Baxter, Ian Kursk 1943

In the summer of 1943, the German-launched Operation "Zitadelle" (Citadel), aimed at cutting off a large number of Soviet forces in the Kursk salient. This offensive resulted in the battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle of World War II. Kursk quickly became a fierce contest of attrition, as Wehrmacht and elite Waffen-SS Panzer-Divisions with their powerful "Tiger" and "Panther" tanks unsuccessfully tried to hammer their way through the intricate lines of strong Soviet defensive positions. What followed was unabated fighting for two weeks as German units were slowly and systematically ground down in a series of brutal armored battles. During this ferocious fighting the Red Army savagely contested every foot of ground, finally ending German invincibility forever. For the first time in its short history, the blitzkrieg concept had failed. The reverberations caused by the defeat at Kursk were immense, and never again did the German war machine go on the offensive in the East. Stiff defensive action was now the stratagem placed upon the dwindling Panzerwaffe right to the gates of Berlin. With comprehensive captions and text, "Kursk 1943" tells the story of this dramatic battle using rare and unpublished photographs, maps, and highly detailed artist profiles. The book reveals the events leading up to the battle in the first half of 1943, and the build up of forces by both sides before their climatic showdown at Kursk.

The Battle of Kursk quickly developed into a battle of attrition as the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS units attempted to break through the deeply entrenched Soviet defences around Kursk. The resistance of the Red Army and the well-developed Soviet defensive positions ultimately proved superior to the attacks of the German troops, and the nimbus of German superiority was destroyed once and for all. This volume in the "Casemate Illustrated" series tells the dramatic story of the Battle of Kursk, with rare and previously unpublished photographs, colour vehicle profiles and detailed maps accompanying the text.