With war turning tide, German military commanders in World War II planned for one of the largest armored operations ever used. The German forces hoped to destroy a Soviet bulge created after the defeat at Stalingrad. They amassed fifty divisions together, including four heavily equipped SS divisions and another heavily equipped Wehrmacht division “Grossdeutschland”. In waiting for these heavy weapons, the German army had allowed the Soviets four months to complete defenses and amass troops to counter such an assault. In total two Fronts (Central and Voronezh) were moved to the area where around one million mines were laid, and five hundred kilometers of trenches dug. They had amassed 1.3 million troops, 3,600 tanks, 20,000 artillery pieces, and 2,792 aircraft behind the German positions. The Germans could only muster 900,000 troops, 2,110 aircraft, and 3,000 tanks.
First launch of the operation started with a mainly air battle over the skies of Kursk. Waves of aircraft from both sides flew in one of the largest air battles in history. The German’s advance began to take shape, but the rapid doctrine of the German military forces could not be followed with the amount of mines, earthworks, and enemy resistance. Eventually the attack was ground to a halt with a Soviet counter-offensive following shortly thereafter
Panther tanks assault Soviet positions during the battle at Kursk
July 5, 1809 – Battle of Wagram
Napoleon Bonaparte’s victories had landed his French troops in Bavaria on the doorsteps of the Austria-Hungarian empire. While Napoleon was in Paris during April of 1809, his armies were attacked in Bavaria and Munich. The initial French defeat was countered when Napoleon returned to disrupt Austrian Archduke Charles’ army and chase them into Austria. After Napoleon captured Vienna on May 12 he went in search of Charles’ army that was still largely in tact. He crossed the Danube, but his forces were destroyed by the Austrian army and the quick wit of the Austrian Archduke.
On the night of July 4 and 5 Napoleon crossed 150,000 French troops across the Danube River. During initial maneuvering of both sides artillery bombardments urged the troops to battle. In an attempt to finish the battle before Austrian reinforcements could arrive, Napoleon called for numerous assaults on the Austrian center that were bloodily repulsed and followed by fierce Austrian counterattacks. After swaying back and forth the battle inevitably reached a climax when General MacDonald took 8,000 troops and attacked the Austrian center. They could not penetrate the heavy fire, but the Austrian inability to reinforce their left flank caused them to evacuate the position.
Napoleon looks on at the battle of Wagram
