Battle of Chawinda: September 17 – 22, 1965 But the British had only managed to penetrate roughly seven miles or so East of Caen.īut Goodwood did draw valuable German tanks away from the Western part of Caen, where the Americans were making their push to the city. Montgomery claimed that all the objectives were achieved and that the mission was a success. Operation Goodwood did cause some controversy. German losses were 75 tanks destroyed, mostly by airstrikes. Their casualties were 5,000 men and 250 to 300 tanks destroyed. The battle did not go the way the British intended. The Wehrmacht had only around 370 tanks at their disposal, but they included the fearsome Tiger and Tiger II tanks.
The British had mustered as many as 1,100 tanks for the battle. The goal was to break through to Caen so that it could be liberated. Operation Goodwood was a British offensive that was part of the Battle for Caen, one of the main inland targets that was part of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. Sherman tanks carrying infantry wait for the order to advance at the start of Operation 'Goodwood', 18 July 1944.Wikimedia Commons Thus, the momentum swung to the side of the Soviets, who eventually won the Battle of Kursk Operation Goodwood: July 18 – 20, 1944
The Germans were unable to take Prokhorovka, and although it was not destroyed (the original goal of the Soviets), the II SS-Panzer Corps was exhausted, and prevented from continuing their offensive. German tank losses were smaller by comparison, up to 80 tanks and assault guns destroyed. The Soviets lost around 400 tanks, more than half of their force. The fighting was some of the most intense in the history of armored warfare.
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