The Battle of Kursk was one of the most pivotal campaigns of World War II and Germany's final strategic offensive on the Eastern Front. Soviet armies had recently occupied the city of Kursk and the Germans aimed to pinch off the salient and cut off its supply chain. But Commander Erich von Manstein did not anticipate the Soviet's dramatic counter offensive, resulting in one of the bloodiest encounters of the Second World War which turned the tide against Adolf Hitler.

Rupert Matthews narrates these dramatic events, outlining the strategic situation in 1943, the breakdown in Nazi chain of command and the circumstances of the Battle of Prokhorovka, one of the largest tank battles in military history.

Also included are:

• A play-by-play account of the battle, set within the context of surrounding conflict

• Profiles of key characters, including German commander Erich von Manstein who led the offensive

• Powerful photographs of the battle, as well as useful diagrams of the military manoeuvres

The Battle of Kursk is a fascinating account of a major campaign that involved more than 3 million men, 8,000 tanks, 40,000 guns and 5,500 aircraft. The Soviets suffered extreme casualties, but their eventual victory left the road to Berlin open...