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5 July in military history: Battle of Kursk begins, 1943

Military history · 5 July · World War II, Eastern FrontFull calendar

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Map marking the battle site: Kursk, western Russia, at the center of the Soviet salient
Location: Kursk, western Russia, at the center of the Soviet salient. Location map: © Echoes of Battle (data: Natural Earth, public domain)
Quick answer

On 5 July 1943 the German army opened Operation Citadel, a pincer attack from north and south on the Soviet-held bulge around Kursk. The Red Army knew it was coming and waited behind deep belts of trenches and minefields; within a week the northern attack had stalled. On 5 July 1814 an American army defeated the British at Chippawa.

Battle of Kursk

5 July 1943 · 83 years ago

The Soviet Union won the Battle of Kursk in July and August 1943, absorbing and then throwing back Germany's last great offensive in the east, Operation Citadel.

Read the full story of Battle of Kursk ›

Battle of Chippawa, 1814: "Those are regulars, by God!"

5 July 1814 · 212 years ago

On the Chippawa river near Niagara Falls, an American army invading Upper Canada fought British troops under Phineas Riall in the War of 1812. The Americans held firm and won, showing that trained US regulars could match the British, though the strategic situation hardly changed.

Read the full story of Battle of Chippawa, 1814: "Those are regulars, by God!" ›

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 5 July 1943?

Germany began Operation Citadel, a pincer attack from north and south on the Soviet-held bulge around Kursk. The Red Army, which knew the attack was coming, met it with deep belts of trenches and minefields.

Did the Soviets know the attack was coming?

Yes. The Russian Presidential Library and German officers writing for the US Army in 1950 both say the Red Army knew the date and hour. Soviet guns shelled the German assembly areas before the attack began.

When did Hitler call off Operation Citadel?

He decided on 13 July 1943 to stop the offensive, after the northern attack had stalled and the Red Army had struck at the Orel salient. In the south the fighting went on for a few more days.

When did the Battle of Kursk end?

The Russian Presidential Library counts the battle as fifty days, ending with the recapture of Kharkov on 23 August 1943, after the Soviet counteroffensives at Orel and at Belgorod and Kharkov.

What happened at Chippawa on 5 July 1814?

An American army under Major General Jacob Brown defeated a British and Canadian force under Major General Phineas Riall near Niagara Falls, during the War of 1812.

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