Armor and Blood

June 3, 2013
Though noticeably underrepresented in histories of WWII, the colossal clashes at the battle of Kursk in 1943 proved the beginning of the end for the Wehrmacht, argues Showalter (Tannenberg) in this admirable history. The Colorado College history prof covers the battle from before the beginning and on to the end, explaining the origins and evolutions of the opposing armies in refreshingly crisp, pointed prose and sprinkling his narrative with numerous allusions to characters as diverse as Civil War generals, Napoleon, and Brer Rabbit. The presentation of the battle itself is straightforward: Showalter moves through the carnage chronologically and geographically. Throughout, he demonstrates his adeptness at interweaving discussions of big-picture strategy with interesting revelations and anecdotes: the Germans saw this as their last chance to subdue the Soviets before the latter became too powerful; some tried literally burying their tanks “up to their turrets” to avoid enemy fire; sunflowers blanketed the field of battle. Showalter does his best work by keeping his sights set firmly on the battle at the hand, while also parsing the conflict for developments that would have far-reaching consequences for the war. B&w photos and maps. Agent: Frank Weimann, Literary Group International.

June 15, 2013
Meticulous account of the July 1943 tank battle between the Red Army and the Wehrmacht, perhaps the largest such battle in history. Showalter (History/Colorado Coll., Hitler's Panzers: The Lightning Attacks that Revolutionized Warfare, 2009, etc.) goes far toward rescuing the Battle of Kursk from undeserved obscurity. In early 1943, the Germans planned a major campaign to eliminate the Soviet salient around the city of Kursk that had resulted from the Wehrmacht's retreat after the Battle of Stalingrad. Preparing to attack both sides of the salient, each several hundred miles long, required immense movements of armies, equipment and aircraft; the launch was repeatedly delayed by supply problems, changes, and quarrels between Hitler and his often skeptical generals. Tipped off months in advance of the attack, the Soviets used the time to construct vast defensive works more than 100 miles deep, a maze of minefields, anti-tank guns, strong points and artillery. German forces attacked, advanced and suffered terrible losses; they inflicted far worse losses on the Soviet defenders but never broke through. Within weeks, Red Army counterattacks recovered the lost ground. Showalter emphasizes that Kursk capped the Red Army's two years of painful education in tactics, logistics and air-to-ground cooperation. While it never matched the Wehrmacht's efficiency (nor did the other Allied armies), it functioned well enough to seize the initiative; the Battle of Kursk was Germany's last operational offensive in Russia. The author mostly describes large unit actions and command decisions, although an astute introduction and conclusion put it all into perspective. Showalter clearly knows his subject, but the avalanche of battle details, tactics and unit maneuvers will appeal to military buffs more than general readers.

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Starred review from July 1, 2013
The German defeat at Stalingrad in February 1943 shattered the myth of the invincibility of the Wehrmacht, bolstered Soviet confidence, and drained Germany of vital manpower and material. But it was not the decisive blow on the eastern front. The Wehrmacht was still a formidable force, capable of massive flanking and encircling movements, as it proved just a few weeks later in the recapture of Kharkov. But the battle of Kursk, fought in July and August l943, truly was the decisive battle in the eastern front. It was certainly the greatest tank battle in history; in terms of men and material engaged, it was probably the greatest land battle in history. Showalter effectively conveys both the savagery and the immense scope of the fighting while explaining both the strategic and tactical goals of each side in laymen's terms. When the German defeat was clear, the Wehrmacht was never again able to mount a broad offensive in the east, and the Soviets began their steady move westward. This is a masterful work that may become the definitive account.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

February 15, 2013

A professor of history at Colorado College, guest lecturer at West Point, and former president of the Society for Military History, Showalter seems well positioned to write about the crucial Battle of Kursk, which resulted in a Soviet victory that halted the German push east once and for all. History fans will want.

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