The+Battle+of+Berlin

The **Battle of Berlin**, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the [|Soviet Union], was the final major [|offensive] of the [|European Theatre of World War II].[|[][|nb 6][|]] Starting on 16 January 1945, the [|Red Army] breached the [|German] front as a result of the [|Vistula–Oder Offensive] and advanced westward as much as 40 kilometres a day, through [|East Prussia], [|Lower Silesia], [|East Pomerania], and [|Upper Silesia], temporarily halting on a line 60 kilometres east of Berlin along the [|Oder River]. During the offensive, two Soviet [|fronts] ([|army groups]) attacked Berlin from the east and south, while a third overran German forces positioned north of Berlin. The [|Battle in Berlin] lasted from late 20 April 1945 until the morning of 2 May and was one of the [|bloodiest battles] in history. The first defensive preparations at the outskirts of Berlin were on 20 March, when the newly appointed commander of the [|Army Group Vistula], General [|Gotthard Heinrici], correctly anticipated that the main Soviet thrust would be made over the [|Oder River]. Before the main battle in Berlin commenced, the Soviets managed to encircle the city as a result of the smaller battles of the [|Seelow Heights] and [|Halbe]. During 20 April 1945, the [|1st Belorussian Front] led by [|Marshal] [|Georgy Zhukov] started shelling Berlin's city centre, while Marshal [|Ivan Konev]'s [|1st Ukrainian Front] had pushed in the north through the last formations of [|Army Group Centre]. The German defences were mainly led by [|Helmuth Weidling] and consisted of several depleted, badly equipped, and disorganised //[|Wehrmacht]// and [|Waffen-SS] divisions, as well as many //[|Volkssturm]// and [|Hitler Youth] members. Within the next days, the Soviets were rapidly advancing through the city and were reaching the city centre, conquering the //[|Reichstag]// on 30 April after fierce fighting. Before the battle was over, German [|Führer] [|Adolf Hitler] and many of his followers committed suicide. The city's defenders finally surrendered on 2 May. However, fighting continued to the north-west, west and south-west of the city until the [|end of the war in Europe] on 8 May (9 May in the Soviet Union) as German units fought westward so that they could surrender to the Western Allies rather than to the Soviets.