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By mid-1943, Nazi Germany had conquered large areas of Europe at breakneck speed. From the beginning of 1943, however, Hitler’s advance faltered because the Allies fought back: In the east, the recapture of the city of Kursk by the Soviet forces was the decisive turning point for the Allied war effort. The defensive success of the Red Army in the Battle of Kursk led to the breaking off of the German attack and the launching of a counter-offensive towards the west.