Nazi Seizure Ofpower
Essay by 24 • November 29, 2010 • 658 Words (3 Pages) • 1,126 Views
The Battle of Kursk in the summer of 1943 is one of the most important battles to have taken place during the Second World War. The information there is on the battle of Kursk, is often miss interpreted as there is generally two conflicting versions of how the battle took place. There is a German one and a Russian one. This is a contributing factor into why Walter S. Dunn, JR. decided to write a book on the Battle of Kursk. He wanted to find the truth by looking at the facts and numbers.
Walter S. Dunn, JR is an independent writer and researcher. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. Walter has also published more than a dozen books on World War 2 and on colonial history and also directed museums for more than 40 years.
From the beginning Dunn explains how strategic positions of the German and the Soviet armies shifted in early 1943 following the costly German defeat at the battle of Stalingrad. In explaining these positions Dunn gives extensive detail on the capabilities that the two opposing country's have. He compares unit strengths in manpower and equipment by providing the numbers of men and equipment. Having ability to move these men and machines was also very important. In early 1943 Germany held the upper hand by still controlling the majority of Soviet railways. The exact numbers of how many divisions the Germans could move per day using the railroads is compared to the number the Soviets could move.
The book then emphasizes on the rebuilding of the German and Soviet armies, each with its own chapter. The Soviet Union's industry production numbers were overwhelmingly higher than that of Nazi Germany's. This could be seen at every level.
In the summer of 1943 German and Soviet forces were massing in southern Russia for what would become the last major German offensive on the Eastern front. The author provides in great detail the name and numbers of every German and Russian division preparing to fight at Kursk. He breaks each of those divisions down into all the different sub units that make up each of the divisions. There is also a detailed comparison in numbers of tanks and guns that each side is about to use. An entire chapter is actually dedicated to comparing the strengths and weaknesses
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