Alexander Evgenievich)

The first surprise for the German command both on the southern and northern flanks of the Kursk ledge was that the Soviet soldiers were not afraid of the appearance on the battlefield of new German tanks "Tigr" and "Panther". Moreover, the Soviet anti-tank artillery and guns of tanks dug into the ground opened effective fire on the German armored vehicles. And yet, the thick armor of the German tanks allowed them to break through the Soviet defenses in some areas and penetrate into the battle formations of the Red Army units. However, there was no quick breakthrough. Having overcome the first defensive line, the German tank units were forced to turn to sappers for help: all the spaces between the positions were heavily mined, and the passages in the minefields were good shot through artillery. While the German tankers were waiting for the sappers, their combat vehicles were subjected to massive fire. Soviet aviation managed to retain air supremacy. Increasingly, Soviet attack aircraft appeared over the battlefield - the famous Il-2.

“... The heat melted very strong, dryness. There is nowhere to hide from the heat. And during the battles, the earth stood on end. Tanks are moving, artillery is showering with heavy fire, and Junkers and Messerschmitts are attacking from the sky. Until now, I can not forget the terrible dust that stood in the air and seemed to penetrate into all the cells of the body. Yes, plus, besides, smoke, soot, soot. On the Kursk Bulge, the Nazis threw new, more powerful and heavy tanks and self-propelled guns - "tigers" and "Ferdinands" against our army. The shells of our guns ricocheted off the armor of these vehicles. I had to use more powerful artillery guns and cannons. We already had new 57-mm ZIS-2 anti-tank guns, improved artillery pieces.

I must say that even before the battle, during tactical exercises, we were told about these new Nazi machines and showed their weaknesses, vulnerabilities. And in battle I had to practice. The attacks were so powerful and strong that our guns became hot and had to be cooled with wet rags.

(Tishkov Vasily Ivanovich)

Only during the first day of fighting, the Model grouping, operating on the northern wing of the Kursk ledge, lost up to 2/3 of the 300 tanks that participated in the first strike. Soviet losses were also high: only two companies of the German "Tigers", advancing against the forces of the Central Front, destroyed 111 T-34 tanks during the period of July 5-6. By July 7, the Germans, having advanced several kilometers forward, approached the large settlement of Ponyri, where a powerful battle ensued between shock units 20, 2 and 9- thGermantankdivisionsWithconnectionsSoviet 2- thtankand 13- tharmies. OutcomethisbattlesbecameextremelyunexpectedforGermancommand. Having lostbefore 50 thousand. humanandnear 400 tanks, northernpercussiongroupingwasforcedstay. advancingforwardTotalon the 10 – 15 km, Modelineventuallylostpercussionpowertheirtankpartsandlostcapabilitiescontinueoffensive. Temtimeon thesouthernwingKurskledgedevelopmentsdevelopedonotherwisescenario. To 8 JulydrumsdivisionsGermanmotorizedconnections« GreatGermany» , « Reich» , « deadhead» , life standard« AdolfHitler» , severaltankdivisions 4- thtankarmiesGothaandgroups« Kempf» managedwedgeinSovietdefensebefore 20 andmorekm. OffensiveinitiallywentindirectioninhabiteditemOboyan, butthen, due tostrongoppositionSoviet 1- thtankarmies, 6- thguardsarmiesandothersassociationson thethisplot, commandinggrouparmies« South» backgroundMansteinacceptedsolutionhiteast– indirectionProkhorovka. ExactlyatthisinhabiteditemandstartedmostbigtankbattleSecondworldwars, inwhichWithbothpartiesacceptedparticipationbeforeTHOUSANDSTWO HundredTANKSandself-propelledguns.

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“... The policeman drove us, 10 teenagers, with shovels and took us to the Big Oak. When they arrived at the place, they saw a terrible picture: between the burned-out hut and the barn, the executed were lying. Many of their faces and clothes were burned. They were doused with gasoline before being burned. To the side lay two female corpses. They hugged their children to their chests. One of them hugged the child, wrapping the little one with the hollow of her fur coat ... "(Arbuzov Pavel Ivanovich)

Of all the victories of 1943, it was decisive in providing a radical change in the course of the Great Patriotic War and World War II, which ended in the liberation of the Left-Bank Ukraine and the crushing of the enemy defenses on the Dnieper at the end of 1943. The fascist German command was forced to abandon the offensive strategy and go over to the defensive on the entire front. He had to transfer troops and aircraft from the Mediterranean theater of operations to the Eastern Front, which facilitated the landing of Anglo-American troops in Sicily and Italy. The Battle of Kursk was a triumph of Soviet military art.

In the 50-day Battle of Kursk, up to 30 enemy divisions were defeated, including 7 tank divisions. The total losses of the Nazi troops killed, seriously wounded and missing amounted to over 500 thousand people. The Soviet Air Force finally won air supremacy. The active actions of the partisans on the eve and during the Battle of Kursk contributed to the successful completion of the Battle of Kursk. Striking at the rear of the enemy, they fettered up to 100 thousand soldiers and officers of the enemy. The partisans carried out 1460 raids on the railway line, disabled over 1000 locomotives and defeated over 400 military trains.

Memoirs of participants of the Kursk Bulge