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Why in fact did Hitler need another victory so desperately? The victories of Manstein to stabilize the southern front in early '43 after Stalingrad were impressive, weren't they?
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Erich von Manstein did not achieve a victory at Khárkov. He prevented a catastrophic defeat, which is very different. His performance was impressive and he prevented the Wehrmacht's backbone to be broken, saving Army Group 'South' from total annihilation.
However, the Germans lost 350.000 men at Stalingrad, plus another 600.000 Germans and Allies. Khárkov only gave not even 40.000 Russians captured. The Red Army could easily replace its half a million casualties of the offensive and the Wehrmacht could not.
That's why Hitler needed a real victory: breaking the backbone of the Red Army. Which, of course was impossible at the time.