The largest tank battles of the Second World War. The Battle of Prokhorovka: the most ambitious tank battle in history

On July 12, 1943, a grandiose tank battle took place near Prokhorovka as part of the Battle of Kursk. According to official Soviet data, 800 Soviet tanks and self-propelled guns and 700 German ones took part in it on both sides.

Since World War I, tanks have been one of the most effective weapons of war. Their first use by the British at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 ushered in a new era - with tank wedges and lightning blitzkriegs.

Battle of Cambrai (1917)

After failures using small tank formations, the British command decided to carry out an offensive using a large number of tanks. Since the tanks had previously failed to live up to expectations, many considered them useless. One British officer noted: "The infantry thinks that the tanks have not justified themselves. Even the tank crews are discouraged."

According to the British command, the upcoming offensive was supposed to begin without traditional artillery preparation. For the first time in history, tanks had to break through enemy defenses themselves.
The offensive at Cambrai was supposed to take the German command by surprise. The operation was prepared in strict secrecy. Tanks were transported to the front in the evening. The British constantly fired machine guns and mortars to drown out the roar of tank engines.

A total of 476 tanks took part in the offensive. The German divisions were defeated and suffered heavy losses. The well-fortified Hindenburg Line was penetrated to great depths. However, during the German counter-offensive, British troops were forced to retreat. Using the remaining 73 tanks, the British managed to prevent a more serious defeat.

Battle of Dubno-Lutsk-Brody (1941)

In the first days of the war, a large-scale tank battle took place in Western Ukraine. The most powerful group of the Wehrmacht - "Center" - was advancing to the north, to Minsk and further to Moscow. The not so strong Army Group South was advancing on Kyiv. But in this direction there was the most powerful group of the Red Army - the Southwestern Front.

Already on the evening of June 22, the troops of this front received orders to encircle and destroy the advancing enemy group with powerful concentric attacks from mechanized corps, and by the end of June 24 to capture the Lublin region (Poland). It sounds fantastic, but this is if you don’t know the strength of the parties: 3,128 Soviet and 728 German tanks fought in a gigantic oncoming tank battle.

The battle lasted a week: from June 23 to 30. The actions of the mechanized corps were reduced to isolated counterattacks in different directions. The German command, through competent leadership, was able to repel a counterattack and defeat the armies of the Southwestern Front. The defeat was complete: Soviet troops lost 2,648 tanks (85%), the Germans lost about 260 vehicles.

Battle of El Alamein (1942)

The Battle of El Alamein is a key episode of the Anglo-German confrontation in North Africa. The Germans sought to cut the Allies' most important strategic highway, the Suez Canal, and were eager for Middle Eastern oil, which the Axis countries needed. The main battle of the entire campaign took place at El Alamein. As part of this battle, one of the largest tank battles in World War II took place.

The Italo-German force numbered about 500 tanks, half of which were rather weak Italian tanks. The British armored units had over 1000 tanks, among which were powerful American tanks - 170 Grants and 250 Shermans.

The qualitative and quantitative superiority of the British was partly compensated by the military genius of the commander of the Italian-German troops - the famous “desert fox” Rommel.

Despite the British numerical superiority in manpower, tanks and aircraft, the British were never able to break through Rommel's defenses. The Germans even managed to counterattack, but the British superiority in numbers was so impressive that the German strike force of 90 tanks was simply destroyed in the oncoming battle.

Rommel, inferior to the enemy in armored vehicles, made extensive use of anti-tank artillery, among which were captured Soviet 76-mm guns, which had proven themselves to be excellent. Only under the pressure of the enemy’s enormous numerical superiority, having lost almost all of its equipment, did the German army begin an organized retreat.

After El Alamein, the Germans had just over 30 tanks left. The total losses of the Italo-German troops in equipment amounted to 320 tanks. The losses of the British tank forces amounted to approximately 500 vehicles, many of which were repaired and returned to service, since the battlefield was ultimately theirs.

Battle of Prokhorovka (1943)

The tank battle near Prokhorovka took place on July 12, 1943 as part of the Battle of Kursk. According to official Soviet data, 800 Soviet tanks and self-propelled guns and 700 German ones took part in it on both sides.

The Germans lost 350 units of armored vehicles, ours - 300. But the trick is that the Soviet tanks that participated in the battle were counted, and the German ones were those that were generally in the entire German group on the southern flank of the Kursk Bulge.

According to new, updated data, 311 German tanks and self-propelled guns of the 2nd SS Tank Corps took part in the tank battle near Prokhorovka against 597 Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army (commander Rotmistrov). The SS lost about 70 (22%), and the guards lost 343 (57%) armored vehicles.

Neither side managed to achieve its goals: the Germans failed to break through the Soviet defenses and gain operational space, and the Soviet troops failed to encircle the enemy group.

A government commission was created to investigate the reasons for the large losses of Soviet tanks. The commission's report called the military actions of Soviet troops near Prokhorovka "an example of an unsuccessful operation." General Rotmistrov was going to be put on trial, but by that time the general situation had developed favorably, and everything worked out.

Battle of the Golan Heights (1973)

The major tank battle after 1945 took place during the so-called Yom Kippur War. The war received this name because it began with a surprise attack by the Arabs during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur (Judgment Day).

Egypt and Syria sought to regain territory lost after the devastating defeat in the Six-Day War (1967). Egypt and Syria were helped (financially and sometimes with impressive troops) by many Islamic countries - from Morocco to Pakistan. And not only Islamic ones: distant Cuba sent 3,000 soldiers, including tank crews, to Syria.

On the Golan Heights, 180 Israeli tanks faced approximately 1,300 Syrian tanks. The heights were a critical strategic position for Israel: if Israeli defenses in the Golan were breached, Syrian troops would be in the very center of the country within hours.

For several days, two Israeli tank brigades, suffering heavy losses, defended the Golan Heights from superior enemy forces. The most fierce battles took place in the “Valley of Tears”; the Israeli brigade lost from 73 to 98 tanks out of 105. The Syrians lost about 350 tanks and 200 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.

The situation began to change radically after the reservists began to arrive. Syrian troops were stopped and then driven back to their original positions. Israeli troops launched an offensive against Damascus.

The leadership of the Ukrainian SSR at the May Day parade in Kyiv. From left to right: 1st Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine N. S. Khrushchev, Commander of the Kyiv Special Military District, Hero of the Soviet Union Colonel General M. P. Kirponos, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR M. S. Grechukha. May 1, 1941

Member of the Military Council of the Southwestern Front, Corps Commissar N. N. Vashugin. Committed suicide on June 28, 1941

Commander of the 8th Mechanized Corps, Lieutenant General D.I. Ryabyshev. Photo from 1941

Caponier with a 76.2 mm gun. Similar engineering structures were installed on the Stalin Line. Even more advanced structures were built in Western Ukraine in the Molotov Line fortification system. USSR, summer 1941

A German specialist examines a captured Soviet flamethrower tank XT-26. Western Ukraine, June 1941

German tank Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G (tactical number “721”), advancing through the territory of Western Ukraine. 1st Panzer Group Kleist, June 1941

Soviet tank T-34-76 of early series destroyed by the Germans. This vehicle was produced in 1940 and was equipped with a 76.2 mm L-11 cannon. Western Ukraine, June 1941

Vehicles of the 670th tank destroyer division during the march. Army Group South. June 1941

At the field kitchen of the 9th Mechanized Corps of the Red Army under the command of Sergeant Major V.M. Shuledimov. From left to right: foreman V. M. Shuledimov, cook V. M. Gritsenko, bread cutter D. P. Maslov, driver I. P. Levshin. Under enemy fire and bullets, the kitchen continued to operate and delivered food to the tankers in a timely manner. Southwestern Front, June 1941

Abandoned during the retreat of the T-35 from the 8th Mechanized Corps of the Red Army. Southwestern Front, June 1941

A German medium tank Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, knocked out and abandoned by its crew. Four-digit tactical number: “1013.” Army Group South, May 1942

Before the attack. The commander of the 23rd Tank Corps, Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General E. Pushkin and regimental commissar I. Belogolovikov set tasks for the units of the formation. Southwestern Front, May 1942

A column of ZiS-5 model trucks (registration number of the vehicle in the foreground is “A-6-94-70”) is carrying ammunition to the front line. Southern Front, May 1942

Heavy tank KV from the 6th Guards Tank Brigade. The commander of the vehicle, political instructor Chernov, and his crew knocked out 9 German tanks. On the KV tower there is the inscription “For the Motherland.” Southwestern Front, May 1942

Medium tank Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, knocked out by our troops. Spare track tracks, suspended at the front of the vehicle, also served to strengthen the frontal armor. Army Group South, May 1942

An improvised OP, set up under the cover of a damaged German Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.H/J tank. The symbols of the tank battalion and communications platoon are visible on the wing of the tank. Southwestern Front, May 1942

The commander of the troops of the South-Western direction, Marshal of the Soviet Union S.K. Timoshenko, is one of the main organizers of the Kharkov offensive operation of the Soviet troops in May 1942. Photo portrait 1940–1941

Commander of the German Army Group South (during the battles near Kharkov), Field Marshal von Bock

Abandoned American-made M3 medium tanks (M3 General Lee) from the 114th Tank Brigade of the Consolidated Tank Corps. The tactical numbers “136” and “147” are visible on the turrets. Southern Front, May-June 1942

Infantry support tank MK II "Matilda II", abandoned by the crew due to damage to the chassis. Tank registration number “W.D. No. T-17761", tactical - "8-P". Southwestern Front, 22nd Tank Corps, May 1942

Stalingrad "thirty-four" shot down by the enemy. A triangle and the letters “SUV” are visible on the tower. Southwestern Front, May 1942

Abandoned during the retreat was a BM-13 installation based on the STZ-5 NATI tracked high-speed tractor from the 5th Guards Rocket Artillery Regiment. The car number is “M-6-20-97”. South-Western direction, end of May 1942

Lieutenant General F.I. Golikov, who led the troops of the Bryansk Front from April to July 1942. Photo from 1942

Assembly of T-34–76 tanks at Uralvagonzavod. Judging by the technological features of the combat vehicles, the photograph was taken in April-May 1942. This modification of the "thirty-four" was first used en masse in battles as part of the tank corps of the Red Army on the Bryansk Front in the summer of 1942

The StuG III Ausf.F assault gun changes its firing position. The self-propelled gun has camouflage in the form of yellow streaks applied to the base gray paint, and a white number “274”. Army group "Weichs", motorized division "Grossdeutschland", summer 1942

The command of the 1st Grenadier Regiment of the motorized division "Gross Germany" at a field meeting. Army Group "Weichs", June-July 1942

The crew of a 152-mm ML-20 gun-howitzer, model 1937, fires at German positions. Bryansk Front, July 1942

A group of Soviet commanders monitors the situation from an OP located in one of the houses in Voronezh, July 1942

The crew of the KV heavy tank, on alert, takes their seats in their combat vehicle. Bryansk Front, June-July 1942

The new commander of the 40th Army defending Voronezh, Lieutenant General M. M. Popov at the command telegraph. On the right is the “bodist” of the guard, Corporal P. Mironova, summer 1942

The command of the 5th Tank Army before the start of hostilities. From left to right: the commander of the 11th Tank Corps, Major General A.F. Popov, the commander of the 5th Tank Army, Major General A.I. Lizyukov, the head of the Armored Directorate of the Red Army, Lieutenant General Ya. N. Fedorenko and regimental commissar E S. Usachev. Bryansk Front, July 1942

The T-34–76 tank, produced at the beginning of summer at the Krasnoye Sormovo plant No. 112, is moving to the line for attack. Bryansk Front, presumably the 25th Tank Corps, summer 1942

The Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.F2 medium tank and the StuG III Ausf.F assault gun attack Soviet positions. Voronezh region, July 1942

A BM-8-24 rocket launcher abandoned during the retreat of Soviet troops on the chassis of a T-60 tank. Similar systems were part of the guards mortar divisions of the Red Army tank corps. Voronezh Front, July 1942

The commander of Panzer Army Africa, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (right), awards the Knight's Cross to grenadier Günter Halm from the 104th Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 15th Panzer Division. North Africa, summer 1942

British military leadership in North Africa: on the left - Full General Alexander, on the right - Lieutenant General Montgomery. The photo was taken in mid-1942

British tank crews unpack armored vehicles that arrived from the United States. The picture shows a 105 mm M7 Priest self-propelled howitzer. North Africa, autumn 1942

American-made M4A1 Sherman medium tank awaiting the start of a counterattack. North Africa, 8th Army, 30th Army Corps, 10th Armored Division, 1942–1943

Field artillery of the 10th Tank Division is on the march. A Canadian-made Ford four-wheel drive tractor tows a 94 mm (25 pound) howitzer gun. North Africa, October 1942

The crew rolls a 57-mm anti-tank gun into position. This is the British version of the "six pounder". North Africa, November 2, 1942

The Scorpion minesweeper tank, created on the basis of the obsolete Matilda II tank. North Africa, 8th Army, autumn 1942

On November 4, 1942, General of the Wehrmacht Panzer Forces Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma (in the foreground) was captured by British troops. The picture shows him being taken for questioning at Montgomery's headquarters. North Africa, 8th Army, autumn 1942

A 50-mm German Pak 38 cannon left in position. For camouflage, it is covered with a special net. North Africa, November 1942

An Italian 75-mm self-propelled gun, Semovente da 75/18, abandoned during the retreat of the Axis troops. In order to increase armor protection, the self-propelled gun cabin is lined with tracks and sandbags. North Africa, November 1942

The commander of the 8th Army, General Montgomery (right), surveys the battlefield from the turret of his M3 Grant command tank. North Africa, autumn 1942

Heavy tanks MK IV "Churchill III", received by the 8th Army for testing in desert conditions. They were armed with a 57 mm cannon. North Africa, autumn 1942

Prokhorovsky direction. In the photo: Lieutenant General P. A. Rotmistrov - commander of the 5th Guards Tank Army (left) and Lieutenant General A. S. Zhadov - commander of the 5th Guards Tank Army (right). Voronezh Front, July 1943

Operational group of the 5th Guards Tank Army. Voronezh Front, Prokhorov direction, July 1943

Scout motorcyclists at the starting position for the march. Voronezh Front, forward unit of the 170th Tank Brigade of the 18th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army, July 1943

The Komsomol crew of the Guard Lieutenant I.P. Kalyuzhny studying the terrain of the upcoming offensive. In the background you can see the T-34-76 tank with the individual name “Komsomolets of Transbaikalia”. Voronezh Front, July 1943

On the march, the advanced unit of the 5th Guards Tank Army is scouts in BA-64 armored vehicles. Voronezh Front, July 1943

Self-propelled gun SU-122 in the area of the Prokhorovsky bridgehead. Most likely the artillery self-propelled gun belongs to the 1446th self-propelled artillery regiment. Voronezh Front, July 1943

Soldiers of a tank-destroying motorized unit (on Willys with anti-tank rifles and 45-mm cannons) awaiting the start of the attack. Voronezh Front, July 1943

SS "Tigers" before the attack on Prokhorovka. Army Group South, July 11, 1943

A half-track Sd.Kfz.10 with the tactical designations of the 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Division "Reich" moves past a damaged British-made Soviet tank MK IV "Churchill IV". Most likely this heavy vehicle belonged to the 36th Guards Breakthrough Tank Regiment. Army Group South, July 1943

A StuG III self-propelled gun from the 3rd SS Panzergrenadier Division "Totenkopf" knocked out by our troops. Army Group South, July 1943

German repairmen are trying to restore an overturned Pz.Kpfw.III tank from the 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Division "Reich". Army Group South, July 1943

150-mm (actually 149.7-mm) self-propelled Hummel guns from the 73rd artillery regiment of the 1st Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht at firing positions in one of the Hungarian villages. March 1945

The SwS tractor is towing an 88-mm heavy anti-tank gun Pak 43/41, which was nicknamed “Barn Gate” by German soldiers due to its clumsiness. Hungary, early 1945

Commander of the 6th SS Panzer Army Sepp Dietrich (in the center, hands in pockets) during the celebration of awarding the l/s 12 TD "Hitler Youth" with Reich awards. November 1944

Panther tanks Pz.Kpfw.V from the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" are advancing to the front line. Hungary, March 1945

Infrared 600-mm searchlight "Filin" ("Uhu"), mounted on an armored personnel carrier Sd.Kfz.251/21. Such vehicles were used in the Panther and StuG III units during night battles, including in the area of Lake Balaton in March 1945

Armored personnel carrier Sd.Kfz.251 with two night vision devices mounted on it: a night sight for firing from a 7.92 mm MG-42 machine gun, a device for night driving in front of the driver’s seat. 1945

The crew of the StuG III assault gun with the tactical number “111” loads ammunition into their combat vehicle. Hungary, 1945

Soviet specialists inspect the destroyed German heavy tank Pz.Kpfw.VI "Royal Tiger". 3rd Ukrainian Front, March 1945

German tank "Panther" Pz.Kpfw.V, hit by a sub-caliber shell. The vehicle has the tactical number "431" and its own name - "Inga". 3rd Ukrainian Front, March 1945

Tank T-34–85 on the march. Our troops are preparing to strike the enemy. 3rd Ukrainian Front, March 1945

Quite a rare photo. A fully combat-ready fighter tank Pz.IV/70(V), belonging to one of the German tank divisions, most likely an army one. A crew member of a combat vehicle poses in the foreground. Army Group South, Hungary, spring 1945

Since World War I, tanks have been one of the most effective weapons of war. Their first use by the British at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 ushered in a new era - with tank wedges and lightning blitzkriegs.

Battle of Cambrai (1917)

Battle of Dubno-Lutsk-Brody (1941)

Battle of El Alamein (1942)

The qualitative and quantitative superiority of the British was partly compensated by the military genius of the commander of the Italian-German troops - the famous “desert fox” Rommel.

Battle of Prokhorovka (1943)

Neither side managed to achieve its goals: the Germans failed to break through the Soviet defenses and gain operational space, and the Soviet troops failed to encircle the enemy group.

It is well known that the Battle of Prokhorovka was won by the Red Army, but few people know that it lasted not one, but six whole days, and the tank battle on July 12, 1943 was only its beginning. But who won it - Rotmistrov or Hausser? Soviet historiography declares an unconditional victory, while delicately keeping silent about the price that the tank crews of the 5th Guards Tank Army paid for it. German historians put forward their own arguments: by the evening of July 12, the battlefield remained with the Germans, and the ratio of losses was clearly not in favor of the Red Army. Modern Russian researchers also have their own vision of the events that took place in July 1943. Let's try to figure out who won this battle. As an evidence base, we will use the opinion of Candidate of Historical Sciences V.N. Zamulin, a former employee of the Prokhorov Field Museum and, perhaps, the most prominent specialist in the history of the Battle of Kursk.

First, you need to understand the main myth of the Soviet era - the number of tanks that directly took part in the battle. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, citing the works of Soviet military leaders, gives a figure of 1,500 tanks - 800 Soviet and 700 German. In fact, on the Soviet side, the strike group included only the 29th and 18th tank corps of the 5th Guards TA of Lieutenant General Rotmistrov with a total of 348 vehicles (2).

It is more difficult to quantify the forces of the German side. The II SS Panzer Corps included three motorized divisions. As of July 11, 1943, the motorized division “Leibstandarte CC Adolf Hitler” had 77 tanks and self-propelled guns in service. Motorized SS division "Totenkopf" - 122 and motorized SS division "Das Reich" - 95 tanks and self-propelled guns of all types. Total: 294 cars (1). The position in the center (in front of the Prokhorovka station) was occupied by the Leibstandarte, its right flank was covered by Das Reich, the left by the Totenkopf. The battle took place on a relatively small area of terrain up to 8 kilometers wide, crossed by ravines and bounded on one side by the Psel River and on the other by a railway embankment. It is necessary to take into account that most of the tanks of the “Dead Head” division solved tactical tasks of capturing the bend of the Psel River, where the infantrymen and artillerymen of the 5th Guards Army held the defense, and the tanks of the “Das Reich” division were located behind the railroad tracks. Thus, the Soviet tankers were opposed by the Leibstandarte division and an unknown number of tanks from the Totenkopf division (in the area along the river), as well as the Das Reich division on the left flank of the attackers. Therefore, indicate the exact number of tanks that participated in repelling the attack of two tank corps of the 5th Guards. TA, it is not possible.

Before the attack, on the night of July 11-12. Due to the fact that the 5th Guards. The TA changed its initial positions for the attack twice; its command, concentrating forces in the area of the Prokhorovka station, did not conduct reconnaissance - there was no time. Although the current situation urgently required it: on the eve of July 11, SS units ousted Soviet infantrymen and dug in half a kilometer from the southern outskirts of Prokhorovka. By bringing up artillery, they created a powerful line of defense overnight, strengthening themselves in all tank-dangerous directions. About three hundred guns were deployed in a 6-kilometer area, including rocket-propelled mortars and 8.8 cm FlaK 18/36 anti-aircraft guns. However, the main German “trump card” on this section of the front was the 60 tanks of the Leibstandarte division, most of which were in reserve by the morning (behind the anti-tank ditch at an altitude of 252.2).

Self-propelled guns of the SS division "Das Reich" fire at the positions of the 183rd SD in the Belenikhino area.
July 11, 1943
Source: http://militera.lib.ru/h/zamulin_vn2/s05.gif

At 5 o'clock in the morning, before the offensive of the 5th Guards. TA, the Soviet infantry tried to dislodge the SS men from their positions, but, coming under heavy German artillery fire, retreated, suffering heavy losses. At 8.30 the command was sounded: “Steel, steel, steel,” and Soviet tanks began to advance. The Soviet tank crews did not succeed in a swift attack, as it seems to many to this day. First, the tanks had to make their way through the infantry battle formations, then carefully move forward along the passages in the minefields. And only then, in full view of the Germans, did they begin to deploy into battle formations. In total, the first echelon operated 234 tanks and 19 self-propelled guns of two corps - the 29th and 18th. The nature of the terrain forced the forces to be gradually introduced into battle - in some places battalion-by-battalion, with significant time intervals (from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, which, as it turned out later, allowed the Germans to destroy them one by one). The main task for the Soviet tank crews was to capture the powerful center of the German defense - the Oktyabrsky state farm, in order to gain further opportunity for maneuver.

From the very beginning the battle became extremely fierce. Four tank brigades, three batteries of self-propelled guns, two rifle regiments and one battalion of a motorized rifle brigade rolled into the German fortified area in waves, but, encountering powerful resistance, retreated back again. Almost immediately after the start of the attack, active bombing of Soviet troops by groups of German dive bombers began. Considering that the attackers did not have air cover, this sharply worsened their situation. Soviet fighters appeared in the sky very late - only after 13.00.

Attack of the brigades of the 18th TC in the area of the village of Andreevka. July 12, 1943
Source: http://militera.lib.ru/h/zamulin_vn2/36.jpg

The first, main attack of two Soviet corps, which looked like a single attack, lasted until approximately 11.00 and ended with the 29th Tank Corps moving to the defense, although units of the 18th Tank Corps continued to try to take the state farm, outflanking it. Another part of the tanks of the 18th Corps, supporting the infantry, advanced on the right flank and fought in the villages on the river bank. The goal of this tank group was to strike at the junction between the positions of the Leibstandarte and Totenkopf divisions. On the left flank of the troops, tankmen of the 32nd Tank Brigade of the 29th Tank Corps made their way along the railway track.

Soon the attacks of the main forces of the 29th Corps resumed and continued until approximately 13.30–14.00. The tankers nevertheless drove the SS men out of Oktyabrsky, suffering colossal losses - up to 70% of their equipment and personnel.

By this time, the battle had acquired the character of separate battles with enemy anti-tank defenses. The Soviet tank crews did not have a unified command; they attacked in the indicated directions and fired at enemy tanks and artillery positions that appeared in the firing sectors of their guns.

“...There was such a roar that blood flowed from my ears. The continuous roar of engines, the clanging of metal, the roar, the explosions of shells, the wild rattle of torn iron... From point-blank shots, turrets collapsed, guns twisted, armor burst, tanks exploded. We lost the sense of time; we felt neither thirst, nor heat, nor even blows in the cramped cabin of the tank. One thought, one desire: while you are alive, beat the enemy. Our tankers, who got out of their wrecked vehicles, searched the field for enemy crews, who were also left without equipment, and beat them with pistols and grappled hand-to-hand. I remember the captain who, in some kind of frenzy, climbed onto the armor of a damaged German “Tiger” and hit the hatch with a machine gun in order to “smoke out” the Nazis from there...”(GSS G.I. Penezhko).

By noon, it became clear to the Soviet command that the counterattack plan had failed.

At this time, in the bend of the Psel River, the German division “Totenkopf”, having captured a section of the eastern bank of the river, pulled up artillery and opened fire on the strike wedge of the 18th Tank Corps, which was operating on the right flank of the advancing Soviet troops. Observing the advance of the corps and unraveling the plan of the Soviet command, the Germans launched a series of counterattacks, using compact tank groups supported by artillery, aviation and motorized infantry. Fierce oncoming battles began.

Source: http://history.dwnews.com/photo/2014-01-31/59393505-44.html

It was units of the 18th Corps that made the deepest and most massive breakthrough in the German defense zone, going to the rear of the Leibstandarte positions. The headquarters of the 2nd SS TC reported on the situation: “Large enemy forces, 2 regiments with about 40 tanks, attacked our units east of Vasilyevka, through Prelestnoye, Mikhailovka, Andreevka, then, turning south, advanced to the area north of the Komsomolets state farm.” The situation has been restored. It is obvious that the enemy intends to attack from Storozhevoy in the direction of the bend of the railway line and from the north in the direction of the Komsomolets state farm to cut off our forces that have advanced to the northeast.”

Attack of Soviet tanks and infantry in the Prokhorovka area, July 1943
Source: http://history.dwnews.com/photo/2014-01-31/59393505-49.html

Real maneuver battles of tank groups flared up after formations of the 18th and 29th Tank Corps pushed the SS men to the southwestern slopes of height 252.2. This happened around 14.00–14.30. Then groups of tanks from both Soviet corps began to break through to the west of Andreevka, to Vasilyevka, as well as to the area of height 241.6, where fierce oncoming tank battles also took place at short distances. On the left flank, separate groups of Soviet tanks broke through along the railroad, also in a southwestern direction.

“...The situation has become extremely tense,– recalled the former commander of a tank platoon of the 170th Tank Brigade, at that time Lieutenant V.P. Bryukhov. – The battle formations of the troops were mixed up, it was not possible to accurately determine the front line. The situation changed hourly, even minutely. The brigades then advanced, then stopped, then retreated back. It seemed that the battlefield was crowded not only with tanks, armored personnel carriers, guns and people, but also with shells, bombs, mines and even bullets. Their soul-chilling paths flew, intersected and intertwined into a deadly ligature. The terrible blows of armor-piercing and sub-caliber shells shook, pierced and burned through the armor, broke out huge pieces of it, leaving gaping holes in the armor, maimed and destroyed people. Tanks were burning. The explosions caused five-ton towers to break off and fly off to the side 15–20 meters. Sometimes the upper armor plates of the tower were torn off, flying high into the air. Slamming their hatches, they somersaulted in the air and fell, instilling fear and horror in the surviving tankers. Often, strong explosions caused the entire tank to fall apart, instantly turning into a pile of metal. Most of the tanks stood motionless, their guns mournfully lowered, or were on fire. Greedy flames licked the red-hot armor, sending up clouds of black smoke. Tankers who were unable to get out of the tank were burning along with them. Their inhuman cries and pleas for help shocked and clouded the mind. The lucky ones who got out of the burning tanks rolled on the ground, trying to knock the flames off their overalls. Many of them were overtaken by an enemy bullet or shell fragment, taking away their hope for life... The opponents turned out to be worthy of each other. They fought desperately, harshly, with frantic detachment. The situation was constantly changing, it was confusing, unclear and uncertain. The headquarters of corps, brigades and even battalions often did not know the position and condition of their troops ... "

By 1500, the strength of both Soviet tank corps had exhausted itself. The brigades have 10-15 vehicles left in service, and some have even less. However, the counterattack continued, as the Soviet command at all levels received orders not to stop and to continue the offensive. It was at this time that the greatest danger arose of German tank units launching a counteroffensive, which jeopardized the entire outcome of the battle. From this point on, the attacks continued mainly by infantry, supported by small groups of tanks, which, naturally, could not change the course of the battle in favor of the attackers.

Judging by reports from the front line, the fighting ended between 20.00 and 21.00. However, on the Storozhevoy farm the fighting continued even after midnight, and the Soviet troops were unable to hold it.

Scheme of combat operations in the offensive zone of the main counterattack group of the front on July 12, 1943

Year of issue : 2009-2013
A country : Canada, USA
Genre : documentary, war
Duration : 3 seasons, 24+ episodes
Translation : Professional (Single Voice)

Director : Paul Kilbeck, Hugh Hardy, Daniel Sekulich
Cast : Robin Ward, Ralph Raths, Robin Ward, Fritz Langanke, Heinz Altmann, Hans Baumann, Pavel Nikolaevich Eremin, Gerard Bazin, Avigor Kahelani, Kenneth Pollack

Description of the Series : Large-scale tank battles unfold before you in full view, in all their beauty, cruelty and lethality. In the documentary series “Great Tank Battles”, the most significant tank battles are reconstructed using advanced computer technologies and animation. Each battle will be presented from a variety of angles: you will see the battlefield from a bird's eye view, as well as in the thick of the battle, through the eyes of the participants in the battle themselves. Each issue is accompanied by a detailed story and analysis of the technical characteristics of the equipment that took part in the battle, as well as comments on the battle itself and the balance of power of the enemy. You will see a variety of technical means of combat, ranging from the Tigers used during the Second World War, which were in service with Nazi Germany, to the latest developments - thermal target guidance systems, which were successfully used during the battles in the Persian Gulf.

List of episodes
1. Battle of Easting 73: The harsh, godforsaken desert of southern Iraq is home to the most merciless sandstorms, but today we will see another storm. During the 1991 Gulf War, the US 2nd Armored Regiment was caught in a sandstorm. This was the last major battle of the 20th century.
2. The Yom Kippur War: Battle for the Golan Heights / The October War: Battle For The Golan Heights: In 1973, Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel. How did several tanks manage to hold off superior enemy forces?
3. The Battle of El Alamein: Northern Africa, 1944: About 600 tanks of the combined Italian-German army broke through the Sahara desert into Egypt. The British deployed almost 1,200 tanks to stop them. Two legendary commanders: Montgomery and Rommel fought for control of North Africa and the oil of the Middle East.
4. Ardennes operation: battle of PT-1 tanks - rush to Bastogne / The Ardennes: On September 16, 1944, German tanks entered the Ardennes forest in Belgium. The Germans attacked American units in an attempt to change the course of the war. The Americans responded with one of the most massive counterattacks in the history of their military operations.
5. Ardennes operation: battle of PT-2 tanks - attack of the German Joachim Pipers / The Ardennes: 12/16/1944 In December 1944, the most loyal and ruthless killers of the Third Reich, the Waffen-SS, carried out Hitler's last offensive in the west. This is the story of the incredible breakthrough of the Nazi Sixth Armored Army of the American line and its subsequent encirclement and defeat.
6. Operation Blockbuster - Battle of Hochwald(02/08/1945) On February 8, 1945, the Canadian Armed Forces launched an attack in the Hochwald Gorge area with the goal of giving Allied troops access to the very heart of Germany.
7. The Battle of Normandy June 6, 1944 Canadian tanks and infantry land on the Normandy coast and come under deadly fire, coming face to face with the most powerful German machines: SS armored tanks.
8. Battle of Kursk. Part 1: Northern Front / The Battle Of Kursk: Northern Front In 1943, numerous Soviet and German armies collided in the greatest and deadliest tank battle in history.
9. Battle of Kursk. Part 2: Southern Front / The Battle Of Kursk: Southern Front The battle near Kursk culminates in the Russian village of Prokhorovka on July 12, 1943. It is the story of the biggest tank battle in military history, as elite SS troops face off against Soviet defenders determined to stop them at any cost.
10. The Battle of Arrcourt September 1944. When Patton's Third Army threatened to cross the German border, Hitler, in desperation, sent hundreds of tanks into a head-on collision.
11. Battles of the First World War / Tank Battles of the Great War In 1916, Britain, hoping to break the long, bloody, hopeless situation on the Western Front, used new mobile weapons. This is the story of the first tanks and how they changed the face of the modern battlefield forever.
12. Battle of Korea / Tank Battles of Korea In 1950, the world was taken by surprise as North Korea attacked South Korea. This is the story of American tanks rushing to the aid of South Korea and the bloody battles they wage on the Korean Peninsula.
13. The Battle of France At the start of World War II, the Germans pioneered a new form of mobile armored tactics. This is the story of the Nazis' famous Blitzkrieg, where thousands of tanks broke through terrain thought to be impassable and conquered Western Europe within weeks.
14. The Six Day War: Battle for the Sinai In 1967, in response to the growing threat from its Arab neighbors, Israel launches a preemptive strike against Egypt in the Sinai. This is the story of one of the fastest and most dramatic victories in modern warfare.
15. The Battle for the Baltics By 1944, the Soviets had turned the tide of the war in the East and were driving the Nazi army back through the Baltic states. This is the story of German tank crews who continue to fight and win battles even though they cannot win the war.
16. The Battle of Stalingrad By the end of 1942, the German offensive on the Eastern Front begins to slow down, and the Soviets place their emphasis on defense in the city of Stalingrad. This is the story of one of the most dramatic battles in history, in which an entire German army was lost and the course of the war was changed forever.
17. Tank Ace: Ludwig Bauer / Tank Ace: Ludwig Bauer After the success of the Blitzkrieg, young men throughout Germany flocked to the tank corps in search of glory. This is the story of one German tankman who comes face to face with the harsh reality of tank forces. He fights in several important battles and survives World War II.
18 October War: Battle for the Sinai / The October War: Battle for the Sinai Seeking to recapture lost territory six years earlier, Egypt launches a surprise attack against Israel in October 1973. This is the story of the final Arab-Israeli war in the Sinai, where both sides achieve success, suffer stunning defeats and - most importantly - enduring peace.
19. The Battle of Tunisia By 1942, Rommel's Afrika Korps had been driven back to Tunisia and met the new American Panzer Corps in North Africa. This is the story of the final battles in North Africa by two of history's most famous tank commanders, Patton and Rommel.
20. Battle of Italy / Tank Battles of Italy In 1943, the tanks of the Royal Canadian Armored Corps made their combat debut on the European mainland. This is the story of Canadian tank crews who fight their way across the Italian Peninsula and, in an offensive breakthrough, strive to liberate Rome from Nazi occupation.
21. Battle of Sinai. Wanting to regain lost territory, Egypt launched an attack on Israel in 1973. This is the story of how the war in the Sinai ended, bringing both defeats and victories to both sides.
22. Tank battles of the Vietnam War (part 1)
23. Tank battles of the Vietnam War (part 2)