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Battle of Kursk

also known as the Battle of Kursk Bulge) in terms of its scale, the forces and means involved, tension, results and military-political consequences, it is one of the key battles of the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War. The largest tank battle in history; About two million people, six thousand tanks, and four thousand aircraft took part in it.

The battle lasted 49 days. The German side called the offensive part of the battle Operation Citadel. As a result of the offensive according to the Kutuzov plan, the Oryol group of German troops was defeated and the Oryol strategic bridgehead occupied by it was eliminated. As a result of Operation “Commander Rumyantsev,” the Belgorod-Kharkov group of Germans ceased to exist and this important bridgehead was eliminated

Location Central Russia, Eastern Ukraine

Opponents of the USSR - Germany

Commanders Georgy Zhukov Nikolai Vatutin Ivan Konev Konstantin Rokossovsky Erich von Manstein Gunther Hans von Kluge Walter Model Hermann Hoth

The forces of the parties at the beginning of the operation were 1.3 million people + 0.6 million in reserve, 3444 tanks + 1.5 thousand in reserve, 19,100 guns and mortars + 7.4 thousand in reserve, 2172 aircraft + 0.5 thousand . in reserve

According to Soviet data - approx. 900 thousand people, according to it. according to data - 780 thousand people. 2758 tanks and (of which 218 are under repair), approx. 10 thousand guns, approx. 2050 aircraft

Losses Defensive phase: Participants: Central, Voronezh, Steppe (not all) fronts Irrevocable - 70,330 Sanitary - 107,517 Operation Kutuzov: Participants: Central, Bryansk, Western (left wing) fronts Irrevocable - 112,529 Sanitary - 317,361 Operation “Rumyantsev”: Participants: Voronezh, Steppe fronts Irrevocable - 71,611 Sanitary - 183,955 General in the battle for the Kursk ledge: Irrevocable - 189,652 Sanitary - 406,743 In the Battle of Kursk as a whole ~ 254,470 killed, captured, missing 608,833 wounded and sick 153 thousand small arms 6064 tanks and self-propelled guns 5245 guns and mortars 1626 combat aircraft

According to German sources, 103,600 were killed and missing on the entire Eastern Front. 433,933 wounded. According to Soviet sources, 500 thousand total losses in the Kursk salient. 1000 tanks according to German data, 1500 according to Soviet data. less than 1696 aircraft

After the end of the battle, the strategic initiative finally passed to the side of the Red Army, which continued to liberate the country from the German invaders and carried out mainly offensive operations until the end of the war.

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Battle of Kursk Completed by: Belova O.S. GBOU secondary school No. 33, Syzran

Contents: 1. Chronicle 2. Map of the defensive battle of Soviet troops July 5-23, 1943 3. Plan "Citadel" 4. Soviet plan 5. Shelling 6. German offensive 7. Map of the counter-offensive of Soviet troops July 12-August 23, 1943 8. Operation Kutuzov 9. Operation “Commander Rumyantsev” 10. Losses 11. “Your heroes Kursk Bulge” 12. Results 13. Literature

Chronicle of the Battle of Kursk July 5, 1943 - general offensive of German troops July 1943 - tank battle in the Prokhorovka area, the beginning of the Oryol operation of Soviet troops July 1943 - breakthrough of enemy defenses July 16, 1943 - beginning of the withdrawal of German forces July 29, 1943 - liberation of Volkhov August 3 - beginning of the counteroffensive Soviet troops in the Belgorod-Kharkov direction August 5, 1943 - liberation of Orel and Belgorod August 11-17, 1943 - German counterattacks against the troops of the Voronezh Front August 18, 1943 - Soviet troops approaching the enemy’s defensive line east of Bryansk August 23, 1943 - liberation of Kharkov, transition of the Soviet Army in a general offensive

Soviet tanks T-34 IS-1

The ratio of forces and means at the beginning of the Kursk defensive operation (July 5, 1943) Forces and means of the Red Army Wehrmacht Ratio Personnel (thousands of people) 1336 over 900 1.4:1 Guns and mortars 19100 about 10000 1.9:1 Tanks and SAU 3444 2733 1.2:1 Aircraft 2172 around 2050 1:1

Plans of the parties CITADEL PLAN In the spring of 1943, the Wehrmacht command faced a difficult task - to draw up a strategic plan for the coming summer. To raise the morale of the German army, prevent the collapse of the fascist bloc and restore the prestige of Germany, Hitler's politicians and strategists decided to conduct a large summer offensive on the Soviet-German front. The plan received the code name “Citadel”. According to the instructions of the command, groups of troops “Center” (Field Marshal G. Kluge) from the north and “South” (Field Marshal E. Manstein) were to cut off Soviet troops on the Kursk Bulge. The Germans intended to take the arc in pincers and destroy the enemy forces located there. “Victory at Kursk will compensate us for all temporary defeats on other sectors of the front,” E. Manstein wrote to Hitler. Hans Gunther Kluge (1882 – 1944) Erich von Manstein (1887-1973)

THE SOVIET PLAN By the summer campaign of 1943, Soviet troops had everything they needed to go on the offensive. However, on April 8, Marshal G.K. Zhukov, who was on instructions from Headquarters in the Kursk Bulge area, presented his thoughts on the plan of action of the Soviet troops to Supreme Commander-in-Chief J.V. Stalin. “It would be better,” he reported, “if we exhaust the enemy on our defense, knock out his tanks, and then, introducing fresh reserves, go on a general offensive and finish off the main enemy group.” The final decision on deliberate defense was made by Stalin in early June. Repelling the enemy's attack from the area south of Orel was assigned to the Central Front (commander - Army General K.K. Rokossovsky), defending the northern and northwestern parts of the Kursk Bulge, and the enemy's offensive from the Belgorod region was to be thwarted by the Voronezh Front (under the command of Army General N . F. Vatutina), who defended the southern and southwestern parts of the ledge Zhukov G.K. (1896-1974) Rokossovsky K.K. (1896 – 1968) Vatutin N. F. (1901-1944)

ARTIFICATION On July 2, 1943, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command warned the front commanders about the possible start of an enemy offensive between July 3 and 6; Later it became known that the offensive was scheduled for the morning of July 5. At dawn on July 5, the troops of the Voronezh and Central Fronts launched a powerful artillery strike on the enemy’s battle formations, artillery firing positions, command and observation posts. As a result of this, the enemy suffered significant losses and did not achieve surprise in the attack.

GERMAN ADVANCE On July 5, on the northern front of the Kursk Bulge, German troops went on the offensive, delivering the main blow in the direction of the village of Olkhovatka. Despite the introduction of the entire strike force into the battle, the enemy did not achieve success and suffered a blow in the direction of the village of Ponyri, but even here he was unable to break through the defenses of the Soviet troops. In four days of bloody fighting, German troops managed to go deeper only 10-12 kilometers. Having lost up to two-thirds of the tanks, the enemy army was forced to go on the defensive at the reached line. On the southern front, the Germans sought to break through in the direction of the cities of Oboyan and Korocha. At the cost of huge losses, they managed to advance only 35 kilometers, and then the enemy suffered the main blow in the direction of the village of Prokhorovka. On July 12, one of the largest tank battles in the history of war took place here: up to one and a half thousand tanks, self-propelled guns and large aviation forces took part in it on both sides. In an ambush, destroyed German equipment

OPERATION “KUTUZOV” At the height of the battle on July 12, the troops of the Western (commander - Colonel General V.D. Sokolovsky) and Bryansk (Colonel General M.M. Popov) fronts began an offensive in the Orel area. The general plan of the Oryol operation, which received the code name “Kutuzov,” consisted of simultaneous attacks by troops on three fronts from the north, east and south with the goal of enveloping the enemy group, dissecting it and destroying it piece by piece. The main blow in the Western Front was delivered by the 11th Guards Army. By the end of July 13, it had broken through the enemy’s defenses to a depth of 25 kilometers. Soon a favorable situation was created for the troops of the Central Front to launch a counteroffensive. On July 26, German troops were forced to leave the Oryol bridgehead and begin to retreat to a position east of Bryansk. On July 29, Volkhov was liberated, and on August 5, Oryol. By August 18, Soviet troops approached the enemy’s defensive line and defeated the enemy. The plans of the fascist German command to use the Oryol bridgehead to strike in the eastern direction collapsed. Sokolovsky V. D. (1897-1968) Popov M. M. (1902-1969)

OPERATION “COMMANDER RUMYANTSEV” On the southern front of the Kursk Bulge, another offensive operation of the Red Army was being prepared - the Belgorod-Kharkov operation, which received the code name “Commander Rumyantsev”. The counteroffensive in this direction was carried out by troops of the Voronezh and Steppe Fronts in cooperation with the Southwestern Front (commander - Army General R. Ya. Malinovsky). The offensive began on the morning of August 3 after powerful artillery and air preparation. On August 5, Soviet troops liberated Belgorod, and on the 7th they captured Bogodukhov. By the end of August 11, the troops of the Voronezh Front cut the Kharkov-Poltava railway. On August 23, after stubborn fighting, the troops of the Steppe Front (Colonel General I.S. Konev) completely liberated Kharkov from the enemy. During the counteroffensive in the Belgorod-Kharkov direction, Soviet troops advanced 140 kilometers and took an advantageous position for launching a general offensive with the aim of liberating Left Bank Ukraine and Donbass. The Battle of Kursk enriched the Russian military art with the experience of organizing a deeply echeloned, active, sustainable defense, conducting flexible and decisive maneuver of forces and means during defensive and offensive actions. The Soviet command successfully solved a number of other problems in the field of strategy, operational art, and tactics. Malinovsky R.Ya. (1898-1967) Konev I.S. (1897-1973)

LOSSES The victory at Kursk was achieved at a very high price. According to the book “The Classification of Secrecy Has Been Removed,” published in 1993 by the Ministry of Defense, during the Battle of Kursk, Soviet troops lost 863.3 thousand people killed, wounded, sick and missing, while German troops lost more than 500 thousand. There are also other estimates of the losses of the parties: 360 thousand people for the Wehrmacht and about 1.67 million for the Red Army. Soviet bombers in combat flight

“Your Heroes, Kursk Bulge” POKRYSHKIN Alexander Ivanovich Thrice Hero Soviet Union, air marshal 1913 -1985 A.I. Pokryshkin created his own system for training aces. Special meaning it imparted combat friendship and teamwork in the squadrons. More than once Pokryshkin left a German plane already caught in his sights in order to save his pilot who was in danger. Until the end of his days, he was most proud of the fact that not one of those whom he led into battle died through his fault. It increases the count of German aircraft shot down in air battles over the Donbass. On August 23, in one of the battles in the area of ​​the Mius River, Pokryshkin, at the head of the four, attacked three nines of Yu-87s, covered by fighters. He shoots down two Junkers, one of which falls to pieces, but in a battle with the Messerschmitts he barely escapes death. The commander was saved by his wingman G.G. Golubev, who exposed his plane to the fire of the Messer. Having left the burning car with a parachute, Golubev managed to land in no man's land and return to the regiment. The war was ended by senior lieutenant Georgy Gordeevich Golubev, A.I.’s constant wingman. Pokryshkin, Hero of the Soviet Union. On May 9, 1945, he shot down the last German aircraft destroyed in air combat in the European theater of World War II over Prague. On August 24, 1943, Pokryshkin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time. Officially, Pokryshkin is credited with more than 650 combat missions and 59 personally shot down aircraft. The actual figure is apparently even higher.

Results of the Battle of Kursk Grand battle in the summer of 1943 on the Kursk Bulge demonstrated to the whole world the ability of the Soviet state to defeat the aggressor with its own forces. In bloody battles, the enemy suffered huge losses. The prestige of German weapons was irreparably damaged. 30 German divisions were destroyed, including 7 tank divisions. In the Battle of Kursk, Soviet soldiers showed courage, perseverance and mass heroism. 132 formations and units received the guards rank, 26 were awarded the honorary titles “Oryol”, “Belgorod”, “Kharkov”, “Karachev”. More than 100 thousand soldiers were awarded orders and medals, more than 180 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The Battle of Kursk is one of the most important stages on the path to the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany. In terms of scope, intensity and results, it ranks among the largest battles of World War II. The crushing defeat of the German armed forces at the Kursk Bulge testified to the increased economic, political and military power of the Soviet Union. The feat of arms of the soldiers merged with the selfless work of the home front workers, who armed the army with excellent military equipment, providing her with everything necessary for victory. The partisans were active, striking at the enemy’s rear.

The victory at Kursk had enormous military-political and international significance. The failure of the Wehrmacht’s summer offensive forever buried the myth created by fascist propaganda about the “seasonality” of the Soviet strategy, that the Red Army could only attack in winter. The offensive strategy of the German troops was a complete failure. The Battle of Kursk led to a further change in the balance of forces at the front, finally consolidated the strategic initiative in the hands of the Soviet command, and created favorable conditions for the deployment of a general strategic offensive of the Red Army. The victory at Kursk and the advance of Soviet troops to the Dnieper marked a radical turning point in the course of the war. The results of the battle had a profound impact on the German people and undermined the morale of the German troops and their faith in victory in the war. Germany was losing influence on its allies, disagreements within the fascist bloc intensified, which subsequently led to a political and military crisis and its complete defeat. The victory of the Soviet Armed Forces at Kursk forced Germany and its allies to go on the defensive in all theaters of the Second World War, which had a huge impact on its further course. As a result of the defeat of significant enemy forces on the Soviet-German front, favorable conditions were created for the landing of Anglo-American troops in Italy. Under the influence of the victories of the Red Army, the Resistance movement in the countries occupied by the Nazis became increasingly active. Cooperation between the leading countries of the anti-Hitler coalition has strengthened. At the end of 1943, the Tehran Conference took place, at which the leaders of the USSR, USA, and Great Britain, I.V. Stalin, F.D. Roosevelt, and W. Churchill, met for the first time. The conference decided to open a second front in Europe in May 1944. In the Three Power Declaration, the leaders of the Allied Powers expressed confidence that their countries “will work together, both in time of war and in subsequent peacetime.” In connection with appeals from the Western allies, the Soviet delegation stated that the USSR would enter the war with Japan after the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Literature 1. Koltunov G.A., Soloviev B.G. Battle of Kursk. M., 1970 2. Vasilevsky A.M. Life's work. M., 1990 3. Zhukov G.K. Memories and reflections. 12th ed. M., 1995 4. Rokossovsky K.K. Soldier's duty. 8th ed. M., 2002 5. Konev I.S. Notes from the front commander. M., 2003 6. Battle of Kursk: a view from the 21st century. Military-historical and journalistic essays. M., 2008 7. Bukeikhanov P.E. Battle of Kursk. Defense. Planning and preparation of Operation Citadel. The battle on the northern front of the Kursk Bulge. July 1943 – M., 2011 Websites: 1. h ttp: //w w w . kursk 1943. mi 1. ru /k u rsk / 2. h ttp://w w w . obd -m em orial.ru/ 3. h ttp://w w w . pobediteli.ru / 4. h ttp: //p o d v ig n aro d a. m i 1. r u / 5. h ttp:// sa m sv .n aro d . ru / 6. h ttp://w w w .tan k fro n t.ru / 7. h ttp://w a ra lb u m . ru / 8. h ttp://w w w .w arheroes.ru/ 9. h ttp://w w w . axishistory.com / 10. h ttp: //a x isp o w ers . n e t/ 11. h ttp://w w w . generals.dk / 12. http: / / w w w . geocities.com /~orion47/W E H RM A C H T / 13. h ttp://w w w . lexikon - der -w ehrm acht.de/ 14. h ttp://w w w . feldgrau.com / 15. h ttp: //w w w .das - ritte rkreuz . d e / 16. h ttp://w w w . ritterkreuztraeger - 1 9 3 9 -4 5 .d e / 17. http://w w w . unithistories.com / 18. h ttp://e n .w ik ip e d ia.o rg //

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Presentation on the topic: Battle of Kursk

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The Battle of Kursk (Battle of Kursk), which lasted from July 5 to August 23, 1943, is one of the key battles of the Great Patriotic War. In Soviet and Russian historiography, it is customary to divide the battle into three parts: the Kursk defensive operation (July 5-23); Oryol (July 12 - August 18) and Belgorod-Kharkov (August 3-23) offensive.

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During the winter offensive of the Red Army and the subsequent counter-offensive of the Wehrmacht in Eastern Ukraine, a protrusion up to 150 kilometers deep and up to 200 kilometers wide, facing west (the so-called “Kursk Bulge”), formed in the center of the Soviet-German front.

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Having information about the preparation of the Nazi troops for an offensive, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command decided to temporarily go on the defensive on the Kursk Bulge and, during the defensive battle, bleed the enemy’s strike forces and thereby create favorable conditions for the Soviet troops to launch a counteroffensive, and then a general strategic offensive .

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To carry out Operation Citadel, the German command concentrated 50 divisions in the sector, including 18 tank and motorized divisions. The enemy group, according to Soviet sources, numbered about 900 thousand people, up to 10 thousand guns and mortars, about 2.7 thousand tanks and more than 2 thousand aircraft.

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By the beginning of the Battle of Kursk, the Supreme High Command headquarters had created a grouping (Central and Voronezh fronts) with more than 1.3 million people, up to 20 thousand guns and mortars, more than 3,300 tanks and self-propelled guns, 2,650 aircraft. The troops of the Central Front (commander - General of the Army Konstantin Rokossovsky) defended the northern front of the Kursk ledge, and the troops of the Voronezh Front (commander - General of the Army Nikolai Vatutin) - the southern front.

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Voronezh Front (commander - Army General Nikolai Vatutin) - southern front. The troops occupying the ledge relied on the Steppe Front, consisting of rifle, 3 tank, 3 motorized and 3 cavalry corps (commanded by Colonel General Ivan Konev). The coordination of the actions of the fronts was carried out by representatives of the Headquarters Marshals of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov and Alexander Vasilevsky.

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From Orel, a group under the command of Field Marshal Gunther Hans von Kluge (Army Group Center) was advancing, and from Belgorod, a group under the command of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein (Operational Group Kempf, Army Group South).

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July 12 in the area railway station Prokhorovka, 56 kilometers north of Belgorod, the largest oncoming tank battle of the Second World War took place - a battle between the advancing enemy tank group (Task Force Kempf) and the counterattacking Soviet troops. On both sides, up to 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns took part in the battle.

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On the same day, the troops of the Bryansk, Central and left wings of the Western Front began Operation Kutuzov, which had the goal of defeating the enemy’s Oryol group. On July 13, troops of the Western and Bryansk fronts broke through the enemy’s defenses in the Bolkhov, Khotynets and Oryol directions and advanced to a depth of 8 to 25 km.

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In the following days, having introduced a reserve into the battle, the fascist German command sought to carry out the Fuhrer’s order at any cost and break through to Kursk. But the Soviet troops stood steadfast, heroically defending every inch native land. Having encountered staunch resistance from the 6th Tank (Major General A. L. Getman) and 3rd Mechanized (Major General S. M. Krivoshein) Corps of the 1st Tank Army, the 48th German tank corps General of Tank Forces O. von Knobelsdorff on the afternoon of July 6 turned northeast in the direction of Luchka, where he occupied the defense of the 5th Guards Tank Corps (Lieutenant General A.G. Kravchenko) with the 156th Infantry Regiment.

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The battle of Kursk, unparalleled in the ferocity and intensity of the struggle, ended in victory for the Red Army. The enemy's armored armadas crashed against the inaccessibility of the Soviet defense. The ambitious hopes of the fascist German command to seize the strategic initiative and change the course of the war in their favor collapsed. Hitler's strategists had to abandon offensive plans and hastily decide to switch to strategic defense. Thus, harsh reality refuted the enemy’s deeply erroneous ideas about the invincibility of the German army in the summer and forced him to take a more sober look at the real state of affairs.

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The Soviet command, possessing the strategic initiative, dictated its will to the enemy. The breakdown of the Nazi offensive near Kursk created an advantageous situation for delivering a crushing retaliatory strike. This was facilitated by the fact that, simultaneously with measures to create a strong defense on the Kursk salient, Soviet troops were also preparing to launch a counteroffensive with the aim of defeating enemy strike forces in the Oryol and Belgorod-Kharkov directions.

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The troops of the Western Front (Colonel General V.D. Sokolovsky) delivered the main blow with their left wing. They had to first, in cooperation with the troops of the Bryansk Front, encircle and destroy the Bolkhov enemy group, which was covering the main forces of the fascist German troops on the Oryol bridgehead from the north. Then, advancing south towards Khotynets, they were supposed to cut off the routes to the west for the Oryol enemy group and, together with the troops of the Bryansk and Central Fronts, defeat it.

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The Bryansk Front (Colonel General M. M. Popov) delivered the main blow with its left wing in the general direction of Orel, and part of its forces advanced on Bolkhov. The troops of the Central Front received the task of striking with their right wing in the general direction of Kromy. Then, developing success in the north-west direction, they were supposed to cover the enemy’s Oryol group from the south-west and complete its defeat in cooperation with the Bryansk and Western fronts.

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Thus, the idea of ​​​​Operation Kutuzov was to cut through the enemy group and destroy it piece by piece with counter strikes from three fronts from the north, east and south in the general direction of Oryol. The concentration of troops, military equipment and all other preparatory measures were carried out by the fronts in advance. Particular attention was paid to the massing of forces and assets in the directions of the main attacks.

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The need for this was determined by the fact that, attaching great importance to the Oryol bridgehead, the fascist German command, long before its attack on Kursk, created a strong defense in depth here with a widely developed system of field fortifications. Most settlements were prepared for all-round defense. A serious obstacle for the advancing Soviet troops was a large number of rivers, ravines and gullies. This made it difficult to use large tank forces and, therefore, complicated the task of developing tactical success into operational success. Important for the development of events was also due to the fact that on the bridgehead the enemy had such a large junction of highways and railways, like the Eagle, which provided him with the possibility of wide operational maneuver in all directions. Thus, the Soviet troops on the Oryol bridgehead were opposed not only by a powerful enemy group, but also by a qualitatively new – positional – defense, which they encountered for the first time in the war.

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Under these conditions, commanders and staffs had to solve the issues of troop echeloning and the use of tanks, artillery and aviation in many new ways. The main attention was focused on deep formation of battle formations and the creation of high operational densities. Thus, the 11th Guards Army, operating in the direction of the main attack of the Western Front, was supposed to advance in a 36 km zone. At the same time, its main forces and means were concentrated on a breakthrough area 14 km wide. And on the rest of the front there was only one rifle division defending.

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the distribution of forces and their operational-tactical formation, as the army command reasonably believed, ensured a rapid build-up of efforts in breaking through the enemy’s tactical defense zone and the development of success in its operational depth, right up to reaching the Bolkhov area (depth 65 km). During the preparation of the operation, reconnaissance, organization of interaction, measures for operational camouflage and engineering support were carried out with great skill. The rear provided the troops with everything necessary to conduct a major offensive operation.

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Breaking through the strong defenses on the Oryol bridgehead and defeating a powerful enemy group required the utmost effort and high military skill from the attacking troops. Political agencies and party organizations also faced new tasks. Having ensured the creation of insurmountable strength of the troops in defense, they now focused all their attention on creating a high offensive impulse among the personnel, mobilizing soldiers to quickly break through the enemy’s defenses and completely defeat the enemy.

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Unlike the counteroffensive in the Oryol direction, the Belgorod-Kharkov offensive operation was planned and prepared during a defensive battle. The troops of the Voronezh and Steppe fronts, having reached the front line of the German defense on July 23, were not ready to conduct a major offensive operation.

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By August 10, the enemy’s defenses in the Kharkov direction were finally cut into two parts. An almost 60-kilometer gap opened up between the 4th Panzer Army and the German Task Force Kempf. This created the conditions for the liberation of Kharkov and the development of an offensive in Left Bank Ukraine. In accordance with the plan approved by the Supreme Command Headquarters, the capture of Kharkov was supposed to be carried out by a concentric strike from several directions while simultaneously enveloping it deeply from the west.

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On August 22, ground and air reconnaissance discovered the beginning of the withdrawal of enemy troops from Kharkov. “In order to prevent the enemy from escaping from the attacks,” Marshal of the Soviet Union I. S. Konev later wrote, “on the evening of August 22, I gave the order for a night assault on Kharkov. Throughout the night of August 23, there were street battles in the city, fires blazed, and strong explosions were heard. Warriors of the 531st, 69th, 7th Guards, 57th2 Armies and 5th Guards Tank Army, showing courage and courage, skillfully bypassed enemy strongholds, infiltrated into his defenses, and attacked his garrisons from the rear. Step by step, Soviet soldiers cleared Kharkov of fascist invaders" By dawn on August 23, the roar of the battle for the city began to gradually subside, and by noon Kharkov was completely cleared of the enemy. With the liberation of Kharkov and the Kharkov industrial region, Operation Commander Rumyantsev ended, and with it the Battle of Kursk.

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The scope, intensity of the struggle and the results achieved place the Battle of Kursk among the largest battles not only of the Great Patriotic War, but also of the entire Second World War. For 50 days, two powerful groups of armed forces of the opposing sides waged a fierce struggle in a relatively small area. More than 4 million people, over 69 thousand guns and mortars, more than 13 thousand tanks and self-propelled (assault) guns, and up to 12 thousand aircraft took part in the battles, unprecedented in intensity, bitterness and tenacity, on both sides. On the part of the Nazi Wehrmacht, over 100 divisions were involved in the Battle of Kursk, which accounted for more than 43% of the divisions located on the Eastern Front. On the part of the Red Army, about 30% of its divisions were involved in the battle.

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Presentation - Battle of Kursk

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Great Patriotic War June 22, 1941 – May 9, 1945.
War is merciless and hard times, which takes the lives of many people.

Battle of Kursk.
July 5 - August 23, 1943. The victory at Kursk was the beginning of the mass expulsion of fascists from Soviet soil. The battle was a turning point in the war.

Commanders-in-Chief of the Battle of Kursk
In the Battle of Kursk, the troops of the Central and Voronezh Fronts were commanded by the most experienced generals K.K. Rokossovsky and N.F. Vatutin. Behind their troops were the armies of the Steppe Front of General I.S. Koneva. The coordination of the actions of the fronts was carried out by marshals G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky.

July 5, 1943 on the lands of four regions Russian Federation and Ukraine, one of the largest battles of the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War took place. It lasted fifty days and nights and was distinguished by exceptional tension and fierceness of the struggle. This colossal battle truly became a war of engines. Tank battles took place in the fields between Orel and Belgorod, and planes fought in the skies over Kursk. In this terrible battle on the Kursk Bulge fascist Germany I finally lost hope of success.

Twentieth century - year forty-three. July, the sultry summer is in full swing. And the third year of the bloody war, covered with ill fame. On the Kursk fiery arc the earth and sky are burning in darkness.

Tank battle near Prokhorovka.
July 12, 1943. 50 divisions from Europe, Hitler's allies, were transferred to the Eastern Front.

During the battles on the Kursk Bulge, the largest tank battle in history took place near the village of Prokhorovka. 800 tanks from each side fought in the battle. It was an impressive sight. The best tank models of the Second World War were on the battlefield. The Soviet T-34 clashed with the German Tiger. “St. John’s wort” was also tested in that battle. A 57 mm cannon that penetrated the Tiger's armor.

Soviet tank T-34.

German TIGER tank.

German tank "FERDINAND".

German tank "Panther".

"St. John's wort" - a 57-millimeter cannon that penetrated the armor of the "Tiger".

Battle of Kursk.
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In a small area of ​​terrain on both sides, over 1,200 tanks, a significant number of artillery and large aviation forces took part in the battle at the same time. In just one day, losses on both sides amounted to over 700 tanks.

During April-June, 8 defensive lines with a total depth of up to 300 km were equipped in the area of ​​the Kursk salient. The first six lines were occupied by the Central and Voronezh fronts. The seventh line was prepared by the troops of the Steppe District, and the eighth, state line was equipped along the left bank of the river. Don.

Specialists from the Gorky Automobile Plant have restored the legendary guards mortar "Katyusha BM-13". The combat vehicle took a place in the Walk of Fame in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. The Katyusha BM-13 multiple launch rocket system is one of the main achievements of Soviet engineers, which played a significant role in the victory of Soviet troops over Nazi Germany. Specialists from the Gorky Automobile Plant literally recreated the combat vehicle, piece by piece, using the surviving design documentation.

Battle of Kursk.
The goal of the Nazis - to capture the cities of Kursk, Orel, Belgorod - was thwarted by the courage, fortitude, fortitude and highest patriotism of Soviet soldiers and officers.

Heroes of the Battle of Kursk
The greatness of the feat of the heroes of the Battle of Kursk lies in the fact that they withstood the powerful tank onslaught of the enemy and thereby determined the final failure of the July German offensive in the Belgorod-Kursk direction. The battles on the Kursk Bulge covered entire units, units and formations with unfading glory. Many soldiers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

The exploits of tankers.
Soviet tank crews performed miracles of courage and bravery. This is what V.S. Shalandin reports about the feat of one young tanker. and his comrades in arms “History of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union 1941-1945”: “...The fierce attack was repulsed. But immediately, almost without respite, the second attack began, followed by the third and fourth. The number of German tanks participating in the offensive continually increased. Dozens of German planes were constantly hovering in the air over a narrow piece of land near the village of Yakovleva. And yet the guards survived...

The exploits of tankers.
In this battle, nineteen-year-old Komsomol lieutenant of the company Yu. M. Sokolov destroyed one Tiger and one medium tank with the fire of his tank. His friend Lieutenant V.S. Shalandin, who fought nearby, knocked out two Tigers and two medium tanks. Lieutenant B.A. Mozharov also destroyed two Tigers. All three died, but did not retreat a single step...” Voldemar Shalandin was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

"YAKOVLEVO" N. Molchan
Near Yakovlevo and near Ivnya, Where the bread was smoking on the vine, The Nazis broke their tusks on our Russian armor.

Where blood spilled onto the ground from a hot wound. In spring, poppies bloom majestically and crimson. Tart mother's milk - In their thin green veins. They blaze like torches. This means that the fallen are alive!.. I saw how the steppes bloom in the spring Where attacks once thundered. You walk and as far as the eye can see: Maki. Poppies. Maki!

The meaning of the Battle of Kursk.
The victorious outcome of the Battle of Kursk accelerated the collapse of the Hitler bloc. Italy's exit from the war was imminent, the authority of the fascist leadership in Romania and Hungary was shaken, Germany's isolation increased, the dictator of Spain Franco recalled his Blue Division from the Soviet-German front. As a result of the defeat of fascist troops near Kursk, the resistance movement intensified in European countries.

Hitler and the German generals still continued to plan the defeat and encirclement of Soviet troops, although only recently they had been defeated at Stalingrad. They needed victory, they needed a new offensive. And it was planned in the Kursk direction. The German offensive was codenamed Operation Citadel.

The Germans gathered huge forces for the offensive. About 900 thousand soldiers, more than 2 thousand tanks, 10 thousand guns and 2 thousand aircraft. However, the situation in the first days of the war was no longer possible. The Wehrmacht had no numerical, no technical, and most importantly, strategic advantage.

On the Soviet side, more than one million soldiers, 2 thousand aircraft, almost 19 thousand guns and about 2 thousand tanks were ready to enter the Battle of Kursk. And, most importantly, the strategic and psychological superiority of the Soviet army was no longer in doubt. The plan to counter the Wehrmacht was simple and at the same time absolutely brilliant. The plan was to bleed the German army dry in heavy defensive battles and then launch a counteroffensive. The plan worked brilliantly, as the Battle of Kursk itself showed.

The Battle of Kursk went down in history as a great tank battle. The Germans had high hopes for the latest Tiger and Panther tanks and Ferdinand assault guns. The Germans had high hopes for the latest Tiger and Panther tanks and Ferdinand assault guns.

The official designation of this tank is almost impossible to remember: Pz.KpFw.Vl (Sd.Kfz.181) Tiger Aust.H1! The German Tiger was close to perfection in most respects, but cost twice as much as any tank of the same class. And the Tiger belonged to the class of Breakthrough Tanks, in German Durchbruchwegen. At the first stage, the German army conquered Europe without visible problems. But when the Nazis collided with the Soviet T-34 and KV-1, even the Tigers did not save Germany

T-34

Finally buried Hitler's Operation Citadel, the largest in the entire second world war oncoming tank battle near Prokhorovka. It happened on July 12. 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns simultaneously participated in it on both sides. This battle was won by Soviet soldiers. The Nazis, having lost up to 400 tanks during the day of battle, were forced to abandon the offensive.

On August 5, Soviet troops liberated the cities of Orel and Belgorod. On the evening of August 5, in honor of this major victory, a victory salute was given in Moscow for the first time in two years of war. From that time on, artillery salutes constantly announced the glorious victories of Soviet weapons.

On August 23, Kharkov was liberated. Thus the Battle of the Kursk Arc of Fire ended victoriously. During it, 30 selected enemy divisions were defeated. Nazi troops lost about 500 thousand people, 1,500 tanks, 3 thousand guns and 3,700 aircraft. For courage and heroism, over 100 thousand Soviet soldiers who took part in the Battle of the Arc of Fire were awarded orders and medals. The Battle of Kursk ended a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War. On August 23, Kharkov was liberated. Thus the Battle of the Kursk Arc of Fire ended victoriously. During it, 30 selected enemy divisions were defeated. Nazi troops lost about 500 thousand people, 1,500 tanks, 3 thousand guns and 3,700 aircraft. For courage and heroism, over 100 thousand Soviet soldiers who took part in the Battle of the Arc of Fire were awarded orders and medals. The Battle of Kursk ended a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War.

Tanks were coming... And the earth was shaking. Drowning in the roar of steel. And the whitish stings of the tank guns sprayed fire. It's absolute hell on the battery! The earth shot up to the heavens. And the iron and blood were broken and mixed in half. Yuri Belash. "Dry silence"