226 ENDGAME AND AFTERMATH 194 4 –1955
ALLIED VICTORY IN EUROPE
Hitler’s determination to fight to the finish condemned Germany to massive destruction in the final
phase of the war in Europe. However, victory for the Allies was not achieved until Soviet troops
raised the hammer and sickle flag over the ruins of Berlin.
In December 1944, with the Allies closing in on Germany,
Hitler made a last attempt to turn the tide of the war,
launching a surprise offensive in the Ardennes, in Belgium,
Luxembourg, and northeastern France. The initial success
of this operation—named the Battle of the Bulge because
of the bulging shape created when the Germans pushed
through the Allied front line—was testimony to the
remarkable tenacity of the German army, but Hitler’s
plan for a decisive breakthrough failed. The US troops
held key positions and once poor weather had cleared,
the Allies could resume their air attacks, which were
having a decisive effect. Meanwhile, the
Germans were running
out of fuel.False hopes
By January 1945, with the Ardennes offensive failing and
Soviet troops ready to invade Germany from the east, the
German position seemed hopeless. However, the Nazi
regime retained the will to fight and many of its people
remained loyal. While the Führer dreamed of miracles,
young and old were marshalled for a final, desperate
homeland defense. Hitler’s remaining hope was for the
Western Allies and the Soviet Union to have a major
disagreement, but this did not happen. The Yalta conference
of Allied leaders in February confirmed broad agreement on
the immediate practical concerns of the wartime alliance,
such as the military occupation of Germany, while skirting
around more intractable future political issues. There was no
“race for Berlin”; instead, the Western Allies were content
to let the Soviets enjoy the honor—and suffer the
casualties—involved in taking the city.Carnage on an epic scale
The scale of the destruction and disruption in
the last months of the war was staggering. The
resumption of the Soviet advance in January 1945
triggered the mass evacuation of German civilians
from East Prussia and the Baltic. Having won
control of the air over Germany at great cost, the
Allied air forces proceeded to destroy German
towns and cities in attacks that no longer served
any clear military purpose.
As Soviet forces fought their way into Berlin
in late April, US and Soviet troops met at the
Elbe River. The discovery of the Nazi death△ The face of war
A soldier from an SS panzer division
shows signs of combat exhaustion
during the Battle of the Bulge in the
winter of 1944–1945.▷ Meeting at Torgau
US and Soviet troops meet in friendly
fashion at Torgau, on the Elbe, as the
Allies overrun Germany from east and
west in April 1945.DEC 194 4 JAN 1945 FEBEASTERN FRONTWESTERN FRONTLEADERS AND DIPLOMACYDec 16, 1944 Germany
launches surprise offensive
in the ArdennesJan 12, 1945 Soviets
launch major offensive in
Poland and East PrussiaJan 30, 1945 More
than 9,000 German
refugees die in sinking
of Wilhelm GustloffFeb 13, 1945 Soviet
forces capture
Budapest after
lengthy battleDec 21–26, 1944 US
troops hold out under
siege at BastogneJan 27, 1945
Soviet troops
liberate AuschwitzJan 25, 1945
Ardennes offensive
ends in costly
German defeatFeb 13–15, 1945
Allied air forces
bomb Dresden,
killing some
35,000 peopleFeb 4–11, 1945
Yalta conference
attended by Churchill,
Roosevelt, and StalinTHE THIRD REICH’S
LAST STAND
The Ardennes operation,
launched on December 16, 1944,
was the German army’s last
offensive. The Soviet advance on
Germany, which began in January
1945, carried the fighting deep into
the country, and the Western
Allies crossed the Rhine in March.
The death of Roosevelt on April 12
gave Hitler a glimmer of hope,
but it made no difference to the
conduct of the war. Hostilities
continued for a week after Hitler’s
suicide as surrenders were
arranged on different fronts.US_226-227_N_Allied_Victory_in_Europe.indd 226 04/03/19 11:55 AM