"On August 23rd, 1943, Soviet forces captured Kharkov. This day counts as the official end date of the Battle of Kursk. The Wehrmact lost, with great losses in manpower and "metal". Hitler's loud exclamations turned out to be nothing but hot air.
What did the Germans' loss at Kursk mean? Having lost the battle, the Germans lost strategic initiative on the Eastern Front. In the future, they were limited to limited offensives and counteroffensives, for instance von Manstein's counterattack in November of 1943 at Fastovo. Strategic operations such as Fall Blau were unthinkable.
"[Operation Citadel] was our last attempt at regaining initiative in the East. When it did not succeed, which equalled a failure, initiative was completely ceded to the Soviets. Operation Citadel was the decisive turning point on the Eastern Front." – E. Manstein, "Lost Victories"
During preparations for Citadel, many German commanders warned that it will result in a waste of reserves that were so painstakingly gathered in the first half of 1943 after the Stalingrad catastrophe. In their opinion, due to the "aerial offensive" of the Allies (raids on strategic objects in Germany by the American 8th Air Army), a possible landing in Italy, and evidence of upcoming offensives on various sections of the Eastern Front, the German army should retain a defensive strategy…"
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