Title: Demolishing the Myth: The Tank Battle of
Prokhorovka, Kursk, July 1943: An Operational Narrative
Author: Valeriy ZamulinISBN: 978 1 906033 89 7
Publisher: Helion and Company Ltd
Pages: 630
With the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, many documents
and unit records of Soviet operations during the Second World War became
available to scholars. Valeriy Zamulin has taken advantage of this opportunity
to draft an outstanding operational history of the Battle of Prokhorovka.
Fought on the Southern Front of the Kursk conflict between 2 and 17 July, 1943,
this Battle represented the zenith of German offensive capability on the
Eastern Front. From this point on, the Germans efforts were defensive in nature
while Russian operations transitioned onto the offensive full time.
Of note in Zamulin’s book is that it is written from the
perspective of the Soviet forces. He has taken advantage of numerous first hand
accounts ranging in level from junior soldiers to Front Commanders that
provides context and depth to the narrative. While the scope of his study is
relatively narrow (the Battle of Prokhorovka within the larger Kursk conflict);
the breadth of his operational narrative is such that it provides a clear sense
of the challenges faced by the Russian Commanders controlling the fast moving
and fluid conflict.
Zamulin’s approach to the Russian Command performance
during the battle is balanced and objective. His use of daily logs, orders,
situational reports and first-hand recollections highlight some of the
strength’s and weaknesses of Russian command and control. Specifically, the tendency
of the Russians to be extremely stratified in their decision making is
repeatedly identified. Interestingly, the pressure on senior Commanders to
perform effectively was compounded by the implied (and real) threat of
consequences should they fail. This expectation resulted in micro management
and a fear of error that permeated throughout the command structure. Zamulin refers to a scenario, as an example
of this, where Stalin himself directed that, just prior to the initiation of
the Soviet counterattack on 12 July, the senior Front Commanders spread
themselves between each individual regional HQ’s. Thus the Front Commander, his
Chief of Staff and other key commanders were physically separated while trying
to coordinate a multi-army, combined arms battle.
One of the real strengths of this book is the ability of
the author to expose the reader to both the interdependent role that the
various arms operated under and the individual challenges and success that each
arm faced. This battle revealed a growing confidence in the Russian military
leadership in their abilities and equipment. Many errors were committed and
these are discussed within the larger narrative of the battle and weaknesses
were highlighted in senior leaderships ability/experience level to coordinate
effective counterattacks using combined arms assaults. Nevertheless, it is
evident from the overall performance of the Russian command and soldiers that
morale and competency had improved dramatically.
What I particularly enjoyed about Zamulin’s book is the
way that he presents his evaluation of the battle. Thus, while he sets his
third person narrative at the operational level, in order to provide context
and depth, he seamlessly transitions to the tactical and first person. This
provides the reader with a much greater appreciation of what was going on
within the ‘heads’ of the individual commanders and soldiers. Additionally,
while this book is primarily a narrative on the Russian experience, he does make
a concerted effort to include the German perspective which adds further context
and flavour.
Another strength is Zamulin’s chronological presentation
of Prokhorovka. Therefore, despite the complexity of the battle, the reader is
easily able to follow as the battle unfolds from the German offensive from 2 –
12 July to the transition over to the Russian counter- offensive running from 12 to 17 July. Zamulin has
obviously researched the units involved in great depth. Included within the
narratives (in chart format) are breakdowns of unit strengths by vehicle type
and personnel, unit replacement rates and overall loss rates for both the
German and Russian sides.
Zamulin concludes his narrative by addressing the commonly
held beliefs of historians surrounding the Battle of Prokhorovka. Using primary
source documentation only recently made available to historians he refutes, for
example, the idea that Prokhorovka involved the largest concentration of armour
involved in a single combat operation on the Eastern Front. Additionally, he
summarizes very succinctly the strengths and weaknesses of the Russian
commanders from an experience as well as a doctrinal and quality of equipment
perspective.
Rounding off his book is a comprehensive listing of all
of the units from both sides involved in the Battle. He also provides an
in-depth bibliography of his primary and secondary sources. One observation
that I would make involves the concentration of the maps into one section of
the book. While a very small point that in no way takes away from the
narrative, it would have made tracking the battle easier for the casual reader.
This is an outstanding historical analysis of a ‘battle
within a battle’. Valeriy Zamulin’s work represents for the military
professional and the casual military historian a work of profound depth and scope.
There is something for any branch of the combat arms professions and for
operators in a joint environment. The
cost was horrific but the Russians learned many lessons from their experiences
during the Battle of Prokhorovka and they did not waste time applying them.
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