However, as the Allied invasion of Sicily began at the same time, Hitler had to divert troops from the Soviet Union to Italy.
The Battle of Kursk from July to August 1943 marked the last German offensive of the Second World War. After defeat in Moscow and Stalingrad, and facing imminent defeat in Leningrad, Hitler hoped that taking Kursk, a city not too far from the Russian-Ukrainian border, would halt the Soviet counteroffensive. He also thought that a victory here would improve Germany's reputation amongst its allies, such as Italy, as Mussolini was contemplating withdrawing from the conflict. Known as the largest tank battle in history, the Soviets lost more soldiers than the Germans in the Battle of Kursk. However, as the Allied invasion of Sicily began at the same time, Hitler had to divert troops from the Soviet Union to Italy. He then canceled the offensive after only a week, allowing the Soviets to mount a counterattack. In short, all these factors meant that Kursk was the last significant military push by the Third Reich.