There was no other battle in the entire Second World War which produced such immense and concentrated death and destruction. When the German Ostheer unleashed the most awesome establishment of forces the fatherland had ever assembled, it did so naively. Army Group Center, and Army Group South launched the best soldiers, and equipped units Germany would ever field into a modern day Canae. The pride of Germany were thrown into the jaws of a ferocious  defending Soviet beast, of a magnitude warfare had never seen.

The Battle began on July 5th. It opened with a spectacular artillery bombardment by both sides. The Wehrmacht XLVIII Panzer Corps, recorded that in its preliminary bombardment of Soviet positions, it fired more ordnance than it had in the Polish, and French Campaigns combined. The Soviet defenses were superior in depth, and complexity to anything on the western front of World War One. No less than 7 Soviet main defensive belts were completed and saturated with protected 76.2mm antitank guns, trenches, tank traps, and millions of mines. Each of the 4,000 Soviet antitank guns was covered by mortars, heavy machine guns, and heavily armed supporting infantry. The camouflage of every single position was incredible, and German accounts gave confirmation of their invisibility, even after the enemy positions were firing. Most impressive of all was the fact that the Soviet Army in the Kursk salient actually deployed in their defense more artillery units than infantry units. It was intended that the unprecedented concentration of fire would halt the powerful panzer formations heading their way. Backing up this labyrinth of trenches, bunkers, and artillery was a massive tank counterattack force called the Steppe Front, which could only be released by the Soviet High Command known as STAVKA.

The Germans attacked with the finest tanks in the world. Tigers, Panthers, and the heavy Elefants. Despite some mechanical trouble with the new Panther D, the firepower, armor and concentration of these armored vehicles had important roles absorbing punishment. It was ultimately the skill of the German armour, infantry and artillery that enabled the units to pierce 3 Soviet defensive belts. Interestingly, the most numerous German tank in the battle was the reliable Panzer IV G, and H. This means initial German success was greatly due to the combat experience, and training of Wehrmacht and SS units entering the battle. German infantry and assault pioneers never flinched to thrust forward into a hail of fire, through minefields, and under artillery bombardment. German firepower and savy would clear countless Soviet strongpoints. Often only hand to hand and close-in fighting with flamethrowers and handgrenades could take a vital point. Mutually supporting troops, fought, bled and advanced. Tigers rolled in shrugging off multiple antitank hits and destroying enemy positions one after another. It was a fact that most German tanks were actually destroyed by mines rather than enemy fire. But the attrition was constant, and eventually withering. Infantry companies after repeated assaults were fatigued and through attrition reduced down to platoons, and then virtually to squads.The Soviet defenses were just too dense, and seemed never ending. Army Group Center alone stated it had sustained in 3 days of fighting 50,000 killed in action. By the 11th of July, most German divisions were exhausted and virtually destroyed, and the Germans were only halfway through the salient's defenses. The battle was called off by Hitler.

Now weakened and feable, the Wehrmacht retreated under the attacking Soviet Army that had virtually replaced its losses in the form of a massive Steppe Front reserve. The scale of the Reich's losses in veteran soldiers, weaponry and equipment in the Battle Of Kursk was a decisive strategic blow to that nation. It made destruction of the Third Reich a certainty. Germany took 700,000 casualties at Kursk, Soviet casualties are uncertain, but an estimate of 1,000,000 may be accurate. The Soviets had quickly replenished their forces, and applied constant and menacing pressure on the retreating Ostheer inflicting further losses and misery.  Germany could not replace its military losses. The Wehrmacht would never again be able to replace the quality forces it had squandered against the Kursk salient. The Third Reich was now incapable of defending her multiple borders.