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Why Battle of Kursk Was a Turning Point For Eastern Front

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Eighty years ago, the Battle of Kursk began during the Great Patriotic War.
The Battle of Kursk (also known as the Kursk Bulge) took place from July 5 to August 23, 1943, and consisted of three strategic operations conducted by the Red Army in the Kursk salient.
The goal was to thwart a major German offensive and defeat the enemy's strategic grouping. The operations included:
the Kursk Strategic Defensive Operation (July 5-23),
the Orel Offensive Operation (also known as Operation Kutuzov, July 12-August 18), and
the Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive Operation (August 3-23).

Operation Citadel

The German command planned to launch a strategic offensive operation ("Citadel") in the summer of 1943 to defeat Soviet forces in the Kursk salient, seize the strategic initiative, and turn the tide of the war in their favor. The enemy forces numbered:
over 900,000 soldiers,
about 10,000 artillery pieces and mortars,
up to 2,700 tanks, and
about 2,050 aircraft.
The German command placed particular hope in the use of new combat equipment such as Tiger and Panther tanks, Ferdinand assault guns, Focke-Wulf-190A fighters, and Henschel-190A and Henschel-129 ground attack aircraft.
Soviet military intelligence was able to discover the Wehrmacht's preparations for a major offensive on the Kursk salient in time. After analyzing the situation, the Supreme High Command (Stavka) made the decision to temporarily switch to defense in the Kursk area.

Why Was Battle of Kursk a Turning Point in WW2?

During the defensive battle, it was planned to bleed the enemy's strike groups and create favorable conditions for a Soviet counteroffensive, followed by a general strategic offensive.
The Battle of Kursk was one of the decisive and largest battles of World War II. It involved over four million soldiers, more than 69,000 artillery pieces and mortars, over 13,000 tanks and self-propelled artillery units, and up to 12,000 aircraft on both sides.
According to Soviet sources, the German forces suffered significant losses in the Battle of Kursk, including the loss of 30 divisions, including seven tank divisions, over 500,000 soldiers and officers, 1,500 tanks and assault guns, over 3,700 aircraft, and 3,000 artillery pieces.
Soviet losses amounted to 254,470 permanent casualties and 608,833 wounded or injured.
The soldiers demonstrated courage, endurance and heroism during the Battle of Kursk. More than 100,000 individuals were awarded orders and medals, and 231 individuals received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
After the Battle of Kursk, the balance of power on the Eastern Front shifted dramatically in favor of the Red Army, creating favorable conditions for a general strategic offensive. Germany and its allies shifted to defense on all fronts of World War II, marking the beginning of the collapse of the fascist bloc.
To commemorate the heroic victory of Soviet soldiers in this battle, a memorial complex “The Battle of Kursk” was built in the city of Kursk.
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