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Offensive operation on Berlin. Battle for Berlin: Completion of the Great Patriotic War

Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation -Oner from the latest strategic operations of the Soviet troops, during which the Red Army took the capital of Germany and ended the Great Patriotic War. The operation lasted on 23 days - from April 16 to May 8, 1945, during which Soviet troops have advanced to the west at a distance from 100 to 220 km. The width of the front of the fighting is 300 km. Within the framework of the operation, said: Shttinsko-Rostokskaya, Zelovskoy-Berlin, Kotbus-Potsdamskaya, Pedrembg-Torgau and Brandenburg-Rathenovsky front-line offensive operations.
Military political situation in Europe in the spring of 1945 In January-March 1945 The troops of the 1st Belorussky and the 1st Ukrainian fronts during the Volo-Oder, the East-Pomeranian, the Upper-Silesian and the Lower Silesian operations were outwarded by the Oder and Neuris rivers. Under the shortest distance from the Kustere Brillus, 60 km remained to Berlin. The English-American troops completed the elimination of the Ruruga grouping of German troops and by mid-April, the advanced parts reached the Elbe. The loss of essential raw materials led to the decline in the industrial production of Germany. Increased difficulties with the filling of human losses incurred in the winter of 1944/45. Nevertheless, Germany's armed forces were still an impressive force. According to the reconnaissance of the General Staff of the Red Army, by mid-April, there were 223 divisions and brigades in their composition.
According to the agreements reached by the heads of the USSR, USA and Great Britain in the fall of 1944, the border of the Soviet occupation zone was supposed to take place 150 km west of Berlin. Despite this, Churchill put forward the idea of \u200b\u200bahead of the Red Army and capture Berlin.
Goals of Party Germany
Nazi leadership tried to tighten the war in order to achieve the Separate world with England and the United States and the split of the anti-Hitler coalition. At the same time, the retention of the front against the Soviet Union was crucial.

the USSR
The military-political situation, which pretended by April 1945, demanded from the Soviet command in the shortest possible time to prepare and carry out an operation to defeat the grouping of German troops on the Berlin direction, the seizure of Berlin and entering the Elba River to connect to the allies troops. The successful implementation of this strategic task made it possible to disrupt the plans of the Hitler's leadership for the delay of war.
For the operation, the strength of three fronts was attracted: the 1st and 2nd Belorussky, and the 1st Ukrainian, as well as the 18th Air Army Aviation Army, Dniprovskaya Military Flotilla and part of the Baltic Fleet Forces.
Tasks of Soviet fronts
1st Belorussian FrontSend the capital of Germany by the city of Berlin. After 12-15 days of surgery to go on the Elba River 1st Ukrainian FrontApply the south of Berlin south of Berlin, isolate the main forces of the Center for the Center "Center" from the Berlin grouping and to provide this from the south of the main strike of the 1st Belarusian Front. Slide the enemy grouping south of Berlin and operational reserves in the Kotbus area. For 10-12 days, not later, the Belitz - Wittenberg and further on the River Elbe to Dresden. 2nd Belorussian FrontApply the dissection of the northerner of Berlin, providing the right flank of the 1st Belarusian front from possible opponents of the enemy from the north. Put to the sea and destroy the German troops north of Berlin. Dniprovskaya Military FlotillaTwo teams of river ships promote the troops of the 5th shock and the 8th Guards armies in crossing the Oder and the breakthrough of enemy defense at the Kushrinsky bridgehead. The third brigade is promoted by the troops of the 33rd army in the area of \u200b\u200bFürstenberg. Provide anti-minor defense of water transport routes. Red-known Baltic FleetSupport the seaside flank of the 2nd Belorussian Front, continuing the blockade of Kurlyandy armies group in Latvia (Kurlyadsky Covered).
Operation plan Operation plan provided forsimultaneous transition to the offensive of the troops of the 1st Belorussky and 1st Ukrainian fronts in the morning of April 16, 1945. The 2nd Belorussian front, in connection with the upcoming major regrouping of his forces, was to begin an offensive on April 20, that is, 4 days later.

The 1st Belorussian Front should It was the main blow to the forces of the five General (47th, 3rd shock, the 5th shock, the 8th Guards and the 3rd Army) and two tank armies from the Custrian bridgehead in the direction of Berlin. Tank armies were planned to introduce into battle after a breakthrough with the general army of the second defense strip in Zeelian altitudes. An artillery density of up to 270 instruments (caliber from 76 mm and above) was created on the main strike area (caliber from 76 mm and above) for one kilometer of the breakthrough front. In addition, the commander of the front of Kiev Zhukov decided to apply two auxiliary strikes: right - by the 61st Soviet and 1st Army of Polish troops bypass Berlin from the north in the direction on Eberswalde, Zandaão; And on the left forces of the 69th and 33rd armies to Bonsdorf with the main task of preventing departure to the Berlin of the 9th Army of the enemy.

1st Ukrainian Front It was supposed to apply the main blow to the forces of five armies: three general official (13th, 5th Guards and 3rd Guards) and two tanks from the city of Trimbel towards Sprömbert. The auxiliary blow was supposed to be applied in the general direction on Dresden by the forces of the 2nd Army of the Polish troops and part of the forces of the 52nd Army.
The distinction line between the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belarusian fronts was cut into 50 km southeast of Berlin in the area of \u200b\u200bLubbin, which allowed, if necessary, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front strike at Berlin from the south.
Commander of the 2nd Belarusian Front KK Rokossovsky decided to apply the main blow to the forces of 65, 70 and 49 armies towards the Neulystritsa. Develop success after the breakthrough of German defense should have had separate tank, mechanized and cavalry corps of front-line subordination.
Preparation for the operation the USSR
Intelligence
Intelligence Aviation 6 times produced Berlin Aerophotus, all approaches to it and defensive strips. A total of about 15 thousand aerial photographs were obtained. According to the results of filming, trophy documents and polls of the prisoners, detailed schemes were compiled, plans, cards that were supplied with all command-staff instances. The military topographic service of the 1st Belorussian Front made an accurate layout of the city with suburbs, which was used in the study of issues related to the organization of the offensive, the general assault of Berlin and the battle in the city center. For two days before the start of the operation in the entire band of the 1st Belorussky The front was conducted by reconnaissance. 32 reconnaissance detachments by force to the reinforced rifle battalion each for two days on 14 and 15 April, the battle was specified by the placement of the enemy's fire funds, the dislocation of its groups was determined, the strong and most vulnerable places of the defensive strip were determined.
Engineering
During the preparation of the offensive, engineering troops of the 1st Belorussian front under the command of Gene-Lieutenant Antipenko performed a large amount of main engineering work. By the beginning of the operation, often under the fire of the enemy, 25 automotive bridges with a total length of 15,017 travel meters were built through Oder, and 40 ferry crossings were prepared. In order to organize the continuous and complete support of the upcoming parts by ammunition and the combustible railway canvas in a busy territory, it was rewrote to a Russian rut to almost the Oder. In addition, the military engineers of the front have attached heroic efforts to strengthen railway bridges through the Vistula, which were threatened by the Spring Ice Trim.
On the 1st Ukrainian Front For the mining of the Neurov River, 2440 serviced wooden boats were harvested, 750 robust storm bridges and over 1000 wooden bridges for cargoes 16 and 60 tons.
2nd Belorussian Front At the beginning of the offensive, Oder, the width of which in some places reached six kilometers, so special attention was also paid to engineering training. The engineering troops of the front under the leadership of Lieutenant Bleslavov, in the shortest possible time pulled up and reliably covered in the coastal zone dozens of pontoons, hundreds of boats, brought timber for the construction of berths and bridges, produced rafts, laid gati through the wetlands of the coast.

Masking and disinformation
Preparing the offensive, - recalled G.K. Zhukov, - we completely gave yourself a report that the Germans expect our blow to Berlin. Therefore, the front command in all details thought out how to organize this blow most sudden for the enemy. In the preparation of the operation, special attention was paid to issues of masking and achieving operational and tactical surprise. The headquarters of the fronts developed detailed plans for disinformation measures and the introduction of an enemy misconception, according to which preparation for the onset of the troops of the 1st and 2nd Belarusian fronts was imitated in the city of Shttatin and Guben. At the same time, at the central section of the 1st Belarusian front, where in reality the deposition of the main strike was planned, reinforced defensive work continued. Especially intensely they conducted on sites well-looking opponent. The entire personal composition of the armies clarified that the main task is to persistent defense. In addition, documents characterizing the activities of troops at various sections of the front were thrown into the arrangement of the enemy.
The arrival of reserves and parts of strengthening was carefully masked. Military echelons with artillery, mortar, tank parts on the territory of Poland were masked under the compositions carrying on the platforms of the forest and hay.
When carrying out reconnaissions, tank commanders from the battalion commander to the commander of the army were changed to the infantry form and under the guise of communication was examined by crossings and areas where their divisions will be focused.
The circle of awared people was limited. In addition to the commander, the stakes directive were allowed to acquaint only the headquarters of the armies, headquarters of the operational departments of the headquarters of armies and commander of artillery. Regiment commanders received tasks orally three days before the onset. The junior commanders and the Red Army teams on the offensive was allowed to declare two hours before the attack.

Rearrangeing forces
During the preparations for the Berlin operation, the 2nd Belorussian front, who had just completed the East Pomeranian operation, from 4 to 15 April 1945, was to transfer 4 general-official army to a distance of up to 350 km from Danzig and Gdynia Cities Area and Gdynia by River Oder and Change the army there of the 1st Belorussian Front. The poor condition of the railways and the sharp lack of rolling stock did not fully use the possibilities of railway transport, so the main severity of traffic fell on motor vehicles. Front was allocated 1900 cars. Part of the routes of the troops had to be overcome on foot. This was a complex maneuver of the troops of the whole front, - recalled Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky, - the like that was not throughout the Great Patriotic War.

Germany
The German command foresaw the onset of Soviet troops and carefully prepared for its reflection. Deeply echelonized defense was built from Oder to Berlin, and the city itself was turned into a powerful defensive citadel. The first line divisions were replenished with a personnel and technique, strong reserves were created in the operational depth. In Berlin and near him, a huge number of folksturma battalions were formed.


Character defense
The basis of defense was the Odesko-Neissensky defensive line and the Berlin defensive area. Odessa-Neissensky Rubage consisted of three defensive bands, and his total depth reached 20-40 km. The main defensive band had up to five solid lines of trenches, and her front edge took place along the left bank of the Oder and Neurov rivers. At 10-20 km from him, a second defense band was created. It was the most equipped in engineering attitude on green altitudes - in front of the Kustere Bridgehead. The third band was at a distance of 20-40 km from the front edge. When organizing and equipment defense, the German command skillfully used natural obstacles: lakes, rivers, channels, ravines. All settlements were turned into strong reference points and were adapted to circular defense. During the construction of the Odessa-Neissensky turn, special attention was paid to the organization of anti-tank defense.

Saturation of defensive positions by the troops The enemy was uneven. The greatest density of troops was observed before the 1st Belarusian front in a strip of a width of 175 km, where 23 divisions were occupied by 23 divisions, a significant number of individual brigades, regiments and battalions, and 14 divisions were defended against the Custrian bridgehead. In the offensive band of the 2nd Belarusian front, 7 infantry divisions and 13 separate regiments were defended by 120 km width. In the strip of the 1st Ukrainian front, a width of 390 km was 25 enemy divisions.

In an effort to increase resistance His troops in defense, the Nazi leadership tightened repressive measures. So, on April 15, in his appeal to the soldiers of the Eastern Front, A. Hitler demanded a shot at the place of all who would give an order to the departure or will be departed without an order.
Forces side the USSR
Total: Soviet troops - 1.9 million people, Polish troops - 155,900 people, 6250 tanks, 41,600 guns and mortars, more than 7,500 aircraft.
In addition, the 1st Belarusian Front had German formations, consisting of the former prisoners of soldiers and the Wehrmacht officers who gave consent to participate in the fight against the Hitler's regime (Zeidlitz's troops).

Germany
Total: 48 infantry, 6 tank and 9 motorized divisions; 37 separate infantry regiments, 98 separate infantry battalions, as well as a large number of separate artillery and special parts and compounds (1 million people, 10,400 guns and mortars, 1,500 tanks and assault guns and 3300 combat aircraft).
On April 24, the Battle joined the 12th Army under the command of General Infantry General V. Wreath, who previously engaged in defense on the Western Front.

Common Travel 1st Belorussian Front (April 16-25)
At 5 am Moscow time (2 hours before dawn) on April 16, artillery preparation began in the band of the 1st Belorussian Front. 9000 guns and mortars, as well as more than 1,500 installations of the PC-13 and BM-31 for 25 minutes, were grinding the first lane of German defense at the 27th kilometer breakthrough site. With the beginning of attack, the fire of artillery was transferred to deep defense, and 143 anti-aircraft spotlights were included in the breakthrough sites. Their dazzling light stunned the enemy and at the same time illuminated the road to the upcoming units. The first one and a half or two hours of the Soviet troops developed successfully, separate compounds came to the second defense band. However, soon the Nazis, relying on a strong and well-prepared second defense strip, began to provide fierce resistance. Along the front, tense battles broke out. Although in some parts of the front, the troops managed to master individual support points, they failed to achieve decisive success. A powerful resistance assembly, equipped on green heights, was irresistible for rifle compounds. This picked up the success of the entire operation.
In such an atmosphere, the commander of the front Marshal Zhukov took The decision to introduce the 1st Guards Tank Army to the Battle of the 1st and 2nd Guards Tank Army. This was not provided for by the plan of the offensive, however, the stubborn resistance of the German troops, demanded to strengthen the breakdown ability to enter into the battle armies. The course of the battle on the first day showed that the German command gives the deduction of the Zelian heights crucial. To strengthen defense at this site by the end of April 16, operational reserves of the "Vistula" armies were thrown. All day and all night on April 17, the troops of the 1st Belarusian front led fierce battles with the enemy. By the morning of April 18, tank and rifle compounds, with the support of aviation of the 16th and 18th air armies, took green heights. Overcoming the stubborn defense of German troops and reflecting violent counterattacks, the front troops to the end of April 19 broke through the third defensive band and got the opportunity to develop an offensive on Berlin.

Real threat to the environment Forced the commander of the 9th German army T. Busus to go out with a proposal for the army's discharge to the suburbs of Berlin and the lesson there is strong defense. Such a plan was supported by the Commander of the Army Group "Vistula" General Colonel Heinritz, however, Hitler rejected this proposal and ordered to hold the frontiers-friendly.

April 20 was marked by an artillery strike on Berlindeployed long-range artillery of the 79th Infantry Corps of the 3rd Shock Army. It was a kind of birthday Guitler. On April 21, part of the 3rd shock, the 2nd Guards Tank, the 47th and 5th shock armies overcoming the third defense strip, broke into the outskirts of Berlin and tied the battles there. The first to burst into Berlin from the east of the troops, which were part of the 26th Guards Corps of General P.A. Firsov and 32nd Corps General D. S. Zhelebin of the 5th shock army. On the evening of April 21 from the south to the city, the advanced parts of the 3rd Guards Tank Army P.S. Fishing. On 23 and 24 April, the fighting in all directions took a particularly fierce character. On April 23, the 9th Rifle Corps was achieved the greatest success in the storm of Berlin, under the command of General Major I.P. Reloble. The warriors of this building were resolved by the Karlshort, part of the shock and, going to the spree, with the go forced it. The ships of the Dniprovskoy military flotilla were provided with great help when crossing the spree, throwing rifle units under the opposite shore. Although by April 24, the pace of promotion of Soviet troops decreased, the Nazis could not stop them. On April 24, the 5th shock army, leading fierce battles, continued to successfully move towards the center of Berlin.
Acting at the auxiliary direction, 61st Army and the 1st Army of the Polish troops, starting the offensive on April 17, with stubborn battles overcoming German defense, went around Berlin from the north and moved to the Elbe.
1st Ukrainian Front (April 16-25)
The offensive of the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front developed more successfully. April 16 Early in the morning, a smoke curtain was delivered to the 390-kilometer front, blinded by the advanced observation points of the enemy. At 6 o'clock 55 minutes, after a 40-minute artillery strike at the front edge of German defense, reinforced battalions of the first echelon divisions began to force Neutse. Quickly capturing the bridgehead on the left bank of the river, they provided the conditions for the guidance of bridges and the crossing of the main forces. In the first hours of operation, the engineering troops of the front on the main direction of the strike were equipped with 133 crossings. With each hour, the number of forces and means transported to the bridgehead increased. In the middle of the day, the coming reached the second strip of German defense. Feeling the threat of a major breakthrough, the German command on the first day of the operation threw not only his tactical, but also the operational reserves, putting the task before them, reset the advancing Soviet troops into the river. Nevertheless, to the outcome of the day, the front of the front broke through the main defense strip at the front of 26 km and advanced to a depth of 13 km.

By morning April 17 Through Neur, the 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Army crossed in full. The entire day of the troops of the front, overcoming the stubborn resistance of the enemy, continued to expand and deepen the gap in German defense. Aviation support for the upcoming troops was rendered by the pilots of the 2nd air army. Assault Aviation, acting on the requests of land commanders, destroyed fire products and live enemy strength at the front edge. Bombarding aviation has a suitable reserve. By the middle of April 17, the following atmosphere was found in the strip of the 1st Ukrainian Front: in a narrow corridor, punishable forces of the 13th, 3rd and 5th Guards armies, the tank armies of fishing and Lebryushenko went to the west. By the end of the day, they approached the spree and began its forcing. Meanwhile, on the secondary, Dresden, the direction of the troops of the 52nd army of General K.A. Kovel and the 2nd Army Troops of Polish General K.K. Schurchavsky broke through the tactical defense of the enemy and in two days of the fighting advanced to a depth of 20 km.

Given the slow promotion of troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, as well as the success achieved in the strip of the 1st Ukrainian Front, on the night of April 18, the rate decided to turn the 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front to Berlin. In its order, the commander of fishing and Lelyushenko on the offensive wrote the front commander: on the main direction of the tank fist bolder and more decisively make his way forward. Cities and major settlements bypass and not get involved in protracted front fights. I demand firmly understand that the success of the tank armies depends on the bold maneuver and rapidness.
Performing the order of the commander, On April 18 and 19, the tank armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front were uncontrollable to Berlin. The pace of their offensive reached 35-50 km per day. At the same time, the general-official army was prepared for the elimination of major enemy groups in the area of \u200b\u200bCottbus and Spröbberg.
To the outcome of the day on April 20 The main shock grouping of the 1st Ukrainian Front was deeply wedged into the army of the enemy, and completely cut off the German Army Group from the Army Group Center. Feeling the threat caused by the rapid actions of the Tank Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front, the German command took a number of measures to strengthen the approaches to Berlin. To strengthen defense to the city area of \u200b\u200bTsosssen, Lukekenwalde, infantry and tank parts were urgently directed. Overcoming their stubborn resistance, tankers fishing on the night of April 21 reached the external Berlin defensive obligation.
By morning April 22The 9th Mehkorpus Sukhova and the 6th Guards Tank Corps of Mitrofanov 3rd Guards Tank Army forced the Notta Channel, broke through the external defensive distribution of Berlin and the end of the day came to the south coast of Telttovka. There, having met the strong and well-organized opponation resistance, they were stopped.

Day April 22 at the Hitler rate A meeting of the highest military leadership was held, at which it was decided to withdraw the 12th army V. Wreath from the Western Front and the direction of it on the connection with the semicircular 9th army T. Busus. For the organization of the 12th Army, Field Marshal Kaitel was sent to her headquarters. This was the last serious attempt to influence the course of battle, since to the outcome of the day on April 22, the troops of the 1st Belorussky and 1st Ukrainian fronts have formed and almost closed two rings of the environment. One thing is around the 9th Army of the enemy east and southeast of Berlin; Other - West Berlin, around parts directly defeated in the city.
Channel caval constituted a serious obstacle: Water filled with high concreted shores of forty width - fifty meters. In addition, his northern shore was very well prepared for defense: trenches, reinforced concrete dots, dried in the ground Tanks and self-propelled. Above the channel is almost solid, the walls of houses, torn by fire, with walls thick in meter and more. Assessing the situation, the Soviet command decided to spend thorough preparations for force-channel forcing. All day April 23, the 3rd Guards Tank Army was preparing for the assault. By morning on April 24, a powerful artillery grouping was concentrated on the southern bank of the channel, a density of up to 650 stems per kilometer of the front, designed to destroy German fortifications on the opposite shore. Having suppressed by the most powerful artillery strike, the enemy defense of the 6th Guards Tank Corrupts Major Mitrofanov General Mitrofanov successfully forced the channels-channel and captured a bridgehead on his northern coast. Day April 24, the 12th Army Wreath undertook the first tank attacks at the position of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps of General Yermakov (4th Guards Tank Army) and parts of the 13th Army. All attacks were successfully repulsed with the support of the 1st assault aviation case of Lieutenant General Ryazanov.

At 12 pm on April 25 West Berlin, the advanced parts of the 4th Guards Tank Army met with parts of the 47th Army of the 1st Belarusian Front. On the same day, another significant event occurred. After an hour and a half at Elbe, the 34th Guards Corps of General Baklanov of the 5th Guards Army met with American troops.
From April 25 to May 2, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front led fierce battles on three directions: parts of the 28th army, the 3rd and 4th Guards tank armies participated in the storm of Berlin; Part of the forces of the 4th Guards Tank Army, together with the 13th Army, reflected Kontrudar 12th German Army; The 3rd Guards Army and part of the forces of the 28th Army blocked and destroyed the surrounded 9th army.
All the time, from the beginning of the operation, command of the Army Center "Center" It was sought to ride the offensive of the Soviet troops. On April 20, the German troops inflicted the first counterpart on the left flank of the 1st Ukrainian Front and pushed the troops of the 52nd Army and the 2nd Army of Polish troops. On April 23, a new powerful counterudrome was followed, as a result of which the defense at the stake of the 52nd Army and the 2nd Army of Polish troops were broken and the German troops advanced 20 km in the overall direction to Spristeng, threatening to go to the front rear.

2nd Belorussian Front (April 20-8)
From April 17 to 19, the troops of the 65th Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front, under the command of General Colonel Batov P.I., conducted exploration of the fight and advanced detachments were mastered by Mezrechy Oder, thereby facilitating the following river forcing. On the morning of April 20, the main forces of the 2nd Belarusian Front passed on the offensive: 65, 70 and 49th Army. Forcing the Oder took place under the cover of artillery flame and smoke curtains. The most successful offensive developed at the plot of the 65th Army, which was the considerable merit of the army engineering troops. Having for 13 o'clock two 16-ton pontoon crossings, the troops of this army in the evening of April 20 captured a bridgehead of 6 and a depth of 1.5 kilometers.
We happened to watch the work of the sappers. Working on the throat in ice water among the gaps of the shells and mines, they brought the crossing. Every second they threatened death, but people understood their soldier's debt and thought about one - to help comrades in the West Bank and bring it to the victory.
More modest success was achievedin the central section of the front in the 30th Army Strine. The leftophlantic 49th army met stubborn resistance and did not have success. All day and all night on April 21, the troops of the front, beating numerous attacks of German troops, stubbornly expanded the bridgeheads on the West Bank of Oder. In the current situation, the commander of the front K. K. Rokossovsky decided to send the 49th Army to cross the right neighbor of the 70th Army, and then return to his offensive lane. By April 25, as a result of fierce battles, the front troops expanded the captured by a bridgehead to 35 km along the front and up to 15 km deep. To build a shock power to the West Coast, the Oder was shipped by the 2nd Impact Army, as well as the 1st and 3rd Guards Tank Cases. At the first stage of operation, the 2nd Belarusian front was the main forces of the 3rd German Tank Army, having deprived her opportunity to help fighting under Berlin. On April 26, the compounds of the 65th Army assault on Shttetin. In the future, the Army of the 2nd Belarusian Front breaking the opponent's resistance and pushing the appropriate reserves, stubbornly moved to the west. On May 3, the 3rd Guards Tank Corps of Panfilova South-west Wismar established a connection with the advanced parts of the 2nd British Army.

Liquidation of the Frankfurt-Guba Grouping
By the end of April 24, the compounds of the 28th Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front entered into contact with the parts of the 8th Guards Army of the 1st Belorussian Front, thereby surrounding the southeastern Berlin 9th Army of General Bouss and cutting it off from the city. Surrounded grouping of German troops became referred to - Frankfurt-Gubnaya. Now, before the Soviet command, the task of eliminating the 200-thousand-thousand enemy grouping and the prevention of its breakthrough in Berlin or west. To fulfill the last task, the 3rd Guards Army and part of the forces of the 28th Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front took an active defense on the way of a possible breakthrough of German troops. On April 26, the 3rd, 69th, and the 33rd Army of the 1st Belarusian Front began the final elimination of the surrounded parts. However, the enemy not only provided stubborn resistance, but he repeatedly made attempts to escape from the environment. Skilled maneuvering and skillfully creating superiority in the forces on the narrow sections of the front, the German troops managed to break through the ring of the environment. However, every time the Soviet command took decisive measures to eliminate breakthrough. Up until May 2, the early parts of the 9th German army took desperate attempts to break through the combat order of the 1st Ukrainian Front to the West, to connect to the 12th army of the general wreath. Only a separate small group managed to leak through the forests and go to the West.

Berlin's assault (April 25 - May 2)
At 12 o'clock in the afternoon, the ring around Berlin was closed on April 25, when the 6th Guards Cropus of the 4th Guards Tank Army forced the Hafer River and connected with the parts of the 328th division of the 47th Army of General Perchorovich. By the time, according to the assessment of the Soviet command, Berlin's garrison numbered at least 200 thousand people, 3 thousand guns and 250 tanks. The defense of the city was carefully thought out and well prepared. It was based on a strong fire system, reference points and resistance sites. The closer to the city center, the defense it became denser. Special strength was given massive stone buildings with a large wall thickness. The windows and doors of many buildings were climbed and turned into ambrusuras to lead fire. The streets overlapped with powerful barricades with thickness up to four meters. The defenders had a large number of faustparters, which in the situation of street fighting turned out to be a formidable anti-tank weapon. Incidentally important in the defense system, the enemy had underground structures that were widely used by the enemy for maneuver troops, as well as to cover them from artillery and bomb shocks.

By April 26 in Berlin's storm The six armies of the 1st Belorussian Front (47th, 3rd and 5th strikes, the 8th Guards, the 1st and 2nd Guards Tank Army) and the three armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front (28- I, 3rd and 4th Guards Tanks). Given the experience of taking major cities, assault detachments were created in the city in the city of rifle battalions or mouth, enhanced tanks, artillery and sappers. Actions of assault detachments, as a rule, were preceded by a short but powerful artillery preparation.

By April 27. As a result of actions deeply advanced to the center of Berlin armies of two fronts, the enemy grouping in Berlin stretched out a narrow strip from the east to the west - sixteen kilometers in length and two or three, in some places there are five kilometers wide. Fights in the city did not stop in the afternoon nor at night. Quarter over the quarter Soviet troops "threw up" the defense of the enemy. So, in the evening on April 28, parts of the 3rd shock army came to the Reichstag district. On the night of April 29, the actions of advanced battalions under the command of Captain S. A. Neztashen and Senior Lieutenant K. Ya. Samsonova was captured by the Moltke Bridge. At dawn on April 30, the assault price of considerable losses was captured by the building of the Ministry of the Interior, adjacent to the parliament building. The path to Reichstag was open.
April 30, 1945 at 21.30 parts of the 150th rifle division under the command of General Major in

How was the most important historical event. What preceded him, what were the plans and alignment of the forces of the opposing parties. As the operation of the Soviet troops on the capture of Berlin, the chronology of events, the assault of the Reichstag with the waters of the Victory Banner and the importance of the historical battle.

Taking Berlin and the fall of the Third Reich

By the middle of the spring of 1945, the main events unfolded at a significant part of German territory. By this time, Poland, Hungary, almost all Czechoslovakia, East Pomerania and Silesia were liberated. The troops of the Red Army liberated the capital of Austria - Vienna. Completed the defeat of large enemy groups in East Prussia, Kurland, on the landstone. Most of the coast of the Baltic Sea remained behind our army. Finland, Bulgaria, Romania and Italy were derived from the war.

In the south, the Yugoslav Army, together with the Soviet troops, cleaned most of the fascists most of the Serbia and its capital Belgrade. With the West allies, Raine forced and approached the end the operation by defeating the Ruhr grouping.

German economy has experienced tremendous difficulties. The raw materials of the previously occupied countries were lost. Continued the decline in industry. The production of military products for half a year has decreased by more than 60 percent. In addition, Wehrmacht experienced difficulties with mobilization resources. The call was already subject to sixteen years of youth. However, Berlin still remained not only by the political capital of fascism, but also a large economic center. In addition, on the Berlin direction, Hitler focused the main forces with a huge combat potential.

That is why the defeat of the Berlin group of German troops and mastering the capital of the Third Reich had so important. The battle for Berlin and his fall should have put an end to the Great Patriotic War and become a natural outcome of World War II 1939-1945.

Berlin offensive operation

In the sooner completion of hostilities, all participants in the anti-Hitler coalition were interested. Principal questions, namely: who will take Berlin, the section of influence in Europe, the post-war Germany and others were resolved in the Crimea at the conference in Yalta.

The opponent understood that the war was strategically lost, but in the current situation, he tried to extract tactical benefits. Its main task was to delay the war in order to search for exits for separatic negotiations with the Western Allies of the USSR to obtain more favorable conditions of surrender.

There is also the opinion that Hitler had hope for the so-called Retribution Weapon, which was at the final development stage and should turn the ratio of forces. That is why Wehrmachut required time, and the losses here did not play any role. Therefore, on the Soviet-German front, Hitler focused 214 divisions, and on American-English only 60.

Preparation of offensive operation, position and objective of the parties. The ratio of forces and means

With the German side, the protection of the Berlin Direction has been naked for groups of armies "Center" and "Vistula". The construction of echelonized defense was carried out from the beginning of 1945. The main part of it was the Odesko-Neissensky line and the Berlin defensive area.

The first was a deep defense of three bands wide up to forty kilometers, with powerful supporting points, engineering booms and areas prepared for flooding.

In the Berlin Defensive Area, three so-called defensive ring blades were equipped. The first, or external prepared at the distance from twenty-five to forty kilometers from the center of the capital. It included supporting points and resistance points in settlements, referees of defense along rivers and canals. The second main, or inner, depth of eight kilometers was held in the outskirts of Berlin. All frontiers and positions were tied to a single fire system. The third urban distribution coincided with the annular railway. Berlin himself, the command of the Hitler's troops broke on nine sectors. Leading to the center of the city of the street were barricaded, the first floors of the buildings were turned into long-term firepoints and structures, swallow trenches and caponies under guns and tanks. All positions joined the messages. For a hidden maneuver, as rocked roads, it was assumed to actively use the subway.

The operation of the Soviet troops on the seizure of Berlin began to be developed during the winter offensive.

Plan "Battle of Berlin"

The intention of the command was such - agreed by the blows of three fronts to break through the Odessa-Neissensky frontier, then, developing an offensive, to go to Berlin, surround the grouping of the enemy, to abump it into several parts and destroy. In the future, no later than 15 days from the beginning of the operation, reach Elba to connect to the allies troops. For this, the rate decided to attract the 1st and 2nd Belorussian and the 1st Ukrainian fronts.

Due to the fact that the Soviet-German front narrowed, the Hitlerians on the Berlin direction managed to achieve an incredible density of troops. In some sections, it reached 1 division by 3 kilometers of the front line. The Army Groups Center, Vistula included 48 infantry, 6 tank, 9 motorized divisions, 37 separate infantry regiments, 98 separate infantry battalions. Also, the Nazis had approximately two thousand aircraft, among which are 120 reactive. In addition, in the Berlin garrison, about two hundred battalions, the so-called folksturma, their total exceeded two hundred thousand people.

The three Soviet front numerically exceeded the enemy and had the 21st host army, 4 tank and 3 air, in addition, 10 separate tank and mechanized and 4 cavalry cases. The attraction of the Baltic fleet, the Dnieper military flotilla, far aviation and part of the military air defense of the country was also envisaged. In addition, Polish compounds were involved in the operation - they had consisting of 2 armies, a tank and aviation corps, 2 artillery divisions, a mortar brigade.

By the beginning of the operation, Soviet troops had an advantage over German:

  • in personnel by 2.5 times;
  • in guns and mortars 4 times;
  • in tanks and self-propelled artillery installations by 4.1 times;
  • in airplanes 2.3 times.

Start of operation

The offensive was to start April 16.. In front of him in the lane of the onset of the 1st Belorussky and 1st Ukrainian fronts, one by one rifle battalion was attempted to open fire products at the forefront of the opponent's defense.

IN 5.00 The appointed date started artillery preparation. After that, 1. -Y Belarusian front under the command of Marshal Zhukov Moved in the offensive, causing three strikes: one main and two auxiliary. The main in the direction of Berlin through the Zelian heights and the city of Zelov, auxiliary - north and south of the capital of Germany. The enemy stubbornly resisted, and the height from the skill did not succeed. After a number of bypass maneuvers only by the end of the day, our army finally took the city of green.

In the first and second day, battles were carried out in the first lane of the defense of the German fascists. Only on April 17, it was finally possible to break through the breach in the second strip. The German command tried to stop the offensive by entering into battle available reserves, but did not succeed in this. Battles continued on April 18 and 19. The pace of promotion remained very low. The fascists were not going to give up, their defense was filled with a large number of anti-tank agents. Tight artillery fire, stiffness of the maneuver because of the complex locality - all this affected the actions of our troops. Nevertheless, on April 19, at the end of the day, they broke through the third, the last strip of defense of this turn. As a result, for the first four days, the troops of the 1st Belarusian front advanced by 30 kilometers.

Of course, the occurrence of the 1st Ukrainian Front under the command of Marshal Konev was developed. In the first day, the troops forced the Neurov River, struck the first defense strip and wedged to a depth of 13 kilometers. The next day, throwing into battle the main forces of the front, they broke through the second strip and advanced by 20 kilometers. The enemy moved over the river Sprey. Wehrmacht, preventing a deep bypass of the entire Berlin group, transferred reserves of the Center for this site. Despite this, our troops on April 18 forced the Sprey River and hacked the front edge of the defense of the third strip. At the end of the third day in the direction of the main strike, the 1st Ukrainian Front advanced to a depth of 30 kilometers. In the process of further movement to the second half of April, our parts and compounds cut off the group of Army "Vistula" from the Center. Large enemy forces hit a semicircle.

The troops of the 2nd Belarusian front, which was commanded by Marshal Rokossovsky, According to the plan, they should have come on April 20, but in order to facilitate the task of the Troops of the 1st Belarusian Front, they began to forcing Oder 18 numbers. With their actions, they pulled part of the forces and reserves of the enemy on themselves. Preparations for the main phase of the operation was completed.

Storm Berlin

All 3 Soviet fronts before April 20 mainly fulfilled the task of the breakthrough of the Oder-Neissensky turn and the destruction of the Hitler's troops in the suburbs of Berlin. It was time to move to the sturm of the German capital.

Start of battle

The troops of the 1st Belorussian Front on April 20 began to shelling the Okrain of Berlin long-range artillery, and 21 broke through the first circuit round. From April 22, battles were already carried out directly in the city. The distance between the troops of the 1st Belorussian and the 1st Ukrainian Front of the 1st Belarusian and the 1st Ukrainian Front was reduced. The prerequisites for the complete environment of the German capital were created, it was also possible to cut off from the city and take a large grouping of the 9th Infantry Army of the enemy with a number of up to two hundred thousand people, with the task of preventing her breakthrough to Berlin or waste to the West. This plan was embodied on July 23 and 24.

To avoid the environment, the command of the Wehrmacht decided to remove all the troops from the Western Front and throw the capital on the Deedokad and surrounded by the 9th Army. From April 26, part of the forces of the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belarusian fronts occupied defense. It was necessary to prevent a breakthrough both from the inside and outside.

Fights to destroy the surrounded group continued until May 1. In some areas, the German-fascist troops managed to break through the defense ring and go out in the western direction, but these attempts were precurable in time. Only small groups were able to break through and surrender to the Americans. In total, about 120 thousand soldiers and officers and officers, a large number of tanks and fields and officers, a large number of tanks and field weapons were taken prisoner in this site. "Troops of the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belarusian Fronts, a large number of tanks and field guns.

April 25, Soviet troops met with American on the Elbe. Through competently organized defense and access to the Elbe, the division of the 1st Ukrainian Front created a very successful bridgehead. He gained important for subsequent attack on Prague.

Culmination of the Berlin battle

Meanwhile, in Berlin, hostilities reached their apogee. The assault detachments and groups carried out the progress of the city. They were consistently moved from the building to the building, from the quarter to the quarter, from the area to the district, destroying the foci of resistance, disrupting the management of the defendants. In the city, the use of tanks was limited.

However, the tanks in the battle for Berlin played an important role. We were not afraid of Berlin Tankists in Tank Battles on the Kursk Dug, with the liberation of Belarus and Ukraine. But they were used only in dense interaction with infantry. Single attempts, as a rule, led to losses. Artillery units collided with certain features of the application. Part of them were attached to assault groups for the shooting of a straight flooring and shooting for destruction.

Reichstag assault. Banner over Reichstagom

On April 27, battles began for the city center, which were not interrupted during the day or night. Berlin garrison did not stop the struggle. From April 28, she again flared up near Reichstag. Her troops organized the 3rd shock army of the 1st Belorussian Front. But our fighters could come close to the building only on April 30.

The storm groups were distributed red flags, one of which belonged to the 150th rifle division of the 3rd shock army of the 1st Belorussian Front, later became a victory banner. It was watered on May 1 at the front of the building fighters of the rifle regiment Idritsky Division M.A.Gorov and M.V Cantarium. It was a symbol of taking the main fascist citadel.

Victory bannamers

While the preparation for the Victory Parade in June 1945, did not even have a question to be appointed by Victory Znamers. It was Egorov and Cantarians who were entrusted to act as assistants of a banquer and carry the banner of victory on the country's main square.

Unfortunately, the plans were not given. Frontoviki, defeated fascists, could not cope with the science. In addition, combat wounds were still felt. In spite of everything, they trained very diligently, do not regret neither forces or time.

Marshal G. K. Zhukov, who took that famous parade, looked at the rehearsal of the ban's ban and came to the conclusion that for the heroes of the battle for Berlin it will be too difficult. Therefore, he ordered the removal of the banner to cancel and hold a parade without this symbolic part.

But after 20 years, two heroes carried away the banner of victory in Red Square. It happened at the 1965 victory parade.

Taking Berlin

Reichstag assault Taking Berlin did not end. By May 30, the German troops, defeated the city, were dissected into four parts. The management of them turned out to be completely broken. The Germans were on the verge of disaster. By the same day, Führer reduced bills with life. On May 1, the head of the Wehrmachta General Staff General General Krebs came to negotiations with the Soviet command and offered to temporarily stop the fighting. Zhukov put forward the only requirement - unconditional capitulation. It was rejected, and the assault resumed.

On May 2, the Commander of the Defense of Germany, General Vaidling, the commander of the Defense of Germany, and our radio stations began to accept the post of Hitlerians with a request for cessation of fire. By 15.00 resistance completely stopped. Historical assault ended.

The battle for Berlin ended, but the offensive operation continued. The 1st Ukrainian Front began regrouping, the purpose of which was an offensive on Prague and the liberation of Czechoslovakia. At the same time, the 1st Belorussian by May 7 came out a wide front to the Elbe. The 2nd Belarusian reached the shore of the Baltic Sea, and also entered into cooperation with the 2nd British army, positioning on the Elbe. In the future, he began the liberation of the Danish islands in the Baltic Sea.

Results of the assault Berlin and all Berlin Operations

The active phase of the Berlin operation continued a little more than two weeks. Her results are:

  • the large grouping of the Nazis, the command of the Wehrmacht has practically lost the management of the remaining troops;
  • captive the bulk of the highest leadership of Germany, as well as almost 380 thousand soldiers and officers;
  • the experience of applying different types of troops in urban battles was obtained;
  • an invaluable contribution to Soviet military art was made;
  • according to different estimates, it was the Berlin Operation that the US and British leadership began to begin the war against the USSR.

On the night of May 9, Field Marshal General Keitel in Potsdam signed an act, meaning the full and unconditional surrender of Germany. So May 9 became the day of the Great Victory. There soon was the conference, on which the fate of post-war Germany was solved and the map of Europe was finally cleared. Until the final of World War II, 1939-1945 remained a few more months.

All the characters of the battle were marked by the leadership of the USSR. More than six hundred people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In addition, with the aim of recognizing special merit to the fatherland, a medal was developed "For the capture of Berlin." An interesting fact - battles in the German capital were still continued, and in Moscow already presented a sketch of the future medal. The Soviet leadership wanted Russian soldiers to know - wherever they felt in the glory of the Motherland, their awards will find their heroes.

More than a million people were awarded. In addition to our soldiers, the coils of the Polish troops also received medals, especially distinguished in battles. Such awards established for victory in cities beyond the borders of the USSR, a total of seven.

This article describes a brief battle for Berlin - the decisive and final operation of the Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War. She consisted in the final destruction of the fascist army and the capture of the capital of Germany. Successful completion of the operation marked the victory of the Soviet Union and the whole world over fascism.

Plans of the parties before the operation
By April 1945, as a result of a successful offensive, the Soviet troops were in the immediate vicinity of the capital of Germany. The battle for Berlin was important not only in militarily, but also in ideological. The Soviet Union sought, ahead of allies, to master the capital of Germany in a short time. Soviet troops should have completed the bloodshed of a bloody war, watersing their banner over Reichstag. The desired date of completion of the war was April 22 (Lenin's birthday).
Hitler, realizing that the war in any case was played, wanted to resist to the end. It is not known, in which mental state, Hitler was by the end of the war, but his actions and statements look crazy. Berlin, according to him, becomes the last bastion, the Citadel of the German nation. It should defend each German who can wear weapons. The battle for Berlin should become a triumph of fascism, on this the offensive of the Soviet Union will be stopped. On the other hand, the Fuhrer argued that the best Germans were killed in previous battles, and the German people did not fulfill their world mission. Anyway, the fascist propaganda brought its fruits until the very end of the war. The Germans showed exceptional perseverance and courage in final battles. An important role was played by the fear of the expected revenge of Soviet soldiers for the atrocities of the fascists. Even understanding that the victory is no longer possible, the Germans had resisted, hoping for passing by the Western troops.

The ratio of power
Soviet troops, approaching Berlin at a distance of about 50 km, were an impressive offensive group. The total number was about 2.5 million people. The operation participated: 1st Belorussky (Zhukov), 2nd Belorussky (Rokossovsky) and 1st Ukrainian (Konev) fronts. Berlin's defenders focused 3-4-fold superiority in military equipment. The Soviet Army has accumulated extensive experience in conducting hostilities, including storming fortified cities. Among the soldier was a huge motivation in the victorious ending of the war
German troops (Army Groups "Vistula" and "Center") numbered about 1 million people. Berlin glanced three well-fortified defense rings. The most protected was a plot in the area of \u200b\u200bZeelovsky heights. Directly Berlin Garrison (Commander - General Vaidling) had 50 thousand people in its composition. The city was divided into eight sectors of defense (around the circumference), plus - the central fortified sector. After the surroundings of Berlin by Soviet troops, the number of defendants, according to different estimates, ranged from 100 to 300 thousand people. In their composition, the most combed to be the remnants of the broken troops, defeated the suburbs of Berlin, and also the blood garrison of the city. The rest of the defenders were scored from the residents of Berlin, making the folk militia detachments (Volkssturm), mostly old men and children from 14 years, which simply did not have time to go through any military training. The situation was complicated by the fact that the sharpness of the lack in arms and ammunition was felt. There are information that one rifle accounted for by the beginning of the immediate battle for Berlin for every three defenders. Just enough only Faustpatron, which really became a serious problem for Soviet tanks.
The construction of urban defensive structures began late and was not fully completed. Nevertheless, the storming of a large city is always big difficulty, since it does not allow to fully use heavy equipment. Houses turned into peculiar fortresses, many bridges, an extensive metro network - these are factors that helped to keep the onslaught of Soviet troops.

I Stage (Start Operation)
The main role in the operation was assigned to the commander of the 1st Belarusian Front of Marshal Zhukov, whose task was the assault on the most fortified Zeelian heights and accession to the capital of Germany. Battle for Berlin began on April 16 with powerful artillery training. The Soviet command was first applied to the use of powerful spotlights for blinding and disorganizing the enemy. This, however, did not bring the desired results and had only a certain psychological factor. The German troops had stubborn resistance, and the pace of the offensive was lower than the expected. The opposing parties carried huge losses. However, it began to start the superiority of the Soviet forces and by April 19 at the main shock direction of the troops broke the resistance of the Third Ring of Defense. There were conditions for the environment of Berlin from the north.
In the southern direction they acted for the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front. The offensive began on April 16 and immediately allowed far to move deep into German defense. April 18, the tank armies were forced by r. Spree and started an offensive on Berlin from the south.
The troops of the 2nd Belarusian front should have forced p. Oder and his actions provide support for Marshal Zhukov to cover Berlin from the north. April 18-19, the front began an offensive and achieved significant success.
By April 19, the joint efforts of the three fronts, the main resistance of the enemy was broken, the opportunity appeared for the full environment of Berlin and the defeat of the remaining groups.

Stage II (County of Berlin)
From April 19, the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belarusian fronts develop an offensive. Already on April 20, artillery applies first blows on Berlin. The next day, the troops enter the northern and southeastern regions of the city. On April 25, the tank armies of two fronts are connected, thereby making the environment of Berlin. On the same day, there is a meeting of Soviet troops with allies on r. Elbe. This meeting was of great importance as a symbol of the joint struggle against the fascist threat. The garrison of the capital turns out to be completely cut off from other German groups. The remnants of the Army Groups "Center" and "Vistula", which made up the external borders of defense turn out to be in the boilers and partially destroyed, they are paid to or attempts to break through the West.
The troops of the 2nd Belarusian front roll up the 3rd tank army and thus deprive her possibility of applying counterdard.

III Stage (completion of the operation)
Before the Soviet troops there was a challenge for the surroundings and the destruction of the remaining German forces. The decisive was the victory over the largest - Frankfurt-Gubnaya grouping. The operation passed from April 26 to May 1 and ended with almost complete destruction of the grouping.
About 460 thousand Soviet soldiers took part in the battle of Berlin. By April 30, the forces of the defendants were dissected into four parts. The defense of Reichstag was a fierce character, battles were literally for each room. Finally, in the morning of May 2, the Commander of the garrison General Vaidling signed an act of unconditional surrender. This was announced through the loudspeakers throughout the city.
Soviet troops on a wide front came to p. Elbe, as well as to the coast of the Baltic Sea. The rearrangement of forces began for the final liberation of Czechoslovakia.
On the night of May 9, 1945, representatives of Germany, the USSR and the Allies were signed an act of full and unconditional surrender of Germany. Humanity celebrated victory over the greatest threat to the whole world - fascism.

Evaluation and value of the battle for Berlin
Berlin's capture is ambiguously estimated in historical science. Soviet historians spoke about the genius of the Berlin operation, its careful development. In the post-pre-trial time, they pointed to unjustified losses, on the meaninglessness of the assault, on the fact that the defending practically did not remain. Truth is also contained in those and in other statements. Berlin's recent defenders have been significantly inferior to the attackers, but do not forget about the strength of the impact of Hitler's propaganda, forcing people to give their lives for the Fuhrera. This explains the exceptional perseverance in defense. Soviet troops really suffered large losses, but the battle for Berlin and the flag waters on the Reichstag were needed by the people as a regular one of their incredible suffering during the war years.
The Berlin Operation was the final stage of the struggle of the world's leading powers against the fascist regime of Germany. The main culprit of the decoupling of the bloody war was defeated. The chief ideologist - Hitler committed suicide, the highest leaders of the Nazi state were captured or killed. Victory in World War II was not far off. For a while (before the beginning of the Cold War), humanity felt its unity and the possibility of joint actions in the face of serious danger.

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Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation (Berlin Operation, Taking Berlin) - an offensive operation of Soviet troops during the Great Patriotic War, which ended with the take of Berlin and victory in the war.

The military operation was carried out on the territory of Europe from April 16 to May 9, 1945, during which the territories captured by the Germans were released and taken under the control of Berlin. Berlin operation has become the last in the Great Patriotic War and World War II.

The following smaller operations were carried out in the Berlin operation:

  • Shtttinsko-Rostokskaya;
  • Zelovsko-Berlin;
  • Cottbus Potsdam;
  • Steterberg Torgau;
  • Brandenburg-Ratenovskaya.

The purpose of the operation was the capture of Berlin, which would allow Soviet troops to open the way to connect with the allies on the Elbe River and not allow Hitler to tighten the second world war for a longer period.

The course of the Berlin Operation

In November 1944, the General Staff of the Soviet troops began planning an offensive operation on the approaches to the German capital. The operation was supposed to defeat the German group of army "A" and finally release the occupied territories of Poland.

At the end of the same month, the German army undertook a counteroffensive in Ardennes and was able to push the allied troops, thereby putting them practically on the edge of defeat. To continue the war, the Allies needed support for the USSR - for this, the leadership of the United States and Great Britain appealed to the Soviet Union with a request to send their troops and conduct offensive operations to distract Hitler and give allions the opportunity to recover.

The Soviet command agreed, and the USSR army began an offensive, but the operation began before almost a week, which was not enough training and, as a result, large losses.

Already by mid-February, Soviet troops were able to force Oder - the last obstacle to Berlin. The capital of Germany remained a little more than seventy kilometers. From this point on, the battles took more protracted and fierce character - Germany did not want to give up and he tried to keep the Soviet offensive with all their might, but it was quite difficult to stop the Red Army.

At the same time, on the territory of Eastern Prussia, preparation for the storming of the Königsberg fortress, which was extremely well strengthened and seemed almost indepressible. For the assault, the Soviet troops conducted a thorough art preparation that as a result of Alo its fruits - the fortress was unusually quick.

In April 1945, the Soviet army began preparations for the long-awaited storm of Berlin. The leadership of the USSR adhered to the opinion that in order to achieve success of the entire operation, it is urgent to carry out assault, not tightening, since the delay in the war itself can lead to the fact that the Germans will be able to open another front in the West and conclude a separate world. In addition, the leadership of the USSR did not want to give Berlin the forces of the Allies.

Berlin offensive operation was prepared very carefully. The in the outskirts of the city were transferred huge stocks of military military equipment and ammunition, the strengths of three fronts were pushed. Commanded the operation of Marshals G.K. Zhukov, K.K. Crosovsky and I.S. Koniev. In total, more than 3 million people participated in the battle on both sides.

Storm Berlin

The city's assault began on April 16 at 3 am. In the light of the spotlights, one and a half hundred tanks and infantry attacked the defensive positions of the Germans. The fierce battle was four days, after which the forces of the three Soviet fronts and the troops of the Polish army managed to take the city into the ring. On the same day, Soviet troops met with the Allied on the Elbe. As a result of the four days of battles, several hundred thousand people were captured, dozens of armored vehicles were destroyed.

However, despite the offensive, Hitler was not going to hand over Berlin, he insisted that the city should be retained by anything. Hitler refused to surrender even after the Soviet troops came close to the city, he threw all the existing human resources, including children and old people, on the field of hostilities.

On April 21, the Soviet Army was able to reach the outskirts of Berlin and tie there street battles - German soldiers fought until the latter, following the order of Hitler not to give up.

On April 29, Soviet soldiers began the assault on the Reichstag building. On April 30, the Soviet flag was watered on the building - the war was over, Germany was defeated.

Results of the Berlin Operation

Berlin operation put an end to the Great Patriotic and World War II. As a result of the rapid offensive of the Soviet troops, Germany was forced to surrender, all the chances of the opening of the second front and the conclusion of the world with the allies were torn. Hitler, having learned about the defeat of his army and the entire fascist regime committed self.