The Battle of Berlin is the last strategic offensive operation of the Soviet Army during the Second World War on the eastern front, which covered a vast territory and during which the German capital was captured and the war in Europe ended. This operation lasted twenty three days. During this time, Soviet troops managed to advance to the capital of Germany. The battle ended with the assault on the Reichstag.
The Armed Forces of the USSR proceeded from the policy of surrender of Germany in the military, economic and political fields. The main goal in this case was the complete elimination of fascism not only in the state, but also in the social system, as well as bringing to justice the main Nazi attackers for their crimes, destruction and massacres.
During the development of the Berlin operation, the actions of the Allied forces were taken into account, which in early spring 1945 entered the Rhine and began to force it in order to further launch an offensive in the center of Germany.
Before the battle for Berlin was to take place, it was planned to take control of the Ruhr area, and then push the British and American troops to the Elbe in the Berlin direction. At the same time, French troops were supposed to capture Stuttgart, Munich and go to Austria and Czechoslovakia.
However, the German government, wishing to defend the capital and avoid surrender, attracted all the funds of the country. It advanced all ground troops and aircraft against the Soviet army. At the same time, the fascist government continued to seek an agreement with England and the United States, trying to avoid surrender and relying on a coalition split. Germany was ready to give them the capital, only so that the battle for Berlin would not begin.
The forces of the Red Army were incredibly superior to the forces of the Wehrmacht. The basis of the German defense in Berlin was an extensive system of protective reinforced concrete structures: bunkers, pillboxes, which were equipped with guns and machine guns. Around all this, a radar observation post system was deployed.
Zhukov was supposed to storm the defensive line at the Zaelovsky heights, which blocked the road to Berlin. Konev was supposed to force Neisse, and Rybalko and Lelyushenko - to hit the capital of Germany, and then, reaching Elba to unite with the allies.
The battle for Berlin began on April 16th. The whole operation took place in three stages. First, a breakthrough of the Neisen line of enemy defense was made, which provided the conditions for the capture of Berlin from the south. Further, the encirclement and dismemberment of the Nazi troops continued. And only then - the destruction of fascist groups and the capture of Berlin. The elimination of enemy forces in the capital took place from April 26 to 2, and by April 30 they were actually divided into four parts.
Zhukov appeared in Berlin on April 22. When the northern parts of the city were captured, he turned off Rokossovsky from the operation, and from that moment the second Belorussian Front continued the rout of the enemy troops in the north.
On April 29, the Nazis remained a sixteen-kilometer-long strip, at which time the first German prisoners were entering the rear. In the evening, Hitler was reported for the last time about the situation, which indicated that the next day the Russians would be standing at the entrance to the office. The next day, Hitler was gone, he settled his scores with life.
The battle of Berlin in 1945 lasted until May 2. On this day, German officers raised the white flag, the fascist garrison surrendered.
Thus, when the capital of Germany was captured, an end to the war throughout Europe.
It should be noted that the battle for Berlin, in which the losses from the Soviet troops were much smaller than from Germany, played a huge role in world history.