Manstein's Backhand Blow Fails

  • Thread starter Deleted member 1487
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Deleted member 1487

What if Manstein mishandles the 1943 Backhand Blow and the Soviets retain Kharkov and don't lose their mobile forces in the fighting. The Germans just bog down, but manage to stop the Soviet advance around Kharkov. What happens next?
 
Quite tricky. Would Kursk happen if the Germans know of a large mobile reserve. Maybe not.
Maybe Stalin makes a spring offensive.
In both cases Germany maintains a defensive position.
If Kursk happens as OTL the Soviet counter attack crushes the Germans.
Not a clear or detailed answer I admit.
 
I'm not at all sure but a German failure might've diminished German confidence to the point where, instead of planning for Kursk, the Germans withdraw behind the Dneiper, as Manstein advocated right after his successful (historical) counterattack.
 
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