In the summer of 1943 the German army stood poised for a major offensive. The attack was aimed at the Kursk salient, which the Germans intended to isolate, trapping large numbers of Russian troops and paving the way for the decisive campaign to knock the Soviet Union out of the war. By the time of the attack, the Russians had turned the salient into a mass of defensive positions. In the following decisive clash, the Soviets bled Germany's vital Panzer forces white and finally took the initiative. The counter-offensive which followed began an advance that would end in the ruins of Berlin.

The Origins of the Battle
The Opposing Commanders
The Opposing Armies
Opposing Plans and Preparations
The Battle of Kursk
The Aftermath
The Chronology
A Guide to Further Reading
Wargaming Kursk

Mark Healy was born in 1953. He has a Master's degree in Political Theology from Bristol University. He is by profession a schoolteacher and is head of the Humanities faculty at a large school in Somerset. He has written a number of Osprey titles including Elite 40 New Kingdom Egypt and Campaign 22 Qadesh 1300BC. He has a great interest in both the ancient and modern periods, is married with one son.