March 1943

Eastern Front

Rzhev falls to the Kalinin Front. Army Group Center has begun its withdrawal from the salient where no fewer than 30 divisions are tied down (comprising the XLI Panzer, XXIII, XXVII, XXXIX Panzer, IX, XX and XII Corps). Many of these units will make an appearance later in the year at Kursk, this maneuver generating a substantial theater reserve for the Ostheer. On the southern wing of Army Group Center the 2nd Army gives up Lgov and Dimitrov Lgovsky.

The SS Panzer Corps virtually destroys 3rd Tank Army in a day of ferocious fighting. Minor elements of the amry cross the Donets west of Izyum. Slavyansk falls to III Panzer Corps.

In the fighting since January 13 the Voronezh Front has lost 33,300 killed and missing and 62,000 wounded. The Soviet 6th Army suffers 8,000 killed and 12,000 wounded. Soviet forces have also lost 1,000 tanks, 2,100 arty pieces and 300 aircraft.