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Originally Posted by Gotthard Heinrici  They were indeed Lee and yes the battle of Kharkov showed that the Russians were still incapable of holding the strategic initiative against the Germans. However Kursk changed all that forever. |
However if you read Mar. Sokolovsky's "Soviet Military Strategy" you'll find on the chapter on the Great Patriotic War that this Khakov débacle was caused by one single Army (can't rememeber which and I'll only get the book back tomorrow!) that not only was given an excessively optimistic mission without being properly supported by paralell armies. This lesson was learnt wand you don't hear again of any 'Manstein Backhand Slaps" again. What happened to Tank Group Popov was that it was employed as a primitive Operational Manouevre Group with an unrefined technique. Again another instance for Lessons Learned.