Perhaps it is not an exaggeration to say that the tank battles of World War II are one of its most important images. How are trenches an image of the First World War or nuclear missiles of the post-war confrontation between the socialist and capitalist camps. Actually, this is not surprising, since the tank battles of World War II largely determined its character and course.
Not the least of the credit for this belongs to one of the main ideologists and theorists of motorized warfare, German General Heinz Guderian. He largely owned the initiatives of the most powerful attacks with a single fist of troops, thanks to which the Nazi forces achieved such dizzying successes on the European and African continents for more than two years. Tank battles of the Second World War especially produced brilliant results in its first stage, defeating morally outdated Polish equipment in record time. It was Guderian's divisions that ensured the breakthrough of the German armies near Sedan and the successful occupation of French and Belgian territories. Only the so-called “Dunker miracle” saved the remnants of the French and British armies from total defeat, allowing them to reorganize later and initially protect England in the sky and prevent the Nazis from concentrating absolutely all their military power in the east. Let's take a little closer look at the three largest tank battles of this entire massacre.
Prokhorovka, tank battle
Tank battles of World War II: the Battle of Senno
This episode occurred at the very beginning of the German invasion of the USSR and became integral part Vitebsk battle. After the capture of Minsk, German units advanced to the confluence of the Dnieper and Dvina, intending to launch an attack on Moscow from there. From the outside Soviet state Two combat vehicles totaling more than 900 took part in the battle. The Wehrmacht had at its disposal three divisions and about a thousand serviceable tanks, supported by aviation. As a result of the battle on July 6-10, 1941, Soviet forces lost more than eight hundred of their combat units, which opened up the opportunity for the enemy to continue their advance without changing plans and launch an offensive towards Moscow.
The largest tank battle in history
In fact, the biggest battle took place even earlier! Already in the first days of the Nazi invasion (June 23-30, 1941), there was a clash between the cities of Brody - Lutsk - Dubno, in Western Ukraine, involving more than 3,200 tanks. In addition, the number of combat vehicles here was three times greater than at Prokhorovka, and the battle lasted not just one day, but a whole week! As a result of the battle, the Soviet corps were literally crushed, the armies of the Southwestern Front suffered a quick and crushing defeat, which opened the way for the enemy to Kyiv, Kharkov and the further occupation of Ukraine.
70 years ago: the largest tank battle of the Great Patriotic War July 2nd, 2011
Usually in the USSR the biggest tank battle of the war was called the oncoming one. battle near Prokhorovka during the Battle of Kursk (July 1943). But 826 Soviet vehicles fought there against 416 German ones (although a little less took part in the battle itself on both sides). But two years earlier, from June 24 to June 30, 1941, between the cities Lutsk, Dubno and Brody The battle took place on a much more grandiose scale: 5 Soviet mechanized corps (about 2,500 tanks) stood in the way of the III German Tank Group (more than 800 tanks).
The Soviet corps received orders to attack the advancing enemy and tried to fight head-on. But our command did not have a unified plan, and tank formations struck at the advancing Germans one by one. The old light tanks were not scary for the enemy, but the new tanks of the Red Army (T-34, T-35 and KV) turned out to be stronger than the German ones, so the Nazis began to evade battle with them, withdraw their vehicles, put their infantry in the way of the Soviet mechanized corps and anti-tank artillery.
(Photos taken from site
waralbum.ru - there are many pictures taken by all the warring parties
Stalin's generals with their divisions under the influence of "" (where it was ordered to "capture the Lublin region", that is, to invade Poland) rushed forward, lost supply lines, and then our tankers had to abandon completely intact tanks along the roads, left without fuel and ammunition. The Germans looked at them with surprise - especially powerful vehicles with strong armor and several turrets.
The terrible massacre ended on July 2, when the Soviet units surrounded near Dubno broke through to their front, retreating in the direction of Kyiv.
On June 25, the 9th and 19th mechanized corps of generals Rokossovsky (his memories of those days) and Feklenko dealt such a powerful blow to the invaders that they drove them back Smooth, to which the German tankers were already only a few kilometers away. On June 27, an equally powerful blow to the area Dubno was inflicted by the tank division of Commissar Popel (his memories).
Trying to surround the enemy who had broken through, Soviet formations kept running into anti-tank defenses put up by the enemy on the flanks. During the assault on these lines, up to half of the tanks perished in one day, as happened on June 24 under Lutsk and June 25 under Radekhov.
There were almost no Soviet fighters in the air: they died on the first day of the war (many at airfields). German pilots felt like “kings of the air.” General Ryabyshev's 8th mechanized corps, hurrying to the front, lost half of its tanks during a 500-kilometer march from enemy air strikes (Ryabyshev's emars).
The Soviet infantry could not keep up with their tanks, while the German infantry was much more mobile - it moved on trucks and motorcycles. There was a case when the tank units of the 15th mechanized corps of General Carpezo were outflanked and almost immobilized by enemy infantry.
On June 28, the Germans finally broke into Smooth. June 29 Soviet troops were surrounded by Dubno(On July 2, they were still able to escape from the encirclement). On June 30, the Nazis occupied Brody. The general retreat of the Southwestern Front began, and Soviet troops left Lvov, to avoid being surrounded.
During the days of fighting, more than 2,000 tanks were lost on the Soviet side, and either “about 200” or “more than 300” on the German side. But the Germans took their tanks, took them to the rear and tried to repair them. The Red Army was losing its armored vehicles forever. Moreover, the Germans later repainted some tanks, painted crosses on them and put their armored units into service.
On July 12, 1943, a grandiose tank battle took place near Prokhorovka as part of the Battle of Kursk. According to official Soviet data, 800 Soviet tanks and self-propelled guns and 700 German ones took part in it on both sides.
Since World War I, tanks have been one of the most effective weapons of war. Their first use by the British at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 ushered in a new era - with tank wedges and lightning-fast blitzkriegs.
Battle of Cambrai (1917)
After failures using small tank formations, the British command decided to launch an offensive using large number tanks. Since the tanks had previously failed to live up to expectations, many considered them useless. One British officer noted: "The infantry thinks that the tanks have not justified themselves. Even the tank crews are discouraged."
According to the British command, the upcoming offensive was supposed to begin without traditional artillery preparation. For the first time in history, tanks had to break through enemy defenses themselves.
The offensive at Cambrai was supposed to take the German command by surprise. The operation was prepared in strict secrecy. Tanks were transported to the front in evening time. The British constantly fired machine guns and mortars to drown out the roar of tank engines.
A total of 476 tanks took part in the offensive. The German divisions were defeated and suffered heavy losses. The well-fortified Hindenburg Line was penetrated to great depths. However, during German counter-offensive British troops were forced to retreat. Using the remaining 73 tanks, the British managed to prevent a more serious defeat.
Battle of Dubno-Lutsk-Brody (1941)
In the first days of the war, a large-scale tank battle took place in Western Ukraine. The most powerful group of the Wehrmacht - "Center" - was advancing to the north, to Minsk and further to Moscow. The not so strong Army Group South was advancing on Kyiv. But in this direction there was the most powerful group of the Red Army - the Southwestern Front.
Already on the evening of June 22, the troops of this front received orders to encircle and destroy the advancing enemy group with powerful concentric attacks from mechanized corps, and by the end of June 24 to capture the Lublin region (Poland). It sounds fantastic, but this is if you don’t know the strength of the parties: 3,128 Soviet and 728 German tanks fought in a gigantic oncoming tank battle.
The battle lasted a week: from June 23 to June 30. The actions of the mechanized corps were reduced to isolated counterattacks in different directions. The German command, through competent leadership, was able to repel a counterattack and defeat the armies of the Southwestern Front. The defeat was complete: Soviet troops lost 2,648 tanks (85%), the Germans lost about 260 vehicles.
Battle of El Alamein (1942)
The Battle of El Alamein is a key episode of the Anglo-German confrontation in North Africa. The Germans sought to cut the Allies' most important strategic highway, the Suez Canal, and were eager for Middle Eastern oil, which the Axis countries needed. The main battle of the entire campaign took place at El Alamein. As part of this battle, one of the largest tank battles in World War II took place.
The Italo-German force numbered about 500 tanks, half of which were rather weak Italian tanks. The British armored units had over 1000 tanks, among which were powerful American tanks - 170 Grants and 250 Shermans.
The qualitative and quantitative superiority of the British was partly compensated by the military genius of the commander of the Italian-German troops - the famous “desert fox” Rommel.
Despite the British numerical superiority in manpower, tanks and aircraft, the British were never able to break through Rommel's defenses. The Germans even managed to counterattack, but the British superiority in numbers was so impressive that the German strike force of 90 tanks was simply destroyed in the oncoming battle.
Rommel, inferior to the enemy in armored vehicles, made extensive use of anti-tank artillery, among which were captured Soviet 76-mm guns, which had proven themselves to be excellent. Only under the pressure of the enemy’s enormous numerical superiority, having lost almost all of its equipment, did the German army begin an organized retreat.
After El Alamein, the Germans had just over 30 tanks left. The total losses of the Italo-German troops in equipment amounted to 320 tanks. The losses of the British tank forces amounted to approximately 500 vehicles, many of which were repaired and returned to service, since the battlefield was ultimately left to them.
Battle of Prokhorovka (1943)
The tank battle near Prokhorovka took place on July 12, 1943 as part of the Battle of Kursk. According to official Soviet data, 800 Soviet tanks and self-propelled guns and 700 German ones took part in it on both sides.
The Germans lost 350 units of armored vehicles, ours - 300. But the trick is that the Soviet tanks that took part in the battle were counted, and the German ones were those that were generally in the entire German group on the southern flank of the Kursk Bulge.
According to new, updated data, 311 German tanks and self-propelled guns of the 2nd SS Tank Corps took part in the tank battle near Prokhorovka against 597 Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army (commander Rotmistrov). The SS lost about 70 (22%), and the guards lost 343 (57%) armored vehicles.
Neither side managed to achieve its goals: the Germans failed to break through the Soviet defenses and gain operational space, and the Soviet troops failed to encircle the enemy group.
A government commission was created to investigate the reasons for the large losses of Soviet tanks. The commission's report called the military actions of Soviet troops near Prokhorovka "an example of an unsuccessful operation." General Rotmistrov was going to be put on trial, but by that time the general situation had developed favorably, and everything worked out.
Battle of the Golan Heights (1973)
The major tank battle after 1945 took place during the so-called Yom Kippur War. The war received this name because it began with a surprise attack by the Arabs during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur (Judgment Day).
Egypt and Syria sought to regain territory lost after the devastating defeat in the Six-Day War (1967). Egypt and Syria were helped (financially and sometimes with impressive troops) by many Islamic countries - from Morocco to Pakistan. And not only Islamic ones: distant Cuba sent 3,000 soldiers, including tank crews, to Syria.
On the Golan Heights, 180 Israeli tanks faced approximately 1,300 Syrian tanks. The heights were a critical strategic position for Israel: if Israeli defenses in the Golan were breached, Syrian troops would be in the very center of the country within hours.
For several days, two Israeli tank brigades, suffering heavy losses, defended the Golan Heights from superior enemy forces. The most fierce battles took place in the “Valley of Tears”; the Israeli brigade lost from 73 to 98 tanks out of 105. The Syrians lost about 350 tanks and 200 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.
The situation began to change radically after the reservists began to arrive. Syrian troops were stopped and then driven back to their original positions. Israeli troops launched an offensive against Damascus.
They are one of the most effective weapons of war. Their first use by the British at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 ushered in a new era - with tank wedges and lightning-fast blitzkriegs.
Battle of Cambrai (1917)
After failures using small tank formations, the British command decided to carry out an offensive using a large number of tanks. Since the tanks had previously failed to live up to expectations, many considered them useless. One British officer noted: "The infantry thinks that the tanks have not justified themselves. Even the tank crews are discouraged." According to the British command, the upcoming offensive was supposed to begin without traditional artillery preparation.
For the first time in history, tanks had to break through enemy defenses themselves. The offensive at Cambrai was supposed to take the German command by surprise. The operation was prepared in strict secrecy. Tanks were transported to the front in the evening. The British constantly fired machine guns and mortars to drown out the roar of tank engines. A total of 476 tanks took part in the offensive. The German divisions were defeated and suffered heavy losses. The well-fortified Hindenburg Line was penetrated to great depths. However, during the German counter-offensive, British troops were forced to retreat. Using the remaining 73 tanks, the British managed to prevent a more serious defeat.
Battle of Dubno-Lutsk-Brody (1941)
In the first days of the war, a large-scale tank battle took place in Western Ukraine. The most powerful group of the Wehrmacht - "Center" - was advancing to the north, to Minsk and further to Moscow. The not so strong Army Group South was advancing on Kyiv. But in this direction there was the most powerful group of the Red Army - the Southwestern Front. Already on the evening of June 22, the troops of this front received orders to encircle and destroy the advancing enemy group with powerful concentric attacks from mechanized corps, and by the end of June 24 to capture the Lublin region (Poland). It sounds fantastic, but this is if you don’t know the strength of the parties: 3,128 Soviet and 728 German tanks fought in a gigantic oncoming tank battle. The battle lasted a week: from June 23 to June 30. The actions of the mechanized corps were reduced to isolated counterattacks in different directions. The German command, through competent leadership, was able to repel a counterattack and defeat the armies of the Southwestern Front. The defeat was complete: Soviet troops lost 2,648 tanks (85%), the Germans lost about 260 vehicles.
Battle of El Alamein (1942)
The Battle of El Alamein is a key episode of the Anglo-German confrontation in North Africa. The Germans sought to cut the Allies' most important strategic highway, the Suez Canal, and were eager for Middle Eastern oil, which the Axis countries needed. The main battle of the entire campaign took place at El Alamein.
As part of this battle, one of the largest tank battles in World War II took place. The Italo-German force numbered about 500 tanks, half of which were rather weak Italian tanks. The British armored units had over 1000 tanks, among which were powerful American tanks - 170 Grants and 250 Shermans. The qualitative and quantitative superiority of the British was partly compensated by the military genius of the commander of the Italian-German troops - the famous “desert fox” Rommel.
Despite the British numerical superiority in manpower, tanks and aircraft, the British were never able to break through Rommel's defenses. The Germans even managed to counterattack, but the British superiority in numbers was so impressive that the German strike force of 90 tanks was simply destroyed in the oncoming battle. Rommel, inferior to the enemy in armored vehicles, made extensive use of anti-tank artillery, among which were captured Soviet 76-mm guns, which had proven themselves to be excellent.
Only under the pressure of the enemy’s enormous numerical superiority, having lost almost all of its equipment, did the German army begin an organized retreat. After El Alamein, the Germans had just over 30 tanks left. The total losses of the Italo-German troops in equipment amounted to 320 tanks. The losses of the British tank forces amounted to approximately 500 vehicles, many of which were repaired and returned to service, since the battlefield was ultimately left to them.
Battle of Prokhorovka (1943)
The tank battle near Prokhorovka took place on July 12, 1943 as part of the Battle of Kursk. According to official Soviet data, 800 Soviet tanks and self-propelled guns and 700 German ones took part in it on both sides. The Germans lost 350 units of armored vehicles, ours - 300. But the trick is that the Soviet tanks that took part in the battle were counted, and the German ones were those that were generally in the entire German group on the southern flank of the Kursk Bulge. According to new, updated data, 311 German tanks and self-propelled guns of the 2nd SS Tank Corps took part in the tank battle near Prokhorovka against 597 Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army (commander Rotmistrov). The SS lost about 70 (22%), and the guards lost 343 (57%) armored vehicles. Neither side managed to achieve its goals: the Germans failed to break through the Soviet defenses and gain operational space, and the Soviet troops failed to encircle the enemy group. A government commission was created to investigate the reasons for the large losses of Soviet tanks. The commission's report called the military actions of Soviet troops near Prokhorovka "an example of an unsuccessful operation." General Rotmistrov was going to be put on trial, but by that time the general situation had developed favorably, and everything worked out.
Battle of the Golan Heights (1973)
The major tank battle after 1945 took place during the so-called Yom Kippur War. The war received this name because it began with a surprise attack by the Arabs during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur (Judgment Day). Egypt and Syria sought to regain territory lost after the devastating defeat in the Six-Day War (1967). Egypt and Syria were helped (financially and sometimes with impressive troops) by many Islamic countries - from Morocco to Pakistan.
And not only Islamic ones: distant Cuba sent 3,000 soldiers, including tank crews, to Syria. On the Golan Heights, 180 Israeli tanks faced approximately 1,300 Syrian tanks. The heights were a critical strategic position for Israel: if Israeli defenses in the Golan were breached, Syrian troops would be in the very center of the country within hours. For several days, two Israeli tank brigades, suffering heavy losses, defended the Golan Heights from superior enemy forces. The most fierce battles took place in the “Valley of Tears”; the Israeli brigade lost from 73 to 98 tanks out of 105. The Syrians lost about 350 tanks and 200 and. The situation began to change radically after the reservists began to arrive. Syrian troops were stopped and then driven back to their original positions. Israeli troops launched an offensive against Damascus.
Ever since the first armored vehicles began their march across the twisted battlefields of World War I, tanks have been an integral part of land warfare. A lot has happened over the years tank battles, and some of them were of great importance for history. Here are 10 battles you need to know about.
Battles in chronological order.
1. Battle of Cambrai (1917)
Occurring in late 1917, this battle on the Western Front was the first major tank battle in military history and it was there that combined arms forces were first seriously engaged on a large scale, marking a true turning point in military history. As historian Hugh Strachan notes, "The biggest intellectual shift in the war between 1914 and 1918 was that combined arms battles were centered around the capabilities of guns rather than infantry forces." And by "combined arms", Strachan means coordinated use various types artillery, infantry, aviation, and, of course, tanks.
On November 20, 1917, the British attacked Cambrai with 476 tanks, 378 of which were battle tanks. The frightened Germans were taken by surprise, as the offensive instantly advanced several kilometers in depth along the entire front. This was an unprecedented breakthrough of the enemy's defense. The Germans eventually recovered with a counterattack, but this armored offensive demonstrated the incredible potential of mobile, armored warfare - a method that would only come into active use a year later during the final assault on Germany.
2. Battle of the Khalkhin Gol River (1939)
This was the first major tank battle during World War II, where the Soviet Red Army clashed with the Japanese imperial army at its border. During the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945, Japan claimed Khalkhin Gol as the border between Mongolia and Manchukuo (the Japanese name for occupied Manchuria), while the USSR insisted on the border lying further east at Nomon Khan (namely Therefore, this conflict is sometimes called the Nomon Khan Incident). Hostilities began in May 1939, when Soviet troops occupied the disputed territory.
After the initial success of the Japanese, the USSR assembled an army of 58,000 thousand people, almost 500 tanks and about 250 aircraft. On the morning of August 20, General Georgy Zhukov launched a surprise attack after simulating preparations for a defensive position. During this harsh day, the heat became unbearable, reaching 40 degrees Celsius, causing machine guns and cannons to melt. Soviet T-26 tanks (predecessors of the T-34) were superior to the outdated Japanese tanks, whose guns lacked armor-piercing ability. But the Japanese fought hard, for example there was a very dramatic moment when Lieutenant Sadakai attacked a tank with his samurai sword until he was killed.
The subsequent Russian offensive completely destroyed General Komatsubara's forces. Japan suffered 61,000 casualties, in contrast to the Red Army's 7,974 killed and 15,251 wounded. This battle marked the beginning of Zhukov's glorious military career and also demonstrated the importance of deception, technical and numerical superiority in tank warfare.
3. Battle of Arras (1940)
This battle should not be confused with the Battle of Arras in 1917, this battle was during World War II where the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fought against the German Blitzkrieg and gradually the fighting moved up the coast of France.
On 20 May 1940, Viscount Gort, commander of the BEF, launched a counterattack against the Germans, under code name Frankforce. It was attended by two infantry battalions numbering 2,000 people - and a total of 74 tanks. The BBC describes what happened next:
“The infantry battalions were divided into two columns for the attack, which took place on May 21. The right column initially advanced successfully, capturing a number of German soldiers, but they soon encountered German infantry and SS, supported by air forces, and suffered heavy casualties.
The left column also advanced successfully until it clashed with the infantry unit of General Erwin Rommel's 7th Panzer Division.
French cover that night allowed the British troops to withdraw to their previous positions. Operation Frankforce was completed, and the next day the Germans regrouped and continued their advance.
During Frankforce, about 400 Germans were captured, both sides suffered approximately equal losses, and a number of tanks were also destroyed. The operation outdid itself - the attack was so brutal that the 7th Panzer Division believed it had been attacked by five infantry divisions."
Interestingly, some historians believe that this ferocious counter-attack convinced the German generals to call a respite on 24 May - a short break from the Blitzkrieg that bought the BEF some extra time to evacuate its troops during the "Miracle of Dunkirk".
4. Battle of Brody (1941)
Until the Battle of Kursk in 1943, it was the largest tank battle of World War II and the greatest in history up to that point. It happened in the early days of Operation Barbarossa, when German troops advanced rapidly (and relatively easily) along Eastern Front. But in the triangle formed by the cities of Dubno, Lutsk and Brody, a clash arose in which 800 non-military tanks opposed 3,500 Russian tanks.
The battle lasted four grueling days, and ended on June 30, 1941 with a resounding German victory and a difficult retreat of the Red Army. It was during the Battle of Brody that the Germans first seriously clashed with Russian T-34 tanks, which were practically immune to German weapons. But thanks to a series of Luftwaffe air attacks (which knocked out 201 Soviet tanks) and tactical maneuvering, the Germans won. Moreover, it is estimated that 50% of Soviet armor losses (~2,600 tanks) were due to logistical deficiencies, ammunition shortages, and technical problems. In total, the Red Army lost 800 tanks in that battle, and this is a large number compared to 200 tanks from the Germans.
5. Second Battle of El Alamein (1942)
The battle marked a turning point in the North African campaign and was the only major tank battle to be won by British forces without direct American participation. But the American presence was certainly felt in the form of 300 Sherman tanks (the British had a total of 547 tanks) rushed to Egypt from the United States.
The battle, which began on October 23 and ended in November 1942, pitted the meticulous and patient General Bernard Montgomery against Erwin Rommel, the cunning Desert Fox. Unfortunately for the Germans, however, Rommel was very ill, and was forced to leave for a German hospital before the battle began to unfold. In addition, his temporary deputy, General Georg von Stumme, died of a heart attack during the battle. The Germans also suffered from supply problems, especially fuel shortages. Which ultimately led to disaster.
Montgomery's restructured Eighth Army launched a double attack. The first stage, Operation Lightfoot, consisted of a heavy artillery bombardment followed by an infantry attack. During the second stage, the infantry cleared the way for the armored divisions. Rommel, who returned to duty, was in despair, he realized that everything was lost, and telegraphed Hitler about this. Both the British and German armies lost around 500 tanks, but the Allied forces were unable to take the initiative after the victory, giving the Germans enough time to retreat.
But victory was obvious, prompting Winston Churchill to declare: “This is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning.”
6. Battle of Kursk (1943)
After the defeat at Stalingrad, and the emerging counter-offensive of the Red Army on all fronts, the Germans decided to make a bold, if not reckless, offensive at Kursk, in the hope of regaining their positions. As a result, the Battle of Kursk is today considered the largest and longest heavy armored battle of the war, and one of the largest single armored engagements.
Although no one can say exact numbers, Soviet tanks initially outnumbered German ones by two to one. According to some estimates, initially about 3,000 Soviet tanks and 2,000 German tanks clashed on the Kursk Bulge. In the event of negative developments, the Red Army was ready to throw another 5,000 tanks into battle. And although the Germans caught up with the Red Army in the number of tanks, this could not ensure their victory.
One German tank commander managed to destroy 22 Soviet tanks within an hour, but besides the tanks were Russian soldiers who approached enemy tanks with “suicidal courage,” getting close enough to throw a mine under the tracks. A German tankman later wrote:
"Soviet soldiers were around us, above us and between us. They pulled us out of the tanks and knocked us out. It was scary."
All German superiority in terms of communications, maneuverability, and artillery was lost in the chaos, noise and smoke.
From the memories of tankers:
"The atmosphere was suffocating. I was gasping for breath and sweat was running down my face in streams."
"We expected every second that we would be killed."
"Tanks rammed each other"
"The metal was burning."
The entire area of the battlefield was filled with burnt-out armored vehicles, emitting columns of black, oily smoke.
It is important to note that at this time there was not only a tank battle taking place there, but also an air battle. While the battle unfolded below, planes in the sky tried to shoot down the tanks.
Eight days later, the attack was stopped. Although the Red Army won, it lost five armored vehicles for every German tank. In terms of actual numbers, the Germans lost about 760 tanks and the USSR about 3,800 (for a total of 6,000 tanks and assault guns destroyed or seriously damaged). In terms of casualties, the Germans lost 54,182 people, ours - 177,847. Despite this gap, the Red Army is considered the winner of the battle, and, as historians note, “Hitler’s long-awaited dream of the oil fields of the Caucasus was destroyed forever.”
7. Battle of Arracourt (1944)
Occurring during the Lorraine Campaign led by General George Patton's Third Army from September to October 1944, the lesser known Battle of Arracourt was the largest tank battle for the US Army up to that point. Although the Battle of the Bulge would later prove to be larger, the battle took place over a much larger geographic area.
The battle is significant in that the entire German tank force was overwhelmed by American troops, mostly equipped with 75mm cannons. Sherman tank. Thanks to careful coordination of tanks, artillery, infantry, and air force, the German forces were defeated.
As a result, American troops successfully defeated two tank brigades and parts of two tank divisions. Of the 262 German tanks, more than 86 were destroyed and 114 were seriously damaged. The Americans, on the contrary, lost only 25 tanks.
The Battle of Arracourt prevented a German counterattack and the Wehrmacht was unable to recover. Moreover, this area became the launching pad from which Patton's army would begin its winter offensive.
8. Battle of Chawinda (1965)
The Battle of Chawinda was one of the largest tank battles after World War II. It took place during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, which pitted some 132 Pakistani tanks (as well as 150 reinforcements) against 225 Indian armored vehicles. The Indians had Centurion tanks while the Pakistanis had Pattons; both sides also used Sherman tanks.
The battle, which lasted from September 6 to 22, took place in the Ravi Chenab sector connecting Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian mainland. The Indian Army hoped to cut off Pakistan's supply line by cutting them off from Sialkot district of Lahore region. Events reached their peak on 8 September when Indian forces advanced towards Chawinda. The Pakistani air force joined the battle and then a brutal tank battle ensued. Large tank battle occurred on September 11 in the Fillora region. After several bursts of activity and lulls, the battle finally ended on 21 September when the Indian forces finally withdrew. The Pakistanis lost 40 tanks, while the Indians lost over 120.
9. Battle of the Valley of Tears (1973)
During the Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War, Israeli forces fought a coalition that included Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq. The goal of the coalition was to dislodge the Israeli forces occupying the Sinai. At one key point in the Golan Heights, the Israeli brigade had 7 tanks out of 150 left - and the remaining tanks had on average no more than 4 shells left. But just as the Syrians were about to launch another attack, the brigade was rescued by randomly assembled reinforcements, consisting of 13 of the least damaged tanks, driven by wounded soldiers who had been released from the hospital.
As for the Yom Kippur War itself, the 19-day battle was the largest tank battle since World War II. In fact, it was one of the largest tank battles, involving 1,700 Israeli tanks (of which 63% were destroyed) and approximately 3,430 coalition tanks (of which approximately 2,250 to 2,300 were destroyed). In the end, Israel won; A United Nations-brokered ceasefire agreement came into force on 25 October.
10. Battle of Easting 73 (1991)
