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Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast.

Episode 544, The Battle of Prokhorovka, Part 1.

Last time, General Models' attack of the North had bogged down.

He could not advance, but he could not pull back either.

To do that would have invited the more numerous Soviet forces near him to counterattack.

And who knew when or where the 9th Army would be able to stop them.

As for the southern attack of General Hoth's,

that seemed bogged down as well, that is, until July 6th, when the SS Division, Tottenkov,

on the far right, smashed through the defenders in front of them and pushed on some 20 miles,

gaining access to the Belgarod-Obeon-Kirsk railway. Also that morning, while the Totenkov was dashing ahead, the DeFuro Regiment of the Dust-like Division managed late in the

morning to move ahead about eight miles themselves and take a hill. The regiment's first and then second battalions had tried independently to

take this hill, but it failed. So they were put together, which is when they found success. Next,

the town of Luchki, just over halfway to their target destination, fell to them. The left attacking force was now also advancing.

From here, the plan was for the Totenkov, again on the far right flank, to advance to the northeast

...