Stabilizing the German Front, early 1943

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1. This operation encircled the remnants of the 6th Army in Stalingrad, inflicting a decisive defeat. Georgy Zhukov planned and directed this operation. Operation Uranus Case Blue Operation Little Saturn Operation Winter Storm

2. This German Field Marshal led a failed attempt to rescue the German forces trapped in Stalingrad. His attempt met stiff resistance from the Soviet pincers surrounding the city, and after a few days he was pushed back, along with the 6th Army's hope of being relieved. Hermann Hoth Erich von Manstein Alfred Jodl Friedrich Paulus

3. The German front around Stalingrad began to rapidly collapse. Zhukov then pressed a Soviet winter offensive. This Operation almost succeeded in cutting off Manstein's relief force, but in the end he managed to escape. Further Soviet attacks managed to encircle the 1st Panzer Army and Italian 8th Army. What was the operation called? Operation Winter Storm Operation Zitadelle Case Blue Operation Little Saturn

4. This operation took the city of Kharkov from German forces, pushing a wedge in their lines. However, the Soviet successes began to overextend their lines, providing an easy, desperately needed target for Manstein. Operation Zitadelle Operation Star Case Blue Tatsinskaya Raid

5. This German general commanded the II SS Panzer Corps and defended Kharkov from the Soviet attacks. After defending the city for as long as possible, he disobeyed Adolf Hitler's orders to fight to the death and told his troops to abandon the city to avoid encirclement. He managed to buy time for Manstein's front to stabilize. Paul Hausser Wilhelm Keitel Alfred Jodl Heinz Guderian

6. Manstein now attacked due to his front being stabilized by the II SS Panzer Corps efforts in holding back the Soviets. The target was Kharkov, and this German army in II SS Panzer Corps led the attack. 8th Panzer Army 4th Panzer Army 1st Panzer Army German 3rd Army

7. This elite German division experienced most of the heavy street-to-street fighting in Kharkov, blasting their way through Soviet defenses. 2nd SS Division 2nd Panzer Division 3rd SS Division 1st SS Division

8. Hitler had told Hausser to fight to the death for the defense of Kharkov. However he ignored Hitler's orders and retreated, and in Manstein's counter-attack took the city back anyway. Hausser's corps continued the attack towards this city, destroying the Soviet's attack gains in Operation Star. Here he was finally stopped by Soviet defenses. Kursk Stalingrad Belgorod Rostov

9. The German front was saved from destruction, mainly because of Manstein and Hausser's efforts. What was their final fate before the end of the war? Relieved of command by Hitler Captured during massive Soviet offensives Executed by the SS Relieved of command and re-assigned in Italy

10. What battle was the largest tank battle of World War II? Manstein achieved the most success with his forces during this battle, but it ended with a German defeat. Leningrad Berlin Kursk Operation Bagration