Mauled at Stalingrad, the German army looked to regain the initiative on the Eastern Front with a huge offensive launched near the city of Kursk, 280 miles southwest of Moscow. Armed with the new Panther tank, Hitler and Field Marshal von Manstein were confident that they could inflict another crushing defeat on the Soviet Union. What they did not know is that the Soviets knew about the coming attack, and they were ready.

This book focuses on the southern front of this campaign, which featured the one of the biggest clashes of armor of the war, as over a thousand tanks clashed in the battle of Prokhorovka. It examines in detail the tactics and mistakes of the army commanders as they orchestrated one of the bloodiest battles in World War II. Using campaign maps, stunning photographs, and vivid artwork, this new study, a companion to CAM 272 Kursk 1943: The Northern Front, examines whether the German offensive was doomed from the start as it takes the reader through this titanic clash of armor.

Robert Forczyk has a Ph.D. in international relations and national security from the University of Maryland. He served eighteen years as an armor officer in the U.S. 2nd and 4th infantry divisions and as an intelligence officer in the 29th Infantry Division (Light). Forczyk is a consultant in Washington, D.C.

Graham Turner is a leading historical artist. He has illustrated Osprey titles covering a variety of subjects. Graham lives in Buckinghamshire, UK.