This book is dedicated to the most famous defensive battles of World War II, which significantly influenced the results of the entire campaign. The defensive battle for Stalingrad in the fall of 1942 became the main turning point in events on the Soviet-German front, the retention of the Kursk ledge in the summer of 1943 secured the initiative for the Red Army, and the repulsion of the German offensive in the area of Lake Balaton in March 1945 finally buried the Fuhrer’s hopes of salvation from military collapse. The main core of the steadfastness of our defense was the courage and bravery of the Russian soldier, and the experience of our commanders grew from battle to battle, which became a kind of milestone in the development of Russian military art.