Lesson 12: Kursk

Question 1

Why did Hitler want to attack at Kursk?

Answer 1

Kursk was a small town with no real significance.
vulnerable salient in the Soviet
frontline.
* This meant they could attack the area from multiple sides.

If the attack was successful, the Germans could potentially trap
and destroy 5 Russian armies positioned in the salient.
* Although this wouldn’t help to win the war, it was hoped that a
German victory would prevent another major Soviet offensive
for the rest of 1943 and provide the Germans with time to
strengthen their depleted forces in Russia with more men and
supplies.
‘will
shine like a beacon around the world’.
* Hitler was concerned that if he didn’t launch a major offensive his
allies may lose faith in the Germans and the war

Question 2

Why were the Russians better prepared for the battle than the Germans?

Answer 2

Hitler had delayed the offensive by 2 months to wait for better weather and
the delivery of his new state-of-the-art Panther and Tiger tanks.
* This gave the Russians the chance to create a vast network of defensive
positions including over 2500 miles of trenches, tank traps and the laying of
nearly a million mines.
* The Germans planned to launch a Blitzkrieg style assault from the north and
south of the salient. For this to be successful, the Germans needed to have
the element of surprise. However, the British had recently cracked the
German Enigma code and were therefore able to give the Russians all the
details of the German plan.

Question 3

What were some key events of the battle of Kursk?

Answer 3

The clear weather meant that the Germans were able to
effectively utilise the Luftwaffe to bombard Russian units and the
offensive initially pushed back the Russian defences.
However, the battle quickly turns attritional as the German
forces fell upon the strong Russian defeces and Russian reserves
are moved in to reinforce the frontlines.
Although the Russians have hundreds of tanks primed to strike,
Stalin orders that the battle remains an attritional one. He is
biding his time to strike.
By the 12th July, the German offensive has stalled and Citadel is
called off. Not only have they failed to trap the Russian forces in
the salient, but they are also exposed to a Russian counterattack.

Question 4

Why is the battle significant?

Answer 4

This became an even bigger problem when the Allies launched their invasion of Italy in September → diversion of
German troops to that front.
For the first time in the war, the Germans had been stopped from making a major breakthrough with
one of their offensives.
* The Germans were never able to launch another major offensive on the Eastern Front.

• The Russians were now able to take the time to prepare for their major offensives of 1944 and 1945
  without worrying about any major German attacks. The offensives would help to win the war