New Eastern Front realities

26th August 1943: German frontline troops are bolstered by men from the rear areas - but their lack of experience shows

German troops under fire on the Eastern Front.

Following their failure to break through during Operation Citadel at Kursk, the German forces on the Eastern Front found themselves facing new, unexpectedly strong, Soviet attacks. For the most senior commanders this meant carefully marshalling their remaining capabilities so that they could maintain a fighting withdrawal, often responding quickly to events on the battlefield.

In that situation, the Russians were of less concern to us than our own men, who, trembling with excitement, fired at everything that crawled around in front, even after they had been informed a good ten times that it was a friendly patrol.

For the men on the ground, there were new realities to the type of warfare they faced. The long periods of confident advance and success were at an end. Now, not only were they falling back, but they regularly faced the prospect of being encircled.
And in front line units, the casualty rate was now being felt deeply.

The Wehrmacht was now under pressure across a wide front with its defensive line thin in many places. A burnt-out Red Army tank next to German trenches somewhere on the Eastern Front.