http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/jul1943/f06jul43.htm
German armies advancing on Kursk
Tuesday, July 6, 1943 www.onwar.com
A column of Panzer IVs of SSLAH at Kursk [photo at link]
On the Eastern Front... The battle of Kursk continues. In the north the German 9th Army has advanced about 6 miles into the first Soviet defensive line. In the south, the forces of Army Group South have penetrated 10 miles into the Soviet defenses. There is heavy rainfall on the southern battlefield.
In the Solomon Islands... A second Japanese destroyer, from the force that delivered troops to New Georgia, is sunk by air attack. The fighting on New Georgia continues along the Barike River.
In the Aleutian Islands... An American force (4 cruisers and 4 destroyers) led by Admiral Giffen bombards Japanese positions on Kiska Island.
Myth #1 of Kursk: It was the “greatest tank battle ever.” It is true that both sides possessed more tanks than on any other battlefield before or since. This battle also saw the debut of the Panther and the first full use of the Tiger, tanks that will be among the most feared of the war.
However, other than the two day tank battle at Prokhorovka, Kursk was not really a battle where swarms of tanks banged away at each other. Instead, from the Soviet standpoint, Kursk was more or less a battle fought with infantry and artillery. The infantry occupied trench systems, bunkers and redoubts, surrounding anti-tank gun strongpoints, in front of which were extensive belts of mines, all of which was backed up by artillery. The Soviet tank armies and tank and mechanized corps are in reserve, waiting to seal off a penetration or to be committed when the Germans have been exhausted. The first line of defense is the infantry and artillery, and they will carry the brunt of the fighting most days.
While the Germans will inflict staggering casualties on these units, Kursk will be victory of infantry and artillery over armor.
Another note on Kursk for day one:
Von Manstein’s two armies (4th Panzer under Hermann Hoth and Army Det. Kempf) will gain more ground than Model’s 9th Army attacking from the north. While von Manstein has more panzers than Model, he is also using different tactics. Von Manstein has his panzers in the front line, and is trying to use massed panzers in a wedge formation to drive through what he knows are formidable defenses. Model has his infantry divisions in the front, and the plan is for the infantry to blow a hole in the Soviet defenses and then pour the panzers through them. In 1941 or even 1942, this would have worked. But by 1943, the German infantry is too weak, to few in number, and the Soviets are too well prepared. The infantry is getting bogged down in the Soviet defensive system and taking terrible casualties, which cannot be replaced.