Kursk: Hitler's Gamble, 1943

by Walter S. Dunn Jr.

Overview

The battle of Kursk was the last major German offensive on the Eastern Front. The battle began well for the Germans, but the Russians delayed them long enough for reserves to come forward. Soon the defenders outnumbered the attackers, and Hitler called off the attack. The Russian victory at Kursk resulted from a massive rebuilding of the Red Army in 1943, which included new unit organizations and weapons designed to counter the German Tiger and Panther tanks. The German defeat signalled the transfer of the initiative to the Russians and demonstrated to the Western Allies that the Soviet Union could defeat the Germans without a second front. Based on recently declassified Russian information and an analysis of captured German records, this book gives a detailed description of both the German and Soviet forces involved and evaluates the quality of the units on both sides.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275957339
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/26/1997
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.56(d)
Lexile:	1570L (what's this?)

About the Author

WALTER S. DUNN, JR. had a 40-year career directing museums, including the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society and the Iowa Science Center. His books include The Soviet Economy and the Red Army, 1930-1945 (1995), Hitler's Nemesis: The Red Army (1994), and Second Front Now, 1943 (1981).

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
The Strategic Position, April 1943
Rebuilding the Red Army
The Germans Rebuild
The German Order of Battle
The Soviet Order of Battle
Soviet and German Armor
The Soviet Defense System
Breaking Through in the South
Cracking the Second Defense Line
Fighting for the Third Defense Line
Stalemate in the South
The North Shoulder
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Dunn has written extensively about World War II, and here attempts a factual account of the Battle of Kursk by comparing quantitative data from many sources rather than depending on the testimony of participants who might not have been aware of the larger situation and have motivations for certain interpretations. The German defeat signaled that the Soviet Red Army had achieved dominance on the eastern front. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews