2007-09-02 20:31:50 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
It came out as a next battle after Stalingrad. The salient that formed in the area Orel-Kursk-Sumy was seem by Germans as a natural target. Soviets realized the same and were preparing extensively. Germans felt the area plains would maximize their new Tiger tank advantage, which proved to be a long-stretching assumption. By that time the USSR economy was running at full speed and the number of tanks on the Soviet side was all high. Waffen SS was also equiped with topof the line tanks, almost brand new and they were seen as the tank force that will be decisive in future battles. Their zeal and determination was matched with Tiger tanks that possessed great firepower and durability. USSR experimented with SU-mobile tank gun and engineered new defensive constuctions and of course T-34 numbers was at all high.
As you can see, it was a natural progress of the war as well as both economies abilities that fielded such great fire-powers on relatively small site which ultimately led to the greatest tank battle the mankind has seen.
2007-09-02 20:50:23 · answer #1 · answered by Lancelot 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hitler wanted to wait for the new tanks - tiger & panther. Of course these were late, so the German attack was delayed several times. The panthers were a disappointment - significant reliability problemswith the first ones - later these were fixed, and they were very good, but at Kursk were not worth the wait.
The Russians knew the attack was coming, and where - so they prepared defences in great depth, and built up large reserves in the rear. By the time it arrived they even knew the date.
2007-09-02 23:18:02 · answer #2 · answered by no_bloody_ids_available 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was Hitler's idea alone that spelled the deathride of the German panzer armies.....against the advice of his generals, most notably Guderian. Guderian pleaded to wait until the Tigers and Panthers worked out their 'track teething' problems and other mechanical issues, but in vain. The Elephant, without machine guns and close infantry support was easily taken out. The Soviets knew of the German tank build up and they prepared their defences in echelon.
2007-09-03 06:12:00 · answer #3 · answered by Its not me Its u 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On the German side-Hitler's and on the Soviet side-Stalin/Zukov plan.
2007-09-03 01:56:56 · answer #4 · answered by Opera Phantom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋