“The assault in the Kursk salient must succeed quickly and decisively!” Thus Hitler orders his generals in the operational instructions for Operation “Citadel”. But Hitler's last attempt to consolidate his wavering authority in Europe with a great summer offensive failed. What he did not anticipate at that time was that Operation “Citadel” would be directed at Red Army forces prepared for an attack. The best German divisions, which should have been held in reserve for countering a foreseeable Soviet offensive, were used up in this operation. By the end of April 1943, the German chances of success in Operation “Citadel” already were no longer favorable and dwindled rapidly with each postponement. The battle of Kursk and Orel was not only the climax of the eastern campaign but it was also the decisive battle of the Second World War: the failure of Operation “Citadel” signified the beginning of the last phase of the war, which ended with the Red Army marching into Berlin and paved the way for the rise of the Soviet Union to world power. -- From the foreword.