Map from David Glantz and Jonathan House, "The Battle of Kursk." Map from David Glantz and Jonathan House, "The Battle of Kursk."You remember all those tanks the Germsns shot up in Citadelle a couple weeks ago? That von Manstein wanted to continue the assault to finally finish off the Soviet strategic reserves?
Well, the Soviets have replaced all those tank losses. First Tank and 5th Guards Tank Armies are back to full strength, and today the Soviets are unleashing them in “Operation Rumiantsev.” The Soviets open the attack with heavy artillery barrages on the fronts of three German infantry divisions north of Belgorod, and in about a day of heavy combat, the German divisions disappear as effective fighting formations. For the first time in summer, the Soviets have blown a large hole in the German lines, and pour their tank armies through it.
The German reserves have been thinned, as II SS Panzer Corps HQ and Leibstandarte have been removed to Italy, Das Reich, Totenkopf and 3rd Panzer Divisions are rescuing 6th Army along the Mius, and Grossdeutschland is in the Orel salient. The balance of the German forces from Citadelle; 6th, 7th, 11th and 19th Panzer Divisions, have not recovered their losses from the heavy fighting a few weeks ago.
But the Soviets have.