Marshal Mannerheim of Finland agrees to attack towards Leningrad and around Lake Ladoga, but not much more than that.
Manstein overcame Hitler’s objections and then two Soviet Fronts. By early March 1943, Kursk was exposed and open to attack.
Having tasted defeat and now victory, Stalin wants more operations in southern Russia. And what he gets will change the course of the war on the Eastern Front.
The Axis retreat from the Don River was haphazard. Armies were lost as was much equipment. Army Group South would regroup and form another line, but it was much reduced and the Soviets were only getting stronger.
