Editing Erich von Manstein (section)

===Kharkov counter-offensive===
{{Main|Third Battle of Kharkov}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1995-041-23A, Ostfront, Adolf Hitler, Erich v. Manstein.jpg|thumb|On 10 March 1943, under heavy security, Hitler flew to Army Group South's headquarters at [[Zaporozh'ye]], Ukraine, only {{convert|48|km|abbr=on}} from the front lines, to review the military situation. Manstein greets Hitler upon his arrival at the local airfield; on the right are [[Hans Baur]] and the Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall [[Wolfram von Richthofen]].]]
During their offensives in February 1943, the Red Army broke through the German lines, retaking Kursk on 9 February.{{sfn|Melvin|2010|p=333}} As Army Groups B and Don were in danger of being surrounded, Manstein repeatedly called for reinforcements. Although Hitler called on 13 February for Kharkov to be held "at all costs",{{sfn|Melvin|2010|p=333}} ''[[SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer]]'' [[Paul Hausser]], commander of the [[II SS Panzer Corps]], ordered the city evacuated on 15 February.{{sfn|Melvin|2010|p=334}} Hitler arrived at the front in person on 17 February, and over the course of three days of exhausting meetings, Manstein convinced him that offensive action was needed in the area to regain the initiative and prevent encirclement. Troops were reorganised and reinforcements were pulled into the zone from neighbouring armies. Manstein immediately began planning a counteroffensive, launched on 20 February, that later became known as the "backhand blow"; Vatutin and the Soviet forces, believing that Manstein would retreat, were taken completely by surprise. By 2 March, the ''Wehrmacht'' had captured 615 tanks and had killed some 23,000 Soviet soldiers.{{sfn|Melvin|2010|pp=338–341, 344}}

To reinforce the point that the recapture of Kharkov was important politically, Hitler travelled again to the front lines in Ukraine on 10 March 1943 where he met with Manstein to review the situation. Manstein carefully assembled his available forces along a wide front to prevent their encirclement and the Germans recaptured Kharkov on 14 March, after bloody street fighting in the [[Third Battle of Kharkov]].{{sfn|Melvin|2010|p=343}} For this accomplishment, he received the Oak Leaves for the Knight's Cross.{{sfn|Manstein|2004|p=565}} Hausser's II SS Panzer Corps captured [[Belgorod]] on 18 March. Manstein's counteroffensive had not only prevented the disintegration of the entire front, it had regained substantial territory and resulted in the destruction of three Soviet armies and the retreat of three others. Soviet casualties for the preceding month in that sector had been 46,000 dead and 14,000 taken prisoner. Captured or destroyed were 600 tanks and 1,200 pieces of artillery.{{sfn|Lemay|2010|p=346}} The spring thaw began by 23 March, ending operations in the area for the time being. Planning was then undertaken to eliminate the enemy salient at Kursk.{{sfn|Melvin|2010|pp=343–344}}