Largest tank battle in history begins at Kursk, Russia during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 5 1943)


Video: '202 - Kursk, When Titans Clash - July 9, 1943' (July 5, 1943, at 7:21)

(Monday, July 5, 1943, 5:00 a.m. Moscow Standard Time; during the Battle of Kursk on the Eastern Front of World War II) — The Battle of Kursk, a major World War II Eastern Front large-scale engagement between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in southwestern Russia, began early today as the Germans launched Operation Citadel, an offensive which had the objective of pinching off the Kursk salient with attacks on the base of the salient from north and south simultaneously.


Video: 'Troop Deployments for the Battle of Kursk - WW2 Special'

Ultimately, it would become the largest tank battle in history.

Video: 'The World at War: Red Star: The Soviet Union - 1941-1943 (11 of 26)' (Battle of Kursk at 40:10)

The two sides between them had two million men, 6, 000 tanks and 5,000 planes.


Video: 'Battlefield S4/E1 - The Battle of Kursk'

The Soviets had an advantage in all categories but a huge one in artillery.