In January 1943 Salmuth was promoted to Generaloberst, the second highest German officer rank in the Wehrmacht. At that time, he was faced with the Soviet Voronezh-Kastornensk Operation, in which the Second Army was almost destroyed. On 3 February 1943, he was given command of the Fourth Army until July 1943. In August 1943, Salmuth was reassigned to command the Fifteenth Army stationed at Pas-de-Calais, France. Salmuth was relieved of his command, in late August 1944, following the disintegration of the German front line, after the Allied breakout from Normandy (Operation Cobra), receiving no further command.
