Waffen-SS break into Kharkov: Third Battle of Kharkov (1943)

Combat footage. Die Deutsche Wochenschau.

The Third Battle of Kharkov was the last major strategic German victory of World War II. Kharkov had originally been captured on October 25, 1941, but had fallen to the Soviets in February 1943, following the German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad. Led by Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, the Germans counter-attacked and after destroying Soviet spearheads, retook the city in bitter street fighting.

The II SS Panzer Korps, equipped with heavy Tiger tanks, played a significant role. It comprised the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler and Das Reich divisions, which had been resting and refitting for a long period of time and were at full strength. Under the command of SS-Gruppenführer Paul Hausser, it checked the Soviet advance on Kharkov, despite odds of six to one, but, threatened with encirclement, Hausser withdrew against explicit orders from Hitler. The act so infuriated Hitler, he refused to award Hausser after the battle.

The II SS Panzer Korps (now reinforced with the Totenkopf division) was attached to Manstein's counter-thrust, which destroyed the Soviet spearheads and saved Army Group South. The Leibstandarte division then retook Kharkov, for which Hitler renamed the central square "Leibstandarteplatz". The battle is often regarded as the last successful German offensive in the USSR and is still studied in military academies as a textbook example of mobile defence.

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[slim77k]

hitler was a politician, he had no buisness in warfare, he should of trusted his generals more.

[biggrigga]

The Waffen SS proved they could fight during this battle.

[zweijntje]

The revenge of the Waffen SS, and the courage of Hausser to ignore Hitlers order to defend Kharkov just like he ordered Paulus in Stalingrad. Hausser knew what would have happened to this elite forces had he obyed Hitlers order. A second Stalingrad. Hitler was out of his mind of anger and flew to the east demanded the retake of the city. For once he gave Manstein free hand and after a epic battle which cost the SS approx 80% of their men and material they captured Kharkov again.

[zweijntje]

@Urgundulum This is as correct as possible by my notice. The first serious military studies into this topic indeed made clear Stalin had the plans ready and his Red Army moved into strategic positions to attack Germany somewhere in 41 or 42. Only resently these studies are being taken seriously, it used to be the other way round. Hitler was the great agressor, discussion closed! Ofcourse this war between the 2 Great Dictators still is the most horrible ever fought in the history of warfare.

[zweijntje]

@MrBobe9 That is not exactly right, but indeed Hitler made a big mistake by splitting his Armies in three, He should have listened to Guderian, Von Leeb and von Bock whom almost begged him to make one single thrust towards Moskou. Urgundulum is fully right the German caught the Red Army with it,s pants down, plans of attack on Germany and the rest of Europe where ready, I only thought is was in 42 Stalin wanted to attack.

[MrBobe9]

@zweijntje Hitler didn't have any strategic objective in USSR, so he kept moving armies up and down for no reason except insanity, GUDERIAN had in mind MOSCOW he was right, because it was the HEART of USSR with all train terminals, there was chaos and looting in Moscow, it was about to fall, because the german advance didn't stall in any place like STALIN wanted in order to have time and get large mobilization that TIMOSHENKO talked about weeks before, so GUDERIAN was about to win the war, but.

[bburrage20]

You are precisely correct. Had Hitler listened to perhaps the greatest collection of military minds ever assembled, the Wermacht would have taken Moscow BEFORE the dreaded winter of 1941 and would have finished off the Soviet Union in 1942. The disaster at Stalingrad would have been averted had Hitler heeded the advice of his Field Marshals. The outcome of WW2 would have been totally different had Hitler allowed his generals to wage the war. Thank God that he didnt!

[PeterMock]

@slim77k thank god he didn't !

[MrBobe9]

@zweijntjeHad HITLER listened to GUDERIAN Moscow would had been encircled and won by 1941 or in the worst scenario 1942, but Hitler moved Army group center to help in LENINGRAD and sent GUDERIAN to KIEV, HUGE BLUNDERS that only helped soviets create an enormous 3 line defense in MOSCOW plus reserves forces on its rearguard, so later in the BATTLE OF MOSCOW the germans suffered first defeat with 500 000 casualties.

HITLER was just a insane/maniac/evil and incompetent corporal, OKW was Hitler.

[zweijntje]

@IceRich05 Yeah right, and you would be dead very quick if you where lucky. Ore maybe you would have fallen into the hands of the Red Army. and be scraping lead wth your fngernails out of the mnes at the Kolima river in Siberia. Hero!!!

[zweijntje]

@elamite66 Because the Waffen SS are the role model for the USMC

[zweijntje]

@MrBobe9 And it was after the battle at Kursk the Western Allies where sure Germany was loosing the war. Realising Josef would not stop until he reached the coast of the Atlantic they started planning Operation Overlord. And this operation only was a succes because Adolf was sleeping and no-one dared waking him, so the panzerdivisons in Normandy got into action too late.