Third Battle of Kharkov
On the 2nd of February 1943, the German 6th Army surrendered at Stalingrad. This event freed six Soviet armies under Konstantin Rokossovsky to launch new offensives. The Red Army pushed westward from Voronezh to Rostov, recapturing Kharkov and Belgorod by mid-February. These victories caused participating units to overextend themselves across hundreds of miles. Months of continuous operations took a heavy toll on Soviet forces. Some divisions were reduced to just 1,000, 2,000 combat-effective soldiers. Stavka believed it could decide the war in southwest Russia after these gains. Yet the rapid advance left supply lines stretched thin and flanks exposed. By late February, the Voronezh Front had lost so much manpower that it could no longer assist the Southwestern Front. The Wehrmacht faced a crisis as its armored forces dwindled to fewer than 500 operational tanks along the entire front.
Field Marshal Erich von Manstein flew to Zaporizhia to meet Adolf Hitler on the 19th of February 1943. He argued against an immediate counterattack on Kharkov itself. Instead he proposed striking the overextended Soviet flank with five Panzer corps. Hitler granted him operational freedom once his own departure was confirmed. Manstein deployed fresh units including the II SS Panzer Corps and two panzer armies. The 4th Air Fleet increased daily sorties from 350 to 1,000 by February. This provided German forces strategic air superiority over the battlefield. On the 19th of February Hausser's SS Panzer Corps struck southwards to screen the 4th Panzer Army's attack. Simultaneously Army Detachment Hollidt contained continuing Soviet efforts to break through German lines. The 1st Panzer Army drove north to cut off Popov's Mobile Group using accurate intelligence on Soviet strength. By the 24th of February First Panzer Army surrounded and pocketed Popov's Mobile Group though some troops escaped north.
Between 20 and the 23rd of February the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler cut through the 6th Army's flank. They eliminated the Soviet threat to the Dnieper River while surrounding Red Army units south of the Samara River. The SS Division Das Reich advanced northeastward while Totenkopf moved parallel to it on the 22nd of February. These divisions successfully severed supply lines to Soviet spearheads. The destruction of Popov's Mobile Group created a large gap between Soviet lines. Manstein ordered his offensive toward Kharkov taking advantage of uncoordinated Soviet attempts to plug this gap. Between 1, the 5th of March the Panzer Army covered distance positioning itself only about 10 kilometers south of Kharkov. On the 6th of March the SS Division Leibstandarte made a bridgehead over the Mosh River opening the road to Kharkov. The success forced Stavka to stop Rokossovsky's offensive against German Second Army.
Early morning the 11th of March the LSSAH launched a two-prong attack into northern Kharkov. The 2nd Panzergrenadier Regiment split into columns advancing along either side of the Belgorod-Kharkov railroad. The 2nd Battalion reached the Severnyi railway yard by day's end after meeting heavy resistance. The 1st Battalion struck Alexeyevka district but was driven back out of the city by a T-34-led counterattack. A flanking attack from the rear finally allowed German forces to achieve a foothold in that area. Das Reich division attacked along the west side penetrating Zalyutino district before being stopped by an anti-tank ditch. A breakthrough element crossed the ditch on the night of 11, the 12th of March taking defenders by surprise. By the 12th of March LSSAH had reached Dzerzhinsky Square just two blocks north of the center. Joachim Peiper linked up with the 2nd Battalion and created a bridgehead crossing the Kharkiv River. Fighting continued block by block until the 15th of March when the entire city was declared back in German hands.
Between the 13th of January and the 3rd of April 1943 an estimated 210,000 Red Army soldiers participated in the Voronezh, Kharkov Offensive. At the point of contact Manstein's 350 tanks outnumbered Soviet armor almost seven to one. These German units were far better supplied with fuel than their opponents. The SS Panzer Corps lost around 44% of its fighting strength by the 17th of March including about 4,300 enlisted personnel killed or wounded. House-to-house fighting proved particularly bloody for the German SS divisions. Overall German casualties remain difficult to quantify but clues exist within SS records. The Red Army suffered over 80,000 personnel casualties during the Donets Campaign. Of these troops 45,200 were killed or missing while another 41,200 were wounded. Despite tactical superiority the Wehrmacht remained understrength after continuous operations between June 1942 and February 1943.
Following the fall of Kharkov on the 15th of March Manstein's forces drove to Belgorod taking it by the 18th of March. Muddy weather and exhaustion forced his counterstroke to end soon thereafter. Hitler chose the forehand method launching a major offensive against the protruding Kursk salient. This decision led directly to the Battle of Kursk in July 1943. Military historian Robert Citino described the operation as only a brief glimpse of victory rather than a strategic triumph. The battle created a salient that would become the focal point of summer fighting. Between April and July 1943 the Red Army rebuilt its forces preparing for renewed German attacks. Bevin Alexander called the Third Battle of Kharkov the last great victory of German arms on the eastern front. Yet the cost in manpower and equipment left Germany vulnerable to future Soviet offensives.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did the Third Battle of Kharkov end?
The Third Battle of Kharkov ended on the 15th of March 1943 when German forces declared the entire city back in their hands. Fighting continued block by block until this date after the SS Division Leibstandarte launched a two-prong attack into northern Kharkov early morning the 11th of March.
Who commanded the German counterattack during the Third Battle of Kharkov?
Field Marshal Erich von Manstein commanded the German counterattack against Soviet forces during the Third Battle of Kharkov. He flew to Zaporizhia to meet Adolf Hitler on the 19th of February 1943 and received operational freedom to deploy fresh units including the II SS Panzer Corps.
How many tanks did the Wehrmacht have at the start of the Third Battle of Kharkov?
Manstein's forces had approximately 350 tanks available at the point of contact during the Third Battle of Kharkov. This number outnumbered Soviet armor almost seven to one despite earlier reports that armored forces dwindled to fewer than 500 operational tanks along the entire front.
What were the casualty figures for the Red Army in the Third Battle of Kharkov?
The Red Army suffered over 80,000 personnel casualties during the Donets Campaign which included the Third Battle of Kharkov. Of these troops 45,200 were killed or missing while another 41,200 were wounded between the 13th of January and the 3rd of April 1943.
Why is the Third Battle of Kharkov considered significant by historians?
Bevin Alexander called the Third Battle of Kharkov the last great victory of German arms on the eastern front. Military historian Robert Citino described the operation as only a brief glimpse of victory rather than a strategic triumph due to the cost in manpower and equipment left Germany vulnerable to future Soviet offensives.