West European Studies

The Battle of Berlin was considered as the culminating battle between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. The Soviets deployed more than a million troops for operation, a million artillery pieces, and thousands of tanks and aircraft. The main soviet thrust was directed against Berlin, the German capital.

The Spring Campaign of 1945 included the Siege of Konigsberg (March 13-April 9, 1945), Battle of Berlin (April 16-May 8, 1945), and The Prague Offensive. The Soviets planned to simultaneously divulge Berlin in four fronts. Stalins intention was to capture Berlin and grasp the final victory.

Stalins Deception
Stalins conformity with the Supreme Allied Commanders plan was a part of his deception  a political calculation. Contrary to the Soviet military plan, Stalin insisted the capture of Berlin and press Soviet commanders to launch the offensive in the second half of April. Stalins actions were intended to hide his overall political intentions  that is, to build up Soviet influence in Eastern and Central Europe. By capturing Berlin, the Soviets would have achieved political victory over the Allies.

Red Armys attack to Berlin
The strategic offensive plan of the Red Army was directed against the Army Group Vistula. The plan was to encircle and attack the baffled German forces and cut reinforcements from Eastern Europe. The three offensive fronts included Zhukovs First Belorussian Front, Konevs First Ukrainian Front and Rokossovskys Third Belorussian Front. To surround the city from the north, Zhukov together with his troops decided to attack directly toward Berlin from Kustrin bridgehead on the 16th of April. Simultaneously, the First Ukrainian Front of Konev pushed their strength across the Oder to the south to encircle Berlin from the southwest. Days after the simultaneous attack of the Red Army, the troops of Rokossovsky attacked the Germans in the coastal plain in the north of Berlin.

With the combined attacks of Konev and Zhukov, the Germans Army Group Vistula had been overrun on April 20. Continuously in offensive attack, Zhukov had destroyed the defensive fronts of the Germans in Oder-Neisse area and defeated Army Group Vistula on the Seelow Heights and Muncheberg. On the 25th of April, Berlin was surrounded on three fronts.

The German defense was tight and powerful, inflicting great casualties from the Red Army. The citys urban terrain together with its many canals and rivers was favorable for defense.  On the 28th of April, the Soviets captured the bridge of Postdamerstrasse. The soviets suffered thousands of casualties because of the impeccable defense of the SS Anhalt Regiment.  The Soviets launched their attacked on Reichstag with rings of artillery fire. The Red Army used the Reichstag both as a hiding place and as bait. It was only on the night of April 30 that the Soviets were able to penetrate the building and capture the remaining German forces.

Surrender and Aftermath
Most of the Berlins defenders attempted to break out of the city center in different directions on the night of May 1. The Reich Chancellery was confined by the Soviets on the morning of May 2.  In the same day, German army officer, General Hasso von Manteuffel and General Kurt von Tippelskirch surrendered to the US forces.

The Germans suffered 458,000 casualties and 479, 298 captured.  The estimated civilian loses amounts to 125,000. After the war, the Soviets tried their best to rehabilitate the survivors of the war. The Battle of Berlin also affected the division of Eastern and Western Germany.