Battle of Kursk: Relevance to Contemporary Warfare

Introduction: Why Kursk Still Matters

One of the reasons the Battle of Kursk remains relevant today is that it stands as one of the most intense and consequential battles of World War Two—and, some argue, of modern warfare altogether. The sheer scale of the engagement is staggering: "Almost 3 million men, a full eight thousand tanks, and nearly five thousand warplanes broke all records for both the costliest single day of aerial warfare and the largest tank battle in the history of mankind" (Roberts, 2013). One can reasonably assess that had the Germans been victorious over the Red Army, they might have gained a more decisive upper hand on the Eastern Front, regardless of their devastating earlier losses in the major Russian cities.

Kursk is a town in southern Russia that most people have never heard of, situated approximately 300 miles south of Moscow. One of the main railway lines runs directly through it, and given its geographic position, its location made it obvious where the Germans would attempt to attack—a fact that allowed the Soviets to prepare defensively in the most efficient manner possible. There are other battles of the Second World War that receive more attention and are accorded greater weight in the canon of history for ending or changing the course of the war. However, true scholars of the Second World War recognize that the Battle of Kursk deserves to be viewed as a more significant turning point. Preeminent historian Dennis Showalter argues that "The battle of Kursk was the Eastern Front's transition point… and its point of no return" (2013).

Before the battle began, Hitler was flown to meet with Field Marshal Erich von Manstein. Manstein wanted to move forward with the offensive immediately, reasoning that since their opponents already knew what they intended to do, they might as well act as quickly as possible (Roberts, 2013). Hitler, however, postponed the operation, wanting to wait until the weather was warmer and the ground had thawed—perhaps hoping that less bitter conditions might give his troops an advantage. By the start of summer, the German troops that remained faced a daunting mission. "In some sectors of the Russian defensive areas, artillery regiments outnumbered infantry by five to one, with more than 20,000 guns trained on the oncoming Wehrmacht tanks. These included more than 6,000 76.2mm anti-tank guns and 920 Katyusha multiple rocket launchers" (Roberts, 2013).

The Germans were outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and outmatched in ways that almost certainly ensured their defeat before they had even begun. The Russians had enlisted the full support of the residents of the Kursk region—civilians included (Roberts, 2013). Over 3,000 miles of trenches had been dug, along with numerous miles of barbed wire obstacles, including electrified ones (Roberts, 2013). The defensive zones seemed insurmountable: they contained thousands of mines designed to destroy both tanks and soldiers (Roberts, 2013). The Germans nevertheless pressed forward with a determination tinged with despair, but it came as no surprise to anyone that they were stopped by stalwart Russian resistance (Roberts, 2013).

One of the reasons this battle is so noteworthy is that after this defeat, the Germans were never able to recover their sense of momentum. They never again appeared capable of winning the war—a psychological blow that had to have impacted their troops and ensured their further decline. In terms of weaponry, the two armies were relatively evenly matched. As Roberts points out, "…in the end it came down to the men operating such machinery, and the speed with which they could adapt to the new tactics" (2013). This observation remains significant today. As war has evolved technologically, the success of military innovation still depends heavily on the human minds operating it. Human critical thinking, split-second decisions, and intuition remain vital elements in winning a war—as true during the Battle of Kursk as they are today.

Showalter also illuminates something specific about the Russian soldier's mentality that made them formidable opponents: "Russian soldiers were drawn from a society and culture where suffering pain and inflicting it were the stuff of everyday" (2013). The Germans were simply outmatched when it came to enduring and inflicting hardship. That superior resilience, combined with superior numbers, helped secure the Russian victory.

References

Glantz, D. M., & House, J. M. (2004). The Battle of Kursk. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas.

History.com. (n.d.). Battle of Kursk: Outcome and facts. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-kursk

Roberts, A. (2013, August 31). WWII's greatest battle: How Kursk changed the war. The Daily Beast.

Showalter, D. E. (2013). Armor and blood: The Battle of Kursk, the turning point of World War II.

Trueman, C. N. (2015). The Battle of Kursk. History Learning Site. Retrieved from https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/famous-battles-of-world-war-two/the-battle-of-kursk/