Dennis Showalter - Armor and Blood

23 Visible through binocularsCarell, Scorched Earth , p. 72.

24 The 11th Panzer Division spent July 11Nipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 301–303.

25 Guderian … had been recalledSee Guderian, Panzer Leader , p. 303, and his July 17, 1943, “Report on the Operations of Panzer-Regiment (Panther) von Lauchert,” in Jentz, Panzertruppen , vol. 2, pp. 98–99.

26 Material reason for optimismGuderian, “Operations of PanzerRegiment (Panther) von Lauchert,” p. 99; Zetterling and Frankson, Kursk 1943 , p. 123.

27 He did some serious thinkingGiven the absence of a general written plan, Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 258–263, is the clearest reconstruction of Voronezh Front’s decision-making processes at this juncture.

28 Citadel in reverseCitino, The Wehrmacht Retreats , p. 212, and the comprehensive bibliographic analysis on pp. 345–346. For strategic context and operational concept, see Glantz and House, Battle of Kursk , pp. 227–234.

29 If the Germans broke into Voronezh Front’s rear areasZamulin, Demolishing the Myth , p. 262.

30 Necessary to inform StavkaIbid., pp. 263–268; Glantz and House, Battle of Kursk , pp. 159–161.

31 Rotmistrov’s Guardsmen were the keyEnglish-language versions of Rotmistrov’s account of the meeting are in Armstrong, Red Army Tank Commanders , pp. 247–348, and Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 268–269.

32 Met with Rotmistrov’s corps commandersZamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 269–270.

33 Nearly blitzkrieg-level standardIbid., pp. 270–278.

34 Hausser’s final orders“Aufträge an die Divisionen für 10.7.1943,” in Stadler, Offensive gegen Kursk , pp. 81–82.

35 Leibstandarte’s attackNipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 254–291; Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 183–187, 192.

36 Checked by a Guards heavy tank regimentZamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 192–193.

37 Orders were to force a crossing“Auftraege an die Divisionen für 10.7.1943,” in Stadler, Offensive gegen Kursk , p. 83.

38 The weather and the RussiansNipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 263–268; Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 187–189.

39 “Bitter fighting”“18.00 Uhr. von Div. ‘Totenkopf,’” in Stadler, Offensive gegen Kursk , p. 88.

40 Holding its positions as orderedNipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 260–262.

41 Hausser reported to Hoth“19.25 Uhr. Tagesmeldung an Armee,” in Stadler, Offensive gegen Kursk , pp. 88–89.

42 Seems to have encouraged Hoth“20:30 Uhr. Tagesmeldung der Armee,” in ibid., pp. 89–90; Nipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , p. 281.

43 A five-hundred-yard mudflatNipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 292–293.

44 Leibstandarte was on its ownIbid., pp. 281–285.

45 Russian situation brightened around dawnGlantz and House, Battle of Kursk , pp. 167–168.

46 His real messageZamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 208–209.

47 Leibstandarte had to provide its own flank securityNipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 285–290; Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 214–226.

48 Prokhorovka remained just out of German reachZamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 235–241.

49 Leibstandarte blamed what it called limited success“16.40 bis 17.00 Uhr. Tagesmeldungen der Divisionen Leibstandarte” and “Auftrag des II. SS-Pz.-Korps für 12.7,” in Stadler, Offensive gegen Kursk , pp. 95, 97–98.

50 A long, hard day in the mudNipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 292–297.

51 Das Reich spent most of July 11“16.40 bis 17.00 Uhr. Tagesmeldungen der Divisionen. Das Reich” and “17.30 Uhr. Tagesmeldung an der Armee,” in Stadler, Offensive gegen Kursk , pp. 96, 97–98.

52 The Russians were explaining defeatZamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 231–234.

53 Rotmistrov’s counterattackRotmistrov’s account in his memoirs is translated in Glantz and House, Battle of Kursk , pp. 175–176.

54 Revised the details of their tactical planZamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 278–279.

1 Klotzen, nicht kleckern “Auftrag II.SS-Pz.-Korps für 12.7,” in Stadler, Offensive gegen Kursk , pp. 97–98; Nipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 314–316; Rudolf Lehmann, The Leibstandarte , vol. III, trans. Nick Olcott (Winnipeg: J. J. Fedorowicz, 1990), p. 233.

2 Three panzer divisions’ worth of shovelsLodieu, III. Pz. Korps , pp. 74–81; Healy, Zitadelle , pp. 308–309; Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 250–252.

3 Manstein … met with Hoth and KempfGeneral of Infantry Theodor Busse, “Operation Citadel Overview,” in Kursk: The German View , pp. 22–23; Raus, Panzer Operations , pp. 207–208; Manstein, Verlorene Siege , p. 500.

4 Rapid intervention of III Panzer CorpsLodieu, III. Pz. Korps , pp. 92–103; Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 252–255.

5 Citadel’s forgotten divisionsLodieu, III. Pz. Korps , pp. 87–88, 90–91, 96–100.

6 Immer bereit, still zu verbluten im feldgrauen Kleid “Ihr Musstet Marschieren,” Frank Rennicke’s tribute to Germany’s World War II infantry, is one of the signature songs of Germany’s contemporary Far Right. That does not diminish the occasionally powerful effect of its images.

7 “Asians”The “Description of Combat Operations of the 19th Panzer Division Between 5 July and 18 July 1943” is cited in Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , p. 252.

8 Rolled into OlkhovatkaLodieu, III. Pz. Korps , p. 96.

9 The commanding general … concurredManstein, Verlorene Siege , p. 500; Melvin, Manstein , p. 376.

10 According to Hoth’s chief of staffFangohr, “Fourth Panzer Army,” in Kursk: The German View , pp. 89–90.

11 Sixty-ninth Army had managedGlantz and House, Battle of Kursk , p. 163.

12 A high-risk, high-gain nighttime operationDescribed eloquently in Carell, Scorched Earth , pp. 84–86 passim, and more soberly in Franz Kurowski, Panzer Aces: Battle Stories of German Tank Commanders of WWII , trans. David Johnston (Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2004), pp. 52–54. The Russian side of the story is told in Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 402–407.

13 They mistook the Germans for RussiansZamulin, Demolishing the Myth , p. 419; Bergström, Kursk: The Air Battle , p. 79. The truck carrying the air liaison officer had broken down during the advance, breaking the division’s air–ground link as well.

14 “Where was everybody else?”“KTB. Tagesmeldung III. Panzer-korps am 12.7.1943,” National Archives, T-314, roll 197; Klink, Gesetz des Handelns , pp. 243–244; Nipe, Blood, Steel, and Myth , pp. 314–315; Lodieu, III. Pz. Korps , pp. 103–109 passim; Zamulin, Demolishing the Myth , pp. 407–426 passim; Glantz and House, Battle of Kursk , pp. 202–204.