The Battle of Kursk was a major battle on the Eastern Front of the Second World War. After the German defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler ordered an offensive, Operation Citadel, to cut off a large salient in the Soviet front around the city of Kursk. Soviet intelligence learned of the plan, and the Red Army built deep defences, with minefields and anti-tank guns, and kept large reserves, so the German attack made limited progress. Tank clashes in the south, near Prokhorovka, are often described as among the largest in history, though historians dispute details. Hitler halted the offensive as the Allies landed in Sicily. The Soviets then launched their own counter-offensives, and the Germans never regained the strategic initiative in the east.
Before and after
- 15 May 1943Founding of American Broadcasting Company
- from 15 June 1943 to 29 June 1943Operation Mammoth
- from 20 June 1943 to 7 October 1943New Georgia Campaign
- from 30 June 1943 to 20 March 1944Operation Cartwheel
- from 5 July 1943 to 23 August 1943Battle of Kursk
- 7 July 1943Birth of Toto Cutugno
- from 9 July 1943 to 17 August 1943Allied invasion of Sicily
- from 10 July 1943 to 2 May 1945Italian Campaign
- from 12 July 1943 to 13 July 1943Battle of Kolombangara
More in Wars, politics & history
- from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916Gallipoli Campaign
- 4 June 1917Pulitzer Prize
- 1919Paris Peace Conference
- 3 March 1923Time
- 30 September 1938Munich agreement
- from 1 September 1939 to 6 October 19391939 Invasion of Poland
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.