Janusz Piekalkiewicz provides an extremely thorough and incisive analysis of the build-up for this operation. The author adroitly analyzes all of the activities, relating them to the entire operation. The four-month-long preparation phase is chronicled by daily excerpts from military reports of both armies, intelligence summaries, newspapers and radio broadcasts, interspersed with the observations of the leading participants, as is the entire book. This is followed by biographical sketches of the commanders of the opposing forces. The book is introduced in a unique and very helpful manner with an overview of all aspects of the terrain, climate, and geography of the Kursk-orel area and their impact upon military operations. This vicious battle of attrition is the topic of “Operation ‘Citadel,’ ” which has been translated from the original German version. It also included the greatest tank battle of World War II. Kicking off on July 5, 1943, this operation eventually involved more than 2.2 million German and Soviet soldiers, 5,000 aircraft and 6,000 tanks.

Hitler, unwilling to face the reality that the tide of war was beginning to turn against him, hoped to regain the initiative by launching Operation “Citadel.” This was intended to cut off the Kursk salient and create a gap in the Soviet front, which could then be exploited.

Indeed, the battles of this “Unknown War” involved many ferocious clashes between forces the size of which have not been seen before or since.Īfter initially attacking the Soviet Union in June, 1941, Hitler’s forces had been steadily pushed back by the Soviets since the ignominious defeat and surrender of Von Paulus’ Sixth Army at the gates of Stalingrad in January, 1943, and Von Manstein’s brilliant counteroffensive at Kharkov in March, 1943. The cataclysmic battles between the Germans and Soviets on the Eastern Front during World War II have only recently gained the attention in the United States they deserve.

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