On May 12, 1942, the Second Battle of Kharkov begins with the launching of a Soviet offensive. Fielding ~765,000 men supported by ~1,100 tanks, 300 self-propelled artillery pieces, and ~1,000 aircraft, the Soviet advance initially showed success in forcing the German forces (numbering ~350,000 men supported by ~1,000 tanks and ~700 aircraft) into retreat. However, the Stalin had underestimated the German’s capacity to continue the war and also ignored the advice of many of his officers in launching this offensive. The advance was soon bogged down by strong German resistance. German reinforcements, including several Luftwaffe bomber and dive-bomber wings, soon arrived and by May 14 the Germans had gained air superiority. By May 24, the Soviet advance had ground to a halt and the German counter-offensive had not only forced a Soviet retreat but also surrounded a large portion of the Soviet forces in Kharkov. All attempts at a break-out by the Soviets ended on May 30. Casualties of the battle are estimated at ~171,000 killed, missing, or captured Soviet troops and a further 106,000 wounded while German losses were ~20,000 men total.

The Soviet defeat in the Second Battle of Kharkov is generally credited to Stalin and his advisers’ underestimation of the German forces and poor tactical decisions, including leaving the Soviet flank exposed and failing to account for the arrival of German reinforcements from the southern sector rather than from the northern sector around Moscow. However, the battle did illustrate that the Soviet military was capable of successfully launch an offensive, a capability which would be put to use later at Stalingrad and Kursk. It also resulted in Stalin placing more trust in his military commanders, who had advised against the offensive at Kharkov, resulting in a more effective military.