This is the dramatic story of Hitler's disastrous gamble on the Eastern Front. ‘Citadel’, the code name for the German attack at Kursk in 1943, was the last major offensive to be launched in the east. The greatest clash of armored forces in history, Kursk was the decisive land battle of the Second World War. The aim was to claw back the initiative after the surrender of the German 6th Army at Stalingrad. The location, chosen by Hitler, was in the heartland of the Ukraine. But forewarned of German plans, the Red Army prepared to defend the Kursk salient in massive strength and depth. Cross gives a detailed picture of the Battle of Kursk, from the intense cat-and-mouse game waged by both high commands in the agonizing months leading up to the German offensive, to the first-hand experiences of troops on the ground and airmen flying over the blazing step. At the same time he sets Operation Citadel firmly within the wider strategic context of the war in the east, and reveals how Hitler and Stalin steeled themselves to make decisions that would decide the outcome of the war and shape the peace that followed.-- From the back cover.

Originally published: Citadel. London: Michael O'Mara Books, 1993.

Crisis in the South --Dictators -- Vanishing Army -- Red Army Rising -- Tug of War -- Digging In -- Dogfight -- Prokhorovka -- Retreat to the Dnieper.