Marshal Georgy Zhukov and the Battle of Kursk

Introduction

It is an undeniable fact that Marshal Georgy Zhukov is the most commended and highly praised military commander of the Soviet Union, especially for his services in World War II. It was due to his relentless efforts that the German army was defeated in the East and the war was brought to an end more quickly. A good number of historians acknowledge that "the name of Marshal Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov, the distinguished military leader of World War II and a controversial figure in the postwar military and political hierarchy, conjures up a picture of an outstanding, often ruthless commander, one of a few who led massive armed forces and never lost a battle."¹

Brief Biography

Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov was born in Strelkovka (near Moscow) to a peasant family on December 1, 1896. In 1906, he finished school and was sent to Moscow to pursue a career in fur-making. During World War I, he fought for his country and was twice awarded the Cross of St. George in recognition of his services. He was subsequently promoted to non-commissioned officer, acknowledged as a brave warrior. In 1918, Zhukov joined the Red Army and was later promoted to the rank of troop commander during the 1917–1921 Russian Civil War. Afterwards, the commander became a member of the Communist Party. During periods when combat was not required, Zhukov ensured that he attended military school.

He also participated in the 1938–1939 Soviet action against the Japanese army on the Manchurian border, as well as in the war with Finland. In 1940, Zhukov was promoted to the rank of full general.² His military career is marked by a succession of battles and victories. In 1941, he succeeded Semyon Timoshenko and defended Moscow as commander of the central front. In 1942, he led the southwestern front. In 1943, he defeated the Germans at Stalingrad. He led the Soviet forces in the 1944 offensive and conducted the final assault on Germany in 1945. It was under his command that Russian forces successfully took Berlin.

As a consequence, Zhukov became commander of the German territories occupied by the Soviet Union and was given command of the Soviet ground forces in 1946. After Stalin's death, he was appointed deputy defense minister, and in 1955 he became defense minister. He subsequently fell into conflict with Nikita Khrushchev, who removed him from office in 1957. When Khrushchev himself fell in 1964, Zhukov's reputation was permitted to be restored, though he was not given any government position until his death in June 1974.³

It is widely accepted that Zhukov was perhaps the only senior Soviet commander gifted with front-line expertise, political steadfastness, and leadership abilities that enabled him to lead large formations in the most effective manner.⁴

Zhukov's Role at the Battle of Kursk

The Battle of Kursk was a "furious death grapple between two of history's most formidable fighting forces — a battle that might possibly have been the greatest of all time."⁵ After two years of deadlock, both the Soviets and the Germans sought a major confrontation that would define the balance of power on the Eastern Front. That confrontation took place near Kursk, a settlement in southern Russia. In 1943, German General Erich von Manstein had taken Kharkov, located to the south of Kursk. The German forces introduced new weapons in the battle, including the Ferdinand self-propelled artillery and the Panther tank, specifically designed to counter the Soviet T-34. The Soviet forces were able to encircle the city partly because Manstein had deliberately left an opening in his lines to draw them forward.

Colonel General Kurt Zeitzler devised the plan to destroy the encircled Soviet forces. The offensive was pushed forward by Adolf Hitler's continuous insistence, even though Heinz Guderian opposed it, believing the risks outweighed the potential gains for Germany.⁶

The attack plans could not be kept secret, as both British intelligence and the "Lucy Ring" (a Soviet spy network) learned of them. The Soviet defensive forces were under the command of Marshal Georgy Zhukov, who persuaded Josef Stalin to refrain from launching a preemptive attack, preferring instead to destroy the enemy at Kursk on Soviet terms. In preparation for defense and resistance, Zhukov mobilized three hundred thousand civilians and ordered the construction of a sequence of defensive measures including tank traps, minefields, and a variety of fortified positions. In military terms, Zhukov commanded more than ten million men, thousands of tanks, and a vast quantity of artillery, as well as more than two thousand aircraft. The Germans were likewise prepared to attack with full strength, deploying eight hundred thousand men along with thousands of tanks and aircraft.⁷

Just as Hitler served as the absolute commander of Germany's highest center of operations — a cold-blooded, authoritarian ruler — Stalin occupied the equivalent role in the Soviet Union. Both leaders are known to have closely monitored and controlled every aspect of their respective campaigns. However, Stalin trusted his generals more than Hitler did. This was a primary reason why Stalin appointed Marshal Georgy K. Zhukov as the supreme commanding officer of the Russian armed forces at Kursk. In essence, the defensive and counter-offensive strategy that the Stavka adopted was originally Zhukov's idea, making Stalin's choice of commander entirely logical. That choice proved an excellent one: Zhukov assembled a set of highly competent and skilled officers to command the Soviet forces engaged in the Battle of Kursk.

On July 4, 1943, the Battle of Kursk began. The Germans made rapid advances during the daytime, but fierce Soviet resistance gradually slowed their progress. Zhukov's role is of particular importance here, as it was his cleverly designed defensive structures that enabled the Soviets to decelerate the German advance. Notably, the pre-laid minefields arranged by Zhukov's forces were a primary reason the Germans lost momentum. Zhukov's ultimate vision was to achieve a swift and decisive breach using dominant combined-arms force to assault the Germans. The Red Army concealed the entire operation behind a massive deception effort.⁸

The Soviets, under Zhukov's command, launched their counterattack on August 3 and rapidly overtook the German forces through the effective application of Zhukov's strategy, operational planning, and tactics. Another factor in slowing the German advance was the unconventional tactic employed by Walther Model of the German 9th Army, who held back a number of tanks in reserve rather than committing his full armored strength at once. Marshal Zhukov was well aware of this German approach and ordered his soldiers to bombard German positions around midnight using artillery pieces, field guns, and Katyusha rocket launchers.

The battle continued for several days, and in the end the Soviet forces suffered greater casualties than the Germans. Nevertheless, the Battle of Kursk proved a success for the Soviets, as they managed to defeat Germany's plan of a surprise offensive. According to historians, Zhukov successfully guided his forces to a tactical victory at Kursk by recognizing the exhaustion and demoralization of the German forces, who were caught off guard without adequate reserve support.

Few battles have attracted as much historical attention as the Battle of Kursk. Hitler gave the battle the code name "Operation Zitadelle." It proved to be the last major offensive of the Wehrmacht and one of Zhukov's greatest victories. Through his commendable strategies, Zhukov undoubtedly acquired a near-legendary status as one of the greatest commanders in the history of modern warfare.

The Battle of Kursk has been called "the swan song of the German tank arm"⁹ because the Germans suffered devastating tank losses. It would not be an overstatement to say that Hitler gambled catastrophically on the Eastern Front. The operation proved an appalling failure for the Germans while delivering a great victory to the Soviets, who benefited from the exceptional officers operating under Zhukov's command.