The battle of Kursk

After German terrible defeat in Stalingrad, Hitler and the German High Command were asking themselves what to do next, in
the summer of 1943. The Battle of Kursk - Operation 'Zitadelle' to the Germans was set to July 4, 1943. When the storm finally broke on 4th July, the Soviets were waiting. Because had known exact time.

In the North, the German attack advanced only 10km into the Russian lines in two days and was stopped, after losing about
25,000 soldiers and 200 tanks, but fighting continued. On July 12, after a week of heavy fighting, General Hoth, the German
commander decided to concentrate all his remaining tanks, about 600, and press forward with all their concentrated force deeper Russian defense line, and into an area more suitable for tank warfare near the small village Prokhorovka.

Due to very bad visibility, with thick smoke and dust, when the Russian tanks met the German tanks the next morning, the Germans lost more than half of their remaining tanks in this great clash which lasted eight hours, and the Russians lost greater numbers. The battle was decided. Thenext day Hitler ordered to stop Operation Citadel, and the Russians started their counter attack North of Kursk.

After the battle of Kursk, the war in the eastern front was a long Russian advance, in which the Russian army returned to all the
territory it lost to the Germans. The Germans could no longer attack or stop the Russian advance, and were just pushed back in a long retreat.