WI Earlier/different battle of Kursk or no battle at all ???!!!

As we all know the Battle of Kursk was the last German offensive on the eastern front. It was a bloody failure and decisively left the initiative and offensive potential in the hands of the Red Army. We also know that Operation Zitadelle was postponed several times in the period May-July 1943. This allowed the Soviets to build up a massive defence in depth with 800 km of barbed wire, hundreds of miles of trenches with a depth of 175 kilometres, one million landmines, 1.3 million men, 3600 tanks and so on. The Germans lost massive numbers to these formidable defences, in part because the people in charge were divided. Some (including Hitler and Guderian) opposed the plan while others supported it. In the end it finally went through in July 1943.

Suppose the battle had taken place in May '43 as planned. At that time the Soviet defences were nowhere near finished and a victory could have happened. Another option was Von Manstein's backhand blow which would have lost the Russians over 1 million men and a lot of tanks.

Alternatively, Hitler could have cancelled the offensive altogether as he was opposed to it anyway, instead ordering a defence. I assume that if nothing happens, Stalin will lose his patience and order an offensive, an offensive which might greatly hurt, while Germany sends a few reinforcements to Sicily to bloody the allies' nose as Hitler was rightfully worried of such an invasion.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Discuss ;).
 
Well it really depends how the Germans play it out. If they order a flexible defense with no crazy offensives (extremely unlikely), you will see Berlin going under nuclear fire in 1945 with the Soviets getting their pre-war territory and maybe just a bit of Poland, Hungary, and Romania. Allies get the rest.
 
Oh God here it goes.


Earlier attack, if leading to significant and decisive German victory. Great change of luck in favor of Germans. Further German offensives. Completely changed East Front from OTL. With Landlease help and strategic bombing of German industry a pure German victory is impossible, but it is unlikely Soviets will push out the Germans by the end of the war.
With Germany being so much better of in the East more forces can be deployed to Atlantic wall. Can Overlord now be attempted before summer of '45.?

Than we have two branches. If pro German (ok I'll be honest, racist, anti-Semitic, pro-German and anti-communist and anti-soviet) elements in governments of Western powers are influential enough, A-bombs are used against Japan, than Germany is allowed a negotiated settlement. All Western Democracies Germany occupied are let free by the Germans (both officially and in practice), and Allies agree to stop sending aid to USSR and accept German rule over East Europe.

If A-Bombs are used to weaken Germany enough to provide for successful '45. Overlord (and it is unlikely just 2 bombs will cause a winning Germany to surrender, if they don't manage to tag most of senior Nazi leadership in those 2 strikes) we see Allies fight a bloody advance trough Europe with subsequent nuke usage until Germans finally throw the towel in mid to late '46.

Depending on specific conditions on East Front, Baltic Republics, Ukraine and Belarus might get independence under western Ally protection.


Completely avoiding the Zitadele. Both sides keep large amounts of man and materiel, Soviets fail to gain the momentum they gained IRL. At best by '45. they manage to push Germans out of pre '39. borders. Again a greatly weaker USSR might not be able to keep its '41. borders, let alone exert influence over East Europe.
 
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