For many years, I thought that if I could go back in time to see one thing, it would have been the clash of fleets at Jutland in 1916. However, I have recently changed my mind. Now, I would say it would be this battle, Kursk. Never before and never since has there been so many men, guns, tanks and planes committed in such a furious and bitter struggle in a relatively confined area. And, both sides were more or less evenly matched, which is why the battle raged on in such intensity for so many days. I cannot fathom the endurance of the German and Soviet soldiers to keep going at it in such intense combat day after day after day.
A former unit of mine was involved in the aftermath of the Battle of 73 Easting in the Gulf War, which was a large tank battle, but of course nothing like Kursk in intensity, size, scope and result.