Tank battle near Prokhorovka (took place on July 12, 1943), as an episode of the Kursk battle during the execution of the Citadel operation by the German troops. It is considered one of the largest battles in military history using armored vehicles (?). On July 10, faced with stubborn resistance in their movement to Oboyan, the Germans changed the direction of the main attack to the Prokhorovka railway station, 36 km southeast of Oboyan.
The results of this battle are still hotly debated today. The amount of equipment and the scale of the operation are questioned, which, according to the versions of some historians, were exaggerated by Soviet propaganda.
Forces of the parties
The main participants in the Tank Battle of Prokhorovka were the 5th Panzer Army, under the command of Lieutenant General Pavel Rotmistrov, and the 2nd SS Panzer Corps, commanded by SS Gruppenführer Paul Hausser.
• In the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, with reference to the works of Soviet commanders, the figure is 1500 tanks - 800 Soviet and 700 German.
According to one version, in the 18th and 29th tank corps of the 5th Panzer Army, which attacked the German positions, there were 190 T-34 medium tanks, 120 light T-70 light tanks, 18 British heavy Mk-4 "Churchill" and 20 self-propelled artillery units (ACS) - a total of 348 combat vehicles.
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• On the part of the Germans, historians give a figure of 311 tanks, although the official Soviet historiography figures a figure of 350 only destroyed enemy armored vehicles. But modern historians speak of a clear overestimation of this figure, in their opinion only about 300 tanks could take part from the German side. It was here that the Germans first used teletankettes.
Approximate data in numbers: the II SS Panzer Corps had three motorized divisions. As of July 11, 1943, the motorized division "Leibstandarte CC Adolf Hitler" had 77 tanks and self-propelled guns in service. The motorized SS division "Death's Head" had 122 and the motorized SS division "Das Reich" - 95 tanks and self-propelled guns of all types. Total: 294 cars.
From the documents that were declassified at the end of the 20th century, it can be assumed that about 1000 armored vehicles took part in the battle from two sides. This is about 670 Soviet and 330 German cars.
Not only tanks participated in this battle. Historians insist on the term armored forces, which also includes wheeled or tracked vehicles, motorcycles.
The course of the battle at Prokhorovka
July 10 - the offensive on Prokhorovka began. Thanks to the very effective support of their assault aviation, the Germans by the end of the day managed to capture an important defensive point - the Komsomolets state farm - and gain a foothold in the area of the village of Krasny Oktyabr. The next day, German troops continued to push the Russians in the vicinity of the Storozhevoe farm and surrounded the units that were defending the villages of Andreevka, Vasilyevka and Mikhailovka.
Only 2 km remained to Prokhorovka without any serious fortifications. Realizing that on July 12 Prokhorovka would be taken and the fascists would turn to Oboyan, leaving at the same time to the rear of the 1st Tank Army, front commander Nikolai Vatutin hoped only for a counterstrike from the 5th Tank Army, which could turn the tide. There was practically no time left to prepare the counterstrike. The troops had only a few hours of daylight and a short summer night to carry out the necessary regrouping and placement of artillery. Moreover, both the artillerymen and Rotmistrov's tanks were experiencing a shortage of ammunition.
Vatutin, at the last moment, decided to postpone the offensive from 10.00 to 8.30. As he believed, this should have allowed the Germans to be preempted. In fact, this decision led to fatal consequences. German troops were also preparing for the attack, scheduled for 9:00. By the morning of July 12, their tanks were in their initial positions awaiting orders. Anti-tank artillery was deployed to repel a possible counterattack.
When the tanks of Rotmistrov's army moved into battle, they came under the destructive fire of artillery and tanks from the SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" which was being prepared for battle. Already after the first minutes of the battle, dozens of Soviet medium tanks T-34 and light T-70 blazed on the field.
Only by 12.00 did our tanks manage to approach the German positions, but they were subjected to a powerful air raid by attack aircraft armed with 37-mm cannons. Soviet tankers, among whom there were many untrained and practically first-time crews, fought heroically literally to the last shell. They were forced to fight under the disastrously accurate fire of the Germans and attacks from the air, without, on their part, the proper support of aviation and artillery. They tried to close the distance, the tanks that had broken through, having shot all the ammunition, went to ram, but the miracle did not happen.
In the afternoon, German troops launched a counterattack, concentrating their main efforts north of Prokhorovka, in the Totenkopf division. There they were opposed by about 150 tanks from the Rotmistrov army and the 1st Tank Army. The Germans were able to stop mainly due to excellent anti-tank artillery.
Losses
As for the losses, the greatest damage to our troops was caused by the German artillery. The number of equipment destroyed in the battle at Prokhorovka differs greatly in different sources. Probably the most plausible and documented figures are about 160 German cars; 360 Soviet tanks and self-propelled guns.
And yet the Soviet troops were able to slow down the German offensive.
Interesting Facts
• The day of celebration of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, after whom the temple in Prokhorovka is named, falls on July 12 - the day of the legendary battle.
• The Soviet T-34 tanks participating in the battle had an advantage over all German tanks in speed and maneuverability. Because of this, the Germans regularly used captured T-34s. In the battle of Prokhorovka, eight of these tanks took part in the SS Panzer Division "Das Reich".
• Soviet tank T-34 commanded by Pyotr Skripnika was hit. The crew, having pulled out their commander, tried to hide in the crater. The tank was on fire. The Germans paid attention to him. The German tank moved towards our tankers to crush them with tracks. Then the mechanic, saving his comrades, rushed out of the saving shelter. He ran to his burning tank, and directed it at the German Tiger. Both tanks exploded.
• In Soviet times, there was a popular version that Soviet tanks were attacked by German Panthers. But according to the latest research, "Panthers" were not at all in the Prokhorov battle. And there were "Tigers" and …. "T-34", captured vehicles.