The Battle of Kursk: Why Did the German Army Not Collapse but Never Recover?

The Critical Role of Strategic Reserves

German military historian Karel aptly summarizes the turning points of the war on the Eastern Front: “Germany’s potential victory ended with Stalingrad, while its definitive defeat began with Kursk.” This interpretation nearly hits the mark.

Why, then, despite not facing a catastrophic defeat at Kursk akin to that at Stalingrad, did the German forces fail to regain their footing, ultimately leading to the collapse of the entire Eastern…