242 ENDGAME AND AFTERMATH 1944–1955
El
be
Ne
iss
e
Elb
e
O
de
r
Spree
Sp
re
e
1st US
Army
9th US
Army
German
12th Army German
9th Army
German 3rd
Panzer Army
2nd British Army
1st Ukrainian
Front
1st Belorussian
Front
2nd Belorussian
Front
Stralsund
Ribnitz
Mecklenburg Neubrandenburg
Güstrow
Wismar
Dresden
Kamenz
Potsdam
Brandenburg
Ketzin
Prenzlau
Friedland
Wittenberge
Pritzwalk
Stettin
Schwedt
Küstrin
Frankfurt-
an-der-Oder
Rostock
Luckau
Beelitz
Elsterwerda
Torgau
Herzberg
Wittenberg
Dessau
Halle
Berlin
Oranienburg
Waren
Demmin
Greifswald
Swinemünde
G R
E A T E R
G E
R M A N Y
BERLIN
Ministry of
the Interior
(Gestapo)
Humboldt
Basin
Tiergarten
Hitler’s
bunker
Spr
ee
R
iv
er
Brandenburg
Gate
Reichstag
Lehrter
Station
Hall of
Congress
Reichs
Chancellery
18th
Panzergrenadier
3rd
Shock
Army
8th Guards Army
1st Ukrainian
Front
BERLIN SURROUNDED
Three Soviet armies punched through German
defenses and swept across Germany, rapidly
encircling Berlin and cutting the city off.
Apr 16–19 Battle of Seelow Heights;
around 1 million Soviet soldiers
attack the defenses known as the
“Gates of Berlin.”
Apr 26
Rokossovsky
captures Stettin.
Apr 24–May 1
The Battle of Halbe
claims the lives
of 60,000 soldiers
on each side,
as well as up to
10,000 civilians.
Apr 26 The 3rd Panzer
Army is pinned down at
Mecklenburg.
Apr 25 Soviet
armies meet
at Ketzin.
Apr 25 Soviet and
US armies meet at
Torgau (see p.238).
May 2 The British capture
Wismar; Rokossovsky reaches
the city five days later.
BERLIN ENCIRCLED APRIL 20–28, 1945
Zhukov’s forces swept west around the north of
Berlin, while Konev advanced from the south, nearly
trapping the German 9th Army; Konev sent a
spearhead to join the 1st US Army at Torgau. When
the two Soviet armies met at Ketzin on April 25,
Berlin was encircled. Hitler ordered the 12th Army
to advance to Potsdam, join the retreating 9th
Army, and counterattack the Soviets. The plan was
a disaster. The 9th Army was cut off and massacred
in the forests near Halbe, and their remnants joined
the 12th Army only to retreat toward the Elbe.
4
Combined
Soviet advance
Apr 20–25
Battle
of Halbe
US advance
to Torgau
German pockets
German 12th
Army advance
German 9th
Army break out
German 12th
Army retreat
◁ Berlin taken
The Soviet flag is raised over
the Reichstag. This photo, taken
by Yevgeny Khaldei on May 2,
became an iconic image of the war.
1
Battle of
Seelow Heights
1st Belorussian Front
advance, Apr 16–19
THE BATTLE OF SEELOW HEIGHTS
APRIL 16–19, 1945
The final drive on Berlin began on April 16 with a
huge artillery and aerial bombardment of German
positions to the east of the capital. Zhukov’s 1st
Belorussian Front attacked from the east but
became entangled in the defenses around the
Seelow Heights, suffering heavy losses. They broke
through the last line of the Seelow defenses on
April 19, leaving nothing between them and Berlin.
2
1st Ukrainian Front advance,
Apr 16–19
PROGRESS TO THE SOUTH
APRIL 16–19, 1945
While Zhukov was engaged at Seelow, where
he lost some 30,000 troops and hundreds of
tanks, the 1st Ukrainian Front under Konev was
making progress south-east of Berlin. By April 18,
Konev had crossed the Spree River and elements
of his force were moving north-west toward
Berlin, hoping to capture the city before Zhukov’s
forces could reach it.
3
2nd Belorussian Front advance, Apr 18–May 7
NORTHERN ATTACKS
APRIL 18–MAY 7, 1945
To the north of Berlin, the 2nd Belorussian
Front under General Konstantin Rokossovsky
conducted a third offensive. After crossing the
marshy ground around the Oder River, the army
fanned out north-west toward Germany’s Baltic
coast. Caught by the Soviet advance, the German
3rd Panzer Army was successfully tied down
in Mecklenburg and prevented from going to
Berlin’s aid for the remainder of the campaign.
US_242-243_Fall_of_Berlin.indd 242 22/03/19 2:40 PM