They knew this because Allied code breakers had told them. For instance, the Russians knew exactly what the German plan was, right down to the time and place of the initial attack. Yet it lacks some details essential to an understanding of the battle. The narration keeps us up to date, and the films is a mixture of combat footage, graphics, and talking heads recalling thrilling but often tragic events. Further, by this time, the Germans could hardly afford the losses, while the Russians could.

The end was a standoff, a defeat for the Germans in that they had not completed their encirclement of the Russian bulge. What followed was the most deadly mêlée imaginable, with 80,000 casualties in one battle.

By accident, the German columns found themselves rushing headlong into the T-34s that had been held in reserve, with the Russians equally surprised. The German objective was to counterattack from both the north and south in a pincer movement, cut off the bulge, and destroy the Russians. At this point in the war, the Russians had created a bulge into the German lines. The Russians superiority lay in speed and numbers.

The Russians were using their more lightly armed T-34s, the best medium tank of the war, but they were out gunned. Hitler managed to gather his new heavy Panthers and monstrous Tiger tanks and make a stand near the Russian city of Kursk. The Germans were retreating from the Russians after Stalingrad.

Kursk tank battle movie