German forces launched a massive offensive at Kursk, in what would be their last attempt to breach the central front. Three German armies attempted to press from the Urals to Belgorod, but were halted by the strength and depth of the Soviet defense, which had achieved superiority in numbers and equipment.
On July 10, the German forces were blocked north of Kursk after advancing only five miles and losing 25,000 men, 200 tanks, and 200 aircraft. Russian forces began a counteroffensive on July 12, resulting in the greatest tank battle in history, near the village of Prokorova. The Germans alone lost 400 tanks in the battle, in which more than 3,000 tanks took part. As the fighting continued, both sides suffered horrific losses. Kursk, like Stalingrad, marked a watershed on the Russian front.
