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Book Review
Zitadelle
Zitadelle, The German Offensive Against The Kursk Salient 4-17 July 1943
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by: Charles Reading [ CREADING ]

The author was kind enough to supply us a copy of this book and it is the soft cover version. The hard cover was printed in 2008. The book is 399 pages in small print font and has over a hundred period black and white photographs. The quality of the photos is surprisingly good for a soft cover version. Many of the photos are from private collections and were first printed in the original edition. There are ten pages of color plates showing primary AFV’s and aircraft that were present at the battle. Following the introduction is a chronology of the events in 1943 leading up to and covering the July battle. There are six detailed maps showing the battle as if progresses.

Table of Contents

The book is divided into seven sections:

Part One: Why Kursk?
This section is further divided into sixteen chapters explaining the lead up and all the primary players on each side.

Part Two: The Armies
Four chapters detailing the status of the two armies facing one and other .

Part Three: Chariots Of Fire-The Tanks At Kursk
Eight chapters discussing the state of the tank corps for each side, tank production, new “wonder weapons” and old workhorses and crew training and readiness. The final chapter in this section deals with tactics, terrain and weather.

Part Four: The Battle Of Kursk: 4 July-11 July1943
Twelve chapters detailing the day by day events in each Army Group

Part Five: The Battle For Prokhorovka 12-17 July : ‘Spectacle Without Profit’
Seven chapters detailing the daily events

Part Six: Conclusion
Costs and Consequences-post battle analysis

Part Seven
This section consists of five appendixes listing the ‘German Army Order Of Battle‘, ‘The Soviet Army Order Of Battle‘, ‘German and Soviet Aircraft‘, ‘German and Soviet Tank Types’ and ‘Other Weaponry’
The seven sections are followed by a bibliography and index.

Conclusions

This is a very interesting book that is very difficult to set down. This book gives much detail and insight to this significant time in history. Anyone reading it will gain a far better understanding of the people that participated and the places and events during the July 1943 battle.
SUMMARY
Highs: Well written, holds readers interest well, hard to set down once you start reading
Lows: Very small print
Verdict: If you have a remote interest in WWII history, tanks, Eastern Front or Zitadelle itself, you really should have this book in your library.
Percentage Rating
90%
  Scale: Other
  Mfg. ID: 978075245761
  Suggested Retail: $34.95 (USD)
  PUBLISHED: Apr 26, 2011
  NATIONALITY: Germany
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 87.80%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 90.00%

Our Thanks to The History Press!
This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.

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About Charles Reading (CReading)
FROM: CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

I live in the mountains north of Santa Cruz California. I have been building now since the early 1990's when I rediscovered modeling. Most of my kits are built with dioramas in mind. I took a "creative block" hiatis for a couple years - 2011 to 2013. I wasn't active in the modeling world. During tha...

Copyright ©2021 text by Charles Reading [ CREADING ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

I've had this book for two years and it is one of the few that I wanted to read a second time right after I had finished. It does a great job of clearing up a few things regarding Kursk and explaining. The one downside (in my humble opinion) is that the publisher did not allow room for endnotes. Nonetheless, it can't be beat as a good introduction into the matter, as well as inspire you to build something. The small print as mentioned was in my experience not a problem (to young eyes at least).
APR 26, 2011 - 09:29 AM
I was not expecting what I read or saw when I clicked on the link. I can see why it would be hard to put down. I will definitely be checking this one out as soon as I get a chance, thanks Charles!
APR 26, 2011 - 06:10 PM
I'm always glad to learn about good books here, as they get lost amid the chaos and noise about new kits. Operation Citadel is underestimated in importance IMO, other than as "history's greatest/largest tank battle." It was the Third Reich's last major offensive, and broke the Wehrmacht's ability to wage war on the Eastern Front. Afterwards, it was a straight line to Berlin. Stalingrad, which was obviously important, is treated as though it was the major turning point in the war. Yet Germany continued to attack afterwards. I understand that battle, but Kursk has always struck me as being a muddle like WW I battlefields: gigantic, but no coherence in the way they're explained.
APR 27, 2011 - 03:53 AM
   
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