Buy used:

$9.98

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Saturday, April 2 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery Wednesday, March 30. Order within 23 hrs 57 mins

Used: Acceptable | Details

Sold by -OnTimeBooks-

Fulfilled by Amazon

Share

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Follow the Author

Mark Healy

Kursk 1943: The tide turns in the East (Campaign) Paperback – May 28, 1992

by Mark Healy (Author)

24 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Hardcover

"Please retry"

$21.45

$7.95

Paperback

"Please retry"

$7.07

$4.00

$5.59

Paperback, May 28, 1992

$9.98

$38.95

$1.25

Osprey's examination of the Kursk campaign of World War II (1939-1945). In the summer of 1943 the German army stood poised for a major offensive. The attack was aimed at the Kursk salient, which the Germans intended to isolate, trapping large numbers of Russian troops and paving the way for the decisive campaign to knock the Soviet Union out of the war. By the time of the attack, the Russians had turned the salient into a mass of defensive positions. In the following decisive clash, the Soviets bled Germany's vital Panzer forces white and finally took the initiative. The counter-offensive which followed began an advance that would end in the ruins of Berlin.

Print length

96 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Osprey Publishing
Publication date

May 28, 1992
Dimensions

7.28 x 0.27 x 9.88 inches
ISBN-10

9781855322110
ISBN-13

978-1855322110
See all details

Robert Forczyk
71
Paperback
41 offers from $9.95

James Arnold
35
Paperback
29 offers from $3.31
Robert Forczyk
35
Paperback
12 offers from $9.53
Gordon L. Rottman
24
Paperback
18 offers from $10.00
Jamie Prenatt
38
Paperback
9 offers from $10.00
Steven J. Zaloga
49
Hardcover
15 offers from $9.07
Steven J. Zaloga
164
Paperback
17 offers from $10.67

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Highly visual guides to history's greatest conflicts, detailing the command strategies, tactics, and experiences of the opposing forces throughout each campaign, and concluding with a guide to the battlefields today.

About the Author

Mark Healy was born in 1953. He has a Master's degree in Political Theology from Bristol University. He is by profession a schoolteacher and is head of the Humanities faculty at a large school in Somerset. He has written a number of Osprey titles including Elite 40 New Kingdom Egypt and Campaign 22 Qadesh 1300BC. He has a great interest in both the ancient and modern periods, is married with one son.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1855322110
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Osprey Publishing (May 28, 1992)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 96 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781855322110
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1855322110
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.28 x 0.27 x 9.88 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #722,955 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7,426 in World War II History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
24 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Mark Healy

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

5 star		68%
4 star		12%
3 star		20%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Kursk: WW2 Largest tank battle

Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2011

Verified Purchase

I bought this book for the maps, hoping to get a better visualization of the in depth lines of defenses dug in by the Soviets. In this, I was somewhat disappointed. There are three 3-D maps which help show the terrain, but with red (Soviet) and blue (German) arrows or lines representing the positions, it was not as helpful as I wished. Perhaps cut-aways would have been better, or close up drawings of a soviet defensive position showing the mines, AT guns, infantry trenches and dug in tanks.

However, the rest of the book does make up for this. There are some very nice color drawings of the Tiger tank (taken from the old Vanguard series), Panther, KV-1 tanks, infantry from both sides and even planes showing camouflage schemes used. Some of the photos are grainy, but give you a pretty good idea of what was happening. Many data tables help the reader see the sizes and numbers of troops, weapons deployed by each side.

The narrative is brief, but covers both sides reviewing the pre battle planning, execution and what went wrong for both sides. I agree completely with the author's conclusion that Kursk was not a battle lost by the Germans, but absolutely preordained by the vast Soviet quantitative and in many cases, qualitative superiority in numbers, tanks, artillery and planes.

The last chapter is almost as historical as the battle - it describes board games (that's what war gamers used before the internet and computer games). How to organize, run them, use of the telephone(!) in running multiplayer games. Published in 1993, more has since been written about this battle, indeed, it was even on the History Channel not long ago. This is a very good book on an extremely important battle of WW2. Kursk was the last offensive ever launched by the Germans against the Soviets; it was Germany's death ride from which they would retreat all the way back to Berlin.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Eugene Mcmanus

An excelent first book to read about Kursk

Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2009

Verified Purchase

Kursk was one of the major deciding battles along the Nazi Eastern Front in World War II. many books have been written about Kursk, and one who approaches the subject for the first time can get overwhelmed. This book is a great "first introduction" to the battle. It's wonderfully illustrated, has succinct but thorough discussions or the key leaders, the strategy and the size and composition of the opposing forces,and some nicely detailed maps. In the ninety pages of applicable discussion there is a wealth of photographs of both equipment and personnel of both sides. My one complaint is that the maps aren't uniformly oriented toward north: it takes a while to reorient from one map, showing Nazi force deployment to another map, showing Soviet force deployment. To make it more interesting, no orientation is shown on any of the maps: I had to spend quite a bit of time chasing down rivers and towns to try and understand what was happening where. However, that's part of the learning exercise.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

doctrains

An important part of history not often discussed here

Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2011

Verified Purchase

I started looking for a book about Kursk when the Russian submarine of that name sank in the Pacific. I knew that it must have been a great battle for them because they had named the sub after it. I don't think I had ever heard of Kursk before then. I have read a lot of history about World War II but most of my reading had been limited to battles the Americans were involved in. Then I did find one good book about Kursk and read it. It had a lot of text, and some pictures and maps, and really left an impression of the size and importance of this game-changing battle. However, this smaller book was very good for me because it had less general text and more pictures and especially maps. Not only maps of the whole front, but maps of the individual fights upon which the whole battle pivoted. This battle affected and was affected by Allied actions on the European front. It had as much impact in Minneapolis as it did in Moscow though we never emphasized it here.

Helpful

Bennett P. Lacy

Just a Very Basic Reference

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2014

Verified Purchase

As with all of my Osprey collection, this book provides a basic overview of the topic. I publish wargaming scenario books and use a number of sources in the process. I must be careful not to include vehicles that were not historically present. This book gives an overview of the armor allotment for each formation, but not in the detail necessary for my purposes. Of course that is why multiple sources are important. However, it is disappointing that the book fell short in that department. If you are looking for anything beyond a 30,000 foot overview, go elsewhere for the information.

Helpful

Stephen P. Ford

Welcome addition to my military history library

Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

As usual from Osprey Publishing this is welcome addition to my military history library.
The earlier Osprey book on the Campaign of Kursk which included the biggest tank battle of WWII and marked the decline of German panzer forces offensive operations which until then had punched through the low countries, north Africa and even well into Russia.
Well researched account with orders of battle, charts, pictures and just enough text.

Helpful

P. A. Panozzo

BEST OSPREY CAMPAIGN VOLUME! TERRIFICALLY TALENTED AUTHOR!

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2017

Verified Purchase

Mark Healy is a terrific author! This is the best Osprey campaign book I have ever read! Fine research is evident in the text, photos and artwork are superbly synchronized with each topic! I learned so much from this book! I highly recommend this volume as well as Mark Healy's book "Zitadelle"!

Helpful

Telemachus

The strategic Battle of Kursk was fought by armadas of ...

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2015

Verified Purchase

The strategic Battle of Kursk was fought by armadas of Axis and Allied tanks to determine the sway of either freedom or tyranny in the future game of human civilization. This book demonstrates accurately the struggle of infantry and armor in the fierce struggle against darkness.

Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2017

Verified Purchase

Great item and service! A+++++++++

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Eric le rouge

A serious and well written piece of work

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2013

Verified Purchase

A clear, well presented, well illustrated and well balanced account of the greatest tank battle in history. Kursk was the major engagment that opposed the declining german army to the red army. The battle stripped Germany of one of his most powerful weapons: The Panzers. Countless tanks were lost during the battle and Germany definitely lost her offensive capabilities after this battle.

I have read few books on the eastern fronts but none that was solely focusing on the battle of Kursk. The addition of maps, bird eyes views, and great photograps are definitely critical in understanding such a complex battle. The Russian's strategy was to wear down the panzers and greatly weakened their tank forces. Although the Russian lost 50% of their armour during this battle, they could afford it. The Germans not.

The author does a good job in de-mythstifying few things: Kursk was also a great infantry battle where the german divisions tried to support its panzers. The fights were very intense and Germany clearly suffered from the loss of infantry at Stalingrad. The author also clearly explains the deficiency of the Panthers due to mechanical failures. The advantages in terms of long range destructions of the Tigers and Panthers' guns are also well described.
What I think the author really succeeds is to give us a clear account of this battle where other book fails. In someways, the author manages to convey the intensity and violence of the battle. One really feels the battle was hardly fought and that both side clashed with immense destructive power. The battleground was smoked for days and sunlight from the sun struggled to go through. This is really the pinacle of total war.

The author also tells us that Kursk was a big battle for the two air fleets. At one point, the author describes a group of 50 tanks solely destructed by airplanes armed with 20/30mm underbelly canons.

However, a few negative points is the "rushed" characther of some of the campaign series. A lot of time is spent during the first third to set the background and one always feels the end is rushed. I have noticed that in countless ospreys and this is regularly pointed out by a lot of reviewers.
The other negative point is the inacuracy of some photo labels. Some are also quite out of subject but it remains a minor point.
Finally, I really got a good picture reading this book and this in a minimum of time as the book is around 90 pages. It gives you a taster of the battle and up to you to purchase a thicker volume if you are more interested. The great thing with the osprey series is that they give you plenty of visuals: Photos, maps and illustrations which really help to conceptualise the conflict.

Boppinggeo

Great Clear Concise Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 3, 2016

Verified Purchase

Superb in almost every detail, clear and concise

john potts

good read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 3, 2015

Verified Purchase

Very good very interesting

See all reviews

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

Kursk 1943: The tide turns in the East (Campaign) Paperback – May 28, 1992

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Customers who bought this item also bought

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

About the Author

Product details

About the author

Mark Healy

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries