Hobby Master Archive

Beginning July 4, 1943 the German forces launched an offensive known as Operation Zitadelle (Citadel) against Soviet forces in the region of Kursk. The Germans anticipated a Soviet offensive and hoped Zitadelle would encircle large numbers of Soviet troops and equipment weakening their enemy enough to shift the balance of power in their favor. Instead of a great German success Operation Zitadelle started what became the Battle of Kursk with heavy German losses they couldn’t afford. The Soviets had received prior information about the attack and were prepared. That was the last German offensive in Eastern Europe.