Tank Battle near Prokhorovka: Key assessments and judgments in Modern Russian Historiography

Abstract

The article examines the stereotypes of the course of the Battle of Kursk that have developed at different times, distorting the real historical picture. Various approaches to assessing the significance of the counterattack of the 5th Guards Tank Army near Prokhorovka have been investigated. Some contradictions and gaps of modern historical works are revealed. The article focuses on the exaggeration by the authors of historical works of the role of the new German Tiger tanks in the battles near Prokhorovka on July 12, 1943. An attempt is also made to investigate the stereotype that has developed in historical works about the complete uselessness of T-70 light tanks in the battle of Prokhorovka on July 12 and the low combat qualities of the British Churchill heavy tanks.

Keywords

• counterattack near prokhorovka
• “tiger” tank
• t-70 tank
• “churchill” tank
• 5th guards tank army