Berlin offensive operation (1945). Berlin offensive operation. The last operation of the Red Army 3 indicate the chronological framework of the Berlin offensive operation

T. Busse
G. Weidling

Strengths of the parties Soviet troops:
1.9 million people
6,250 tanks
more than 7,500 aircraft
Polish troops: 155,900 people
1 million people
1,500 tanks
more than 3,300 aircraft Losses Soviet troops:
78,291 killed
274,184 injured
215.9 thousand units. small arms
1,997 tanks and self-propelled guns
2,108 guns and mortars
917 aircraft
Polish troops:
2,825 killed
6,067 injured Soviet data:
OK. 400 thousand killed
OK. 380 thousand captured

The Great Patriotic War
Invasion of the USSR Karelia Arctic Leningrad Rostov Moscow Sevastopol Barvenkovo-Lozovaya Kharkiv Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad Rzhev Stalingrad Caucasus Velikie Luki Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh Voronezh-Kastornoye Kursk Smolensk Donbass Dnieper Right Bank Ukraine Leningrad-Novgorod Crimea (1944) Belarus Lviv-Sandomir Iasi-Chisinau Eastern Carpathians Baltics Courland Romania Bulgaria Debrecen Belgrade Budapest Poland (1944) Western Carpathians East Prussia Lower Silesia Eastern Pomerania Upper Silesia Vein Berlin Prague

Berlin strategic offensive operation- one of the last strategic operations of Soviet troops in the European Theater of Operations, during which the Red Army occupied the capital of Germany and victoriously ended the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War in Europe. The operation lasted 23 days - from April 16 to May 8, 1945, during which Soviet troops moved west to a distance of 100 to 220 km. The width of the combat front is 300 km. As part of the operation, the following frontal offensive operations were carried out: Stettin-Rostok, Seelow-Berlin, Cottbus-Potsdam, Stremberg-Torgau and Brandenburg-Ratenow.

The military-political situation in Europe in the spring of 1945

In January-March 1945, troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts, during the Vistula-Oder, East Pomeranian, Upper Silesian and Lower Silesian operations, reached the line of the Oder and Neisse rivers. The shortest distance from the Küstrin bridgehead to Berlin was 60 km. Anglo-American troops completed the liquidation of the Ruhr group of German troops and by mid-April advanced units reached the Elbe. The loss of the most important raw material areas caused the decline industrial production Germany. Difficulties in making up for the casualties suffered in the winter of 1944/45 have increased. Nevertheless armed forces Germany still represented an impressive force. According to the intelligence department of the General Staff of the Red Army, by mid-April they included 223 divisions and brigades.

According to the agreements reached by the heads of the USSR, USA and Great Britain in the fall of 1944, the border of the Soviet occupation zone was supposed to pass 150 km west of Berlin. Despite this, Churchill put forward the idea of getting ahead of the Red Army and capturing Berlin, and then commissioned the development of a plan for a full-scale war against the USSR.

Goals of the parties

Germany

The Nazi leadership tried to prolong the war in order to achieve a separate peace with England and the United States and split the anti-Hitler coalition. At the same time, holding the front against Soviet Union.

USSR

The military-political situation that had developed by April 1945 required the Soviet command to prepare and carry out an operation in the shortest possible time to defeat a group of German troops in the Berlin direction, capture Berlin and reach the Elbe River to join the Allied forces. The successful completion of this strategic task made it possible to thwart the plans of the Nazi leadership to prolong the war.

Capture the capital of Germany, Berlin
After 12-15 days of the operation, reach the Elbe River

Deliver a cutting blow south of Berlin, isolate the main forces of Army Group Center from the Berlin group and thereby ensure the main attack of the 1st Belorussian Front from the south
Defeat the enemy group south of Berlin and operational reserves in the Cottbus area
In 10-12 days, no later, reach the Belitz - Wittenberg line and further along the Elbe River to Dresden

Deliver a cutting blow north of Berlin, protecting the right flank of the 1st Belorussian Front from possible enemy counterattacks from the north
Press to the sea and destroy German troops north of Berlin

Two brigades of river ships will assist the troops of the 5th Shock and 8th Guards Armies in crossing the Oder and breaking through enemy defenses on the Küstrin bridgehead
The third brigade will assist the troops of the 33rd Army in the Furstenberg area
Ensure mine defense of water transport routes.

Support the coastal flank of the 2nd Belorussian Front, continuing the blockade of Army Group Courland pressed to the sea in Latvia (Courland Pocket)

Operation plan

The operation plan provided for the simultaneous transition of troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts to the offensive on the morning of April 16, 1945. The 2nd Belorussian Front, in connection with the upcoming major regrouping of its forces, was supposed to launch an offensive on April 20, that is, 4 days later.

When preparing the operation, special attention was paid to the issues of camouflage and achieving operational and tactical surprise. The front headquarters developed detailed action plans for disinformation and misleading the enemy, according to which preparations for an offensive by the troops of the 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts were simulated in the area of the cities of Stettin and Guben. At the same time, intensified defensive work continued in the central sector of the 1st Belorussian Front, where the main attack was actually planned. They were carried out especially intensively in areas clearly visible to the enemy. It was explained to all army personnel that the main task was stubborn defense. In addition, documents characterizing the activities of troops in various sectors of the front were planted at the enemy’s location.

The arrival of reserves and reinforcement units was carefully disguised. Military echelons with artillery, mortar, and tank units on Polish territory were disguised as trains transporting timber and hay on platforms.

When conducting reconnaissance tank commanders from the battalion commander to the army commander, they dressed in infantry uniforms and, under the guise of signalmen, inspected crossings and areas where their units would be concentrated.

The circle of knowledgeable persons was extremely limited. In addition to army commanders, only the chiefs of army staffs, heads of operational departments of army headquarters and artillery commanders were allowed to familiarize themselves with the Headquarters directive. Regimental commanders received tasks verbally three days before the offensive. Junior commanders and Red Army soldiers were allowed to announce the offensive mission two hours before the attack.

Regrouping of troops

In preparation for the Berlin operation, the 2nd Belorussian Front, which had just completed the East Pomeranian operation, in the period from April 4 to April 15, 1945, had to transfer 4 combined arms armies over a distance of up to 350 km from the area of the cities of Danzig and Gdynia to the line of the Oder River and replace the armies of the 1st Belorussian Front there. The poor condition of the railways and the acute shortage of rolling stock did not allow full use of the capabilities of railway transport, so the main burden of transportation fell on road transport. The front was allocated 1,900 vehicles. The troops had to cover part of the route on foot.

Germany

The German command foresaw the offensive of the Soviet troops and carefully prepared to repel it. From the Oder to Berlin, a deeply layered defense was built, and the city itself was turned into a powerful defensive citadel. First-line divisions were replenished with personnel and equipment, and strong reserves were created in the operational depths. A huge number of Volkssturm battalions were formed in Berlin and near it.

Nature of defense

The basis of the defense was the Oder-Neissen defensive line and the Berlin defensive region. The Oder-Neisen line consisted of three defensive lines, and its total depth reached 20-40 km. The main defensive line had up to five continuous lines of trenches, and its front edge ran along the left bank of the Oder and Neisse rivers. A second defense line was created 10-20 km from it. It was the most equipped in engineering terms at the Seelow Heights - in front of the Kyustrin bridgehead. The third stripe was located 20-40 km from the front edge. When organizing and equipping the defense, the German command skillfully used natural obstacles: lakes, rivers, canals, ravines. All settlements were turned into strong strongholds and were adapted for all-round defense. During the construction of the Oder-Neissen line, special attention was paid to the organization of anti-tank defense.

The saturation of defensive positions with enemy troops was uneven. The greatest density of troops was observed in front of the 1st Belorussian Front in a 175 km wide zone, where the defense was occupied by 23 divisions, a significant number of individual brigades, regiments and battalions, with 14 divisions defending against the Kyustrin bridgehead. In the 120 km wide offensive zone of the 2nd Belorussian Front, 7 infantry divisions and 13 separate regiments defended. There were 25 enemy divisions in the 390 km wide zone of the 1st Ukrainian Front.

In an effort to increase the resilience of their troops in defense, the Nazi leadership tightened repressive measures. So, on April 15, in his address to the soldiers eastern front A. Hitler demanded the execution on the spot of everyone who gave the order to withdraw or would withdraw without an order.

Composition and strengths of the parties

USSR

Total: Soviet troops - 1.9 million people, Polish troops - 155,900 people, 6,250 tanks, 41,600 guns and mortars, more than 7,500 aircraft

Germany

Following the orders of the commander, on April 18 and 19 the tank armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front marched uncontrollably towards Berlin. The rate of their advance reached 35-50 km per day. At the same time, the combined arms armies were preparing to eliminate large enemy groups in the area of Cottbus and Spremberg.

By the end of the day on April 20, the main strike group of the 1st Ukrainian Front was deeply wedged into the enemy’s position and completely cut off the German Army Group Vistula from Army Group Center. Sensing the threat caused by the rapid actions of the tank armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front, the German command took a number of measures to strengthen the approaches to Berlin. To strengthen the defense, infantry and tank units were urgently sent to the area of the cities of Zossen, Luckenwalde, and Jutterbog. Overcoming their stubborn resistance, Rybalko’s tankers reached the outer Berlin defensive perimeter on the night of April 21. By the morning of April 22, Sukhov's 9th Mechanized Corps and Mitrofanov's 6th Guards Tank Corps of the 3rd Guards Tank Army crossed the Notte Canal, broke through the outer defensive perimeter of Berlin, and by the end of the day reached the southern bank of the Teltow Canal. There, encountering strong and well-organized enemy resistance, they were stopped.

At 12 noon on April 25, west of Berlin, the advanced units of the 4th Guards Tank Army met with units of the 47th Army of the 1st Belorussian Front. Something else happened that same day significant event. An hour and a half later, General Baklanov's 34th Guards Corps of the 5th Guards Army met with American troops on the Elbe.

From April 25 to May 2, troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front fought fierce battles in three directions: units of the 28th Army, 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Armies took part in the assault on Berlin; part of the forces of the 4th Guards Tank Army, together with the 13th Army, repelled the counterattack of the 12th German Army; The 3rd Guards Army and part of the forces of the 28th Army blocked and destroyed the encircled 9th Army.

All the time from the beginning of the operation, the command of Army Group Center sought to disrupt the offensive of the Soviet troops. On April 20, German troops launched the first counterattack on the left flank of the 1st Ukrainian Front and pushed back the troops of the 52nd Army and the 2nd Army of the Polish Army. On April 23, a new powerful counterattack followed, as a result of which the defense at the junction of the 52nd Army and the 2nd Army of the Polish Army was broken through and German troops advanced 20 km in the general direction of Spremberg, threatening to reach the rear of the front.

2nd Belorussian Front (April 20-May 8)

From April 17 to 19, troops of the 65th Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front, under the command of Colonel General P.I. Batov, conducted reconnaissance in force and advanced detachments captured the Oder interfluve, thereby facilitating subsequent crossings of the river. On the morning of April 20, the main forces of the 2nd Belorussian Front went on the offensive: the 65th, 70th and 49th armies. The crossing of the Oder took place under the cover of artillery fire and smoke screens. The offensive developed most successfully in the sector of the 65th Army, which was largely due to the engineering troops of the army. Having established two 16-ton pontoon crossings by 1 p.m., the troops of this army captured a bridgehead 6 kilometers wide and 1.5 kilometers deep by the evening of April 20.

We had a chance to observe the work of sappers. Working up to their necks in icy water amid exploding shells and mines, they made a crossing. Every second they were threatened with death, but people understood their soldier’s duty and thought about one thing - to help their comrades on the west bank and thereby bring victory closer.

More modest success was achieved on the central sector of the front in the 70th Army zone. The left-flank 49th Army met stubborn resistance and was unsuccessful. All day and all night on April 21, front troops, repelling numerous attacks by German troops, persistently expanded bridgeheads on the western bank of the Oder. In the current situation, front commander K.K. Rokossovsky decided to send the 49th Army along the crossings of the right neighbor of the 70th Army, and then return it to its offensive zone. By April 25, as a result of fierce battles, front troops expanded the captured bridgehead to 35 km along the front and up to 15 km in depth. To build up striking power, the 2nd Shock Army, as well as the 1st and 3rd Guards Tank Corps, were transported to the western bank of the Oder. At the first stage of the operation, the 2nd Belorussian Front, through its actions, shackled the main forces of the 3rd German Tank Army, depriving it of the opportunity to help those fighting near Berlin. On April 26, formations of the 65th Army took Stettin by storm. Subsequently, the armies of the 2nd Belorussian Front, breaking enemy resistance and destroying suitable reserves, stubbornly advanced to the west. On May 3, Panfilov's 3rd Guards Tank Corps southwest of Wismar established contact with the advanced units of the 2nd British Army.

Liquidation of the Frankfurt-Guben group

By the end of April 24, formations of the 28th Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front came into contact with units of the 8th Guards Army of the 1st Belorussian Front, thereby encircling the 9th Army of General Busse southeast of Berlin and cutting it off from the city. The surrounded group of German troops began to be called the Frankfurt-Gubensky group. Now the Soviet command was faced with the task of eliminating the 200,000-strong enemy group and preventing its breakthrough to Berlin or to the West. To accomplish the last task, the 3rd Guards Army and part of the forces of the 28th Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front took up active defense in the path of a possible breakthrough of German troops. On April 26, the 3rd, 69th, and 33rd armies of the 1st Belorussian Front began the final liquidation of the encircled units. However, the enemy not only put up stubborn resistance, but also repeatedly made attempts to break out of the encirclement. By skillfully maneuvering and skillfully creating superiority in forces on narrow sections of the front, German troops twice managed to break through the encirclement. However, each time the Soviet command took decisive measures to eliminate the breakthrough. Until May 2, the encircled units of the 9th German Army made desperate attempts to break through the battle formations of the 1st Ukrainian Front to the west, to join the 12th Army of General Wenck. Only a few small groups managed to penetrate through the forests and go west.

Assault on Berlin (April 25 - May 2)

A salvo of Soviet Katyusha rocket launchers hits Berlin

At 12 noon on April 25, the ring closed around Berlin when the 6th Guards Mechanized Corps of the 4th Guards Tank Army crossed the Havel River and linked up with units of the 328th Division of the 47th Army of General Perkhorovich. By that time, according to the Soviet command, the Berlin garrison numbered at least 200 thousand people, 3 thousand guns and 250 tanks. The city's defense was carefully thought out and well prepared. It was based on a system of strong fire, strongholds and resistance units. The closer to the city center, the denser the defense became. Massive stone buildings with thick walls gave it particular strength. The windows and doors of many buildings were sealed and turned into embrasures for firing. The streets were blocked by powerful barricades up to four meters thick. The defenders had a large number of faustpatrons, which in the context of street battles turned out to be a formidable anti-tank weapon. Of no small importance in the enemy’s defense system were underground structures, which were widely used by the enemy to maneuver troops, as well as to shelter them from artillery and bomb attacks.

By April 26, six armies of the 1st Belorussian Front (47th, 3rd and 5th shock, 8th Guards, 1st and 2nd Guards Tank Armies) and three armies of the 1st Belorussian Front took part in the assault on Berlin. th Ukrainian Front (28th, 3rd and 4th Guards Tank). Considering the experience of taking major cities, for battles in the city, assault detachments were created consisting of rifle battalions or companies, reinforced with tanks, artillery and sappers. The actions of assault troops, as a rule, were preceded by a short but powerful artillery preparation.

By April 27, as a result of the actions of the armies of two fronts that had deeply advanced to the center of Berlin, the enemy grouping in Berlin stretched out in a narrow strip from east to west - sixteen kilometers long and two or three, in some places five kilometers wide. The fighting in the city did not stop day or night. Block after block, Soviet troops advanced deeper into enemy defenses. So, by the evening of April 28, units of the 3rd Shock Army reached the Reichstag area. On the night of April 29, the actions of the forward battalions under the command of Captain S. A. Neustroev and Senior Lieutenant K. Ya. Samsonov captured the Moltke Bridge. At dawn on April 30, the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, adjacent to the parliament building, was stormed at the cost of considerable losses. The path to the Reichstag was open.

On April 30, 1945 at 14:25, units of the 150th Infantry Division under the command of Major General V.M. Shatilov and the 171st Infantry Division under the command of Colonel A.I. Negoda stormed the main part of the Reichstag building. The remaining Nazi units offered stubborn resistance. We had to fight for literally every room. In the early morning of May 1, the assault flag of the 150th Infantry Division was raised over the Reichstag, but the battle for the Reichstag continued all day and only on the night of May 2 did the Reichstag garrison capitulate.

Helmut Weidling (left) and his staff officers surrender to Soviet troops. Berlin. May 2, 1945

Troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front in the period from April 15 to 29

killed 114,349 people, captured 55,080 people

Troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front in the period from April 5 to May 8:

killed 49,770 people, captured 84,234 people

Thus, according to reports from the Soviet command, the losses of German troops were about 400 thousand people killed and about 380 thousand people captured. Part of the German troops was pushed back to the Elbe and capitulated to the Allied forces.

Also according to the Soviet command total number The troops that emerged from the encirclement in the Berlin area do not exceed 17,000 people with 80-90 armored vehicles.

Overestimation of German losses

According to combat reports from the fronts:

Troops of the 1st Belorussian Front in the period from April 16 to May 13: destroyed - 1,184, captured - 629 tanks and self-propelled guns.
Between April 15 and April 29, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front destroyed 1,067 tanks and captured 432 tanks and self-propelled guns;
Between April 5 and May 8, the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front destroyed 195 and captured 85 tanks and self-propelled guns.

In total, according to the fronts, 3,592 tanks and self-propelled guns were destroyed and captured, which is more than 2 times the number of tanks available on the Soviet-German front before the start of the operation.

The Berlin operation was an offensive operation of the 1st Belorussian (Marshal G.K. Zhukov), 2nd Belorussian (Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky) and 1st Ukrainian (Marshal I.S. Konev) fronts to capture Berlin and defeat the defending his group April 16 - May 2, 1945 ( The Second World War, 1939-1945). In the Berlin direction, the Red Army was opposed by a large group consisting of Army Group Vistula (generals G. Heinrici, then K. Tippelskirch) and Center (Field Marshal F. Schörner).

The balance of forces is shown in the table.

Source: History of the Second World War: In 12 vols. M., 1973-1 1979. T. 10. P. 315.

The offensive on the German capital began on April 16, 1945, after the completion of the main operations of the Red Army in Hungary, Eastern Pomerania, Austria and East Prussia. This deprived the German capital of support

the most important agricultural and industrial areas. In other words, Berlin was deprived of any possibility of obtaining reserves and resources, which undoubtedly hastened its downfall.

For the strike, which was supposed to shake the German defense, an unprecedented density of fire was used - over 600 guns on 1 km of front. The hottest battles broke out in the sector of the 1st Belorussian Front, where the Seelow Heights, which covered the central direction, were located. To capture Berlin, not only a frontal attack by the 1st Belorussian Front was used, but also a flank maneuver by the tank armies (3rd and 4th) of the 1st Ukrainian Front. Having covered more than a hundred kilometers in a few days, they broke through to the German capital from the south and completed its encirclement. At this time, the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front were advancing towards the Baltic coast of Germany, covering the right flank of the forces advancing on Berlin.

The culmination of the operation was the battle for Berlin, in which there was a 200,000-strong group under the command of General X. Weidling. Fighting within the city began on April 21, and by April 25 it was completely surrounded. Up to 464 thousand took part in the battle for Berlin, which lasted almost two weeks and was characterized by extreme ferocity. Soviet soldiers and officers. Due to the retreating units, the Berlin garrison grew to 300 thousand people.

If in Budapest (see Budapest 1) the Soviet command avoided using artillery and aviation, then during the assault on the capital of Nazi Germany they did not spare fire. According to Marshal Zhukov, from April 21 to May 2, almost 1.8 million artillery shots were fired at Berlin. In total, more than 36 thousand tons of metal were dropped on the city. Fire was also fired at the capital's center by fortress guns, the shells of which weighed half a ton.

A feature of the Berlin operation can be called the widespread use of large tank masses in the zone of continuous defense of German troops, including in Berlin itself. In such conditions, Soviet armored vehicles were not able to use wide maneuver and became a convenient target for German anti-tank weapons. This led to high losses. Suffice it to say that in two weeks of fighting, the Red Army lost a third of the tanks and self-propelled guns that participated in the Berlin operation.

The battles did not subside either day or night. During the day, the assault units attacked in the first echelons, at night - in the second. The battle for the Reichstag, over which the Victory Banner was hoisted, was especially fierce. On the night of April 30 to May 1, Hitler committed suicide. By the morning of May 2, the remnants of the Berlin garrison were divided into separate groups, which capitulated by 3 p.m. The surrender of the Berlin garrison was accepted by the commander of the 8th Guards Army, General V.I. Chuikov, who walked the path from Stalingrad to the walls of Berlin.

During the Berlin operation, about 480 thousand German soldiers and officers were captured. The losses of the Red Army amounted to 352 thousand people. In terms of daily losses of personnel and equipment (over 15 thousand people, 87 tanks and self-propelled guns, 40 aircraft), the battle for Berlin surpassed all other operations of the Red Army, where the damage was caused primarily during the battle, in contrast to the battles of the first period of the war, when the daily losses of Soviet troops were largely determined by a significant number of prisoners (see Border battles). In terms of the intensity of losses, this operation is comparable only to the Battle of Kursk.

The Berlin operation dealt the final crushing blow to the armed forces of the Third Reich, which, with the loss of Berlin, lost the ability to organize resistance. Six days after the fall of Berlin, on the night of May 8-9, the German leadership signed the act of unconditional surrender of Germany. A medal “For the Capture of Berlin” was issued for participants in the Berlin operation.

Book materials used: Nikolai Shefov. Battles of Russia. Military-historical library. M., 2002.

Wir kapitulieren nie?

Offensive operation of the 2nd Belorussian (Marshal Rokossovsky), 1st Belorussian (Marshal Zhukov) and 1st Ukrainian (Marshal Konev) fronts April 16 - May 8, 1945. Having defeated large German groups in East Prussia, Poland and Eastern Pomerania and reaching the Oder and Neisse, Soviet troops penetrated deeply into German territory. On the western bank of the river. Oder bridgeheads were captured, including a particularly important one in the Küstrin area. At the same time, Anglo-American troops were advancing from the west.

Hitler, hoping for disagreements between the allies, took all measures to delay the advance of Soviet troops on the approaches to Berlin and negotiate a separate peace with the Americans. In the Berlin direction, the German command concentrated a large group as part of the Vistula Army Group (3rd Panzer and 9th Armies) of Colonel General G. Heinrici (from April 30, Infantry General K. Tippelskirch) and the 4th Panzer and 17th Armies. th armies of Army Group Center under General Field Marshal F. Scherner (total about 1 million people, 10,400 guns and mortars, 1,530 tanks and assault guns, over 3,300 aircraft). On the western banks of the Oder and Neisse, 3 defensive zones up to 20-40 km deep were created. The Berlin defensive area consisted of 3 defensive rings. All large buildings in the city were turned into strongholds, streets and squares were blocked with powerful barricades, numerous minefields were installed, and booby traps were scattered everywhere.

The walls of the houses were covered with Goebbels' propaganda slogans: "Wir kapitulieren nie!" (“We will never surrender!”), “Every German will defend his capital!”, “Let’s stop the red hordes at the walls of our Berlin!”, “Victory or Siberia!”. Loudspeakers in the streets called on residents to fight to the death. Despite the ostentatious bravado, Berlin was already doomed. The giant city was in a huge trap. The Soviet command concentrated 19 combined arms (including 2 Polish), 4 tank and 4 air armies (2.5 million people, 41,600 guns and mortars, 6,250 tanks and self-propelled artillery units, 7,500 aircraft) in the Berlin direction. From the west, British and American bombers came in continuous waves, methodically, block by block, turning the city into a heap of ruins.

On the eve of the capitulation, the city presented a terrible sight. Flames shot out from a damaged gas pipeline, illuminating the smoky walls of houses. The streets were impassable due to piles of rubble. Suicide bombers jumped out of the basements of houses with Molotov cocktails and rushed at Soviet tanks, which had become easy prey in city blocks. Hand-to-hand fighting took place everywhere - on the streets, on the roofs of houses, in basements, in tunnels, in the Berlin subway. Advanced Soviet units competed with each other for the honor of being the first to capture the Reichstag, considered the symbol of the Third Reich. Soon after the Victory Banner was hoisted over the Reichstag dome, Berlin capitulated on May 2, 1945.

Material used from the website Third Reich www.fact400.ru/mif/reich/titul.htm

In the historical dictionary:

BERLIN OPERATION - an offensive operation of the Red Army at the final stage of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

In January - March 1945, Soviet troops defeated large German fascist groups in East Prussia, Poland and East Pomerania, penetrated deeply into German territory and captured the bridgeheads necessary to capture its capital.

The plan of the operation was to deliver several powerful blows on a wide front, dismember the enemy’s Berlin group, encircle and destroy it piece by piece. To accomplish this task, the Soviet command concentrated 19 combined arms (including two Polish), four tank and four air armies (2.5 million people, 41,600 guns and mortars, 6,250 tanks and self-propelled artillery units, 7,500 aircraft).

The German command concentrated a large group in the Berlin area as part of Army Group Vistula (3rd Panzer and 9th Armies) and Army Group Center (4th Panzer and 17th Army) - about 1 million people, 10 400 guns and mortars, 1,530 tanks and assault guns, over 3,300 aircraft. On the western banks of the Oder and Neisse rivers, three defensive strips up to 20-40 km deep were created; The Berlin defensive area consisted of three defensive rings; all large buildings in the city were turned into strongholds; streets and squares were blocked with powerful barricades.

On April 16, after powerful artillery and air preparation, the 1st Belorussian Front (Marshal G.K. Zhukov.) attacked the enemy on the river. Oder. At the same time, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front (Marshal I.S. Konev) began to cross the river. Neisse. Despite fierce enemy resistance, especially on the Zelovsky Heights, Soviet troops broke through his defenses. Attempts by the Nazi command to win the battle for Berlin on the Oder-Neisse line failed.

On April 20, troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front (Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky) crossed the river. Oder and by the end of April 25 they broke through the main enemy defense line south of Stettin. On April 21, the 3rd Guards Tank Army (General Ya. S. Rybalko) was the first to break into the northeastern outskirts of Berlin. Troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts, after breaking through enemy defenses from the north and south, bypassed Berlin and on April 25 encircled up to 200 thousand German troops west of Berlin.

The defeat of this group resulted in a fierce battle. Until May 2, bloody battles raged on the streets of Berlin day and night. On April 30, troops of the 3rd Shock Army (Colonel General V.I. Kuznetsov) began fighting for the Reichstag and took it by the evening. Sergeant M.A. Egorov and Junior Sergeant M.V. Kantaria hoisted the Victory Banner on the Reichstag.

The fighting in Berlin continued until May 8, when representatives of the German High Command, led by Field Marshal W. Keitel, signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany.

Orlov A.S., Georgieva N.G., Georgiev V.A. Historical Dictionary. 2nd ed. M., 2012, p. 36-37.

Battle of Berlin

In the spring of 1945, the Third Reich stood on the verge of final collapse.

By April 15, 214 divisions, including 34 tank and 14 motorized, and 14 brigades, were fighting on the Soviet-German front. 60 German divisions, including 5 tank divisions, acted against the Anglo-American troops.

Preparing to repel the Soviet offensive, the German command created a powerful defense in the east of the country. Berlin was covered to great depth by numerous defensive structures erected along the western banks of the Oder and Neisse rivers.

Berlin itself was turned into a powerful fortified area. Around it, the Germans built three defensive rings - outer, inner and city, and in the city itself (an area of 88 thousand hectares) they created nine defense sectors: eight around the circumference and one in the center. This central sector, which covered the main state and administrative institutions, including the Reichstag and the Reich Chancellery, was prepared especially carefully in engineering terms. There were more than 400 reinforced concrete permanent structures in the city. The largest of them - six-story bunkers dug into the ground - could accommodate up to a thousand people each. The subway was used for covert maneuver of troops.

For the defense of Berlin, the German command hastily formed new units. In January - March 1945 at military service Even 16- and 17-year-old boys were drafted.

Taking these factors into account, the Supreme Command Headquarters concentrated large forces on three fronts in the Berlin direction. In addition, it was planned to use part of the forces of the Baltic Fleet, the Dnieper Military Flotilla, the 18th Air Army, and three air defense corps of the country.

Polish troops were involved in the Berlin operation, consisting of two armies, tank and air corps, two breakthrough artillery divisions and a separate mortar brigade. They were part of the fronts.

On April 16, after powerful artillery preparation and air strikes, the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front went on the offensive. The Berlin operation began. The enemy, suppressed by artillery fire, did not offer organized resistance at the front line, but then, having recovered from the shock, resisted with fierce tenacity.

Soviet infantry and tanks advanced 1.5-2 km. In the current situation, in order to speed up the advance of the troops, Marshal Zhukov brought into the battle the tank and mechanized corps of the 1st and 2nd Guards Tank Armies.

The offensive of the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front developed successfully. At 06:15 on April 16, artillery preparation began. Bombers and attack aircraft dealt heavy blows to resistance centers, communications centers and command posts. The battalions of the first echelon divisions quickly crossed the Neisse River and captured bridgeheads on its left bank.

The German command brought up to three tank divisions and a tank destroyer brigade into the battle from its reserve. The fighting became fierce. Breaking enemy resistance, the combined arms and tank formations of the 1st Ukrainian Front broke through the main line of defense. On April 17, front troops completed the breakthrough of the second line and approached the third, which ran along the left bank of the river. Spree.

The successful offensive of the 1st Ukrainian Front created a threat for the enemy to bypass his Berlin group from the south. The German command concentrated its efforts in order to delay the further advance of Soviet troops at the turn of the river. Spree. The reserves of Army Group Center and the withdrawn troops of the 4th Tank Army were sent here. But the enemy’s attempts to change the course of the battle were unsuccessful.

The 2nd Belorussian Front went on the offensive on April 18. On April 18-19, front troops crossed the Ost-Oder in difficult conditions, cleared the enemy from the lowland between the Ost-Oder and the West-Oder and took up their starting positions for crossing the West-Oder.

Thus, favorable preconditions for the continuation of the operation have developed on all fronts.

The offensive of the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front developed most successfully. They entered the operational space and rushed towards Berlin, covering the right wing of the Frankfurt-Guben group. On April 19-20, the 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Armies advanced 95 km. The rapid offensive of these armies, as well as the 13th Army, by the end of April 20 led to the cutting off of Army Group Vistula from Army Group Center.

The troops of the 1st Belorussian Front continued the offensive. On April 20, on the fifth day of the operation, the long-range artillery of the 79th Rifle Corps of the 3rd Shock Army of Colonel General V.I. Kuznetsova opened fire on Berlin. On April 21, the advanced units of the front broke into the northern and southeastern outskirts of the German capital.

On April 24, southeast of Berlin, the 8th Guards and 1st Guards Tank Armies of the 1st Belorussian Front, advancing on the left flank of the strike force, met with the 3rd Guards Tank and 28th Armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front. As a result, the enemy's Frankfurt-Guben group was completely isolated from the Berlin garrison.

On April 25, the advanced units of the 1st Ukrainian Front - the 5th Guards Army of General A.S. Zhadov - met on the banks of the Elbe in the Torgau area with reconnaissance groups of the 5th Corps of the 1st American Army of General O. Bradley. The German front was cut. In honor of this victory, Moscow saluted the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front.

At this time, troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front crossed the West Oder and broke through the defenses on its western bank. They pinned down the German 3rd Panzer Army and prevented it from launching a counterattack from the north against the Soviet forces encircling Berlin.

In ten days of operation, Soviet troops overcame the German defenses along the Oder and Neisse, encircled and dismembered its groups in the Berlin direction and created the conditions for the capture of Berlin.

The third stage is the destruction of the enemy's Berlin group, the capture of Berlin (April 26 - May 8). German troops, despite the inevitable defeat, continued to resist. First of all, it was necessary to eliminate the enemy’s Frankfurt-Guben group, which numbered up to 200 thousand people.

Part of the troops of the 12th Army that survived the defeat retreated to the left bank of the Elbe along bridges built by American troops and surrendered to them.

By the end of April 25, the enemy defending in Berlin occupied a territory whose area was approximately 325 square meters. km. The total length of the front of the Soviet troops operating in the German capital was about 100 km.

On May 1, units of the 1st Shock Army, advancing from the north, met south of the Reichstag with units of the 8th Guards Army, advancing from the south. The surrender of the remnants of the Berlin garrison took place on the morning of May 2 by order of its last commander, artillery general G. Weidling. The liquidation of the Berlin group of German troops was completed.

The troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, moving westward, reached the Elbe by May 7 on a wide front. The troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front reached the coast of the Baltic Sea and the border of the Elbe River, where they established contact with the 2nd British Army. The troops of the right wing of the 1st Ukrainian Front began to regroup in the Prague direction to carry out tasks to complete the liberation of Czechoslovakia. During the Berlin operation, Soviet troops defeated 70 enemy infantry, 23 tank and motorized divisions, captured about 480 thousand people, captured up to 11 thousand guns and mortars, over 1.5 thousand tanks and assault guns, and 4,500 aircraft.

Soviet troops suffered heavy losses in this final operation - more than 350 thousand people, including over 78 thousand - irrevocably. The 1st and 2nd armies of the Polish Army lost about 9 thousand soldiers and officers. (The classification has been removed. Losses of the USSR Armed Forces in wars, combat operations and military conflicts. M., 1993. P. 220.) Soviet troops also lost 2,156 tanks and self-propelled artillery units, 1,220 guns and mortars, 527 aircraft.

The Berlin operation is one of the largest operations of the Second World War. The victory of the Soviet troops in it became a decisive factor in completing the military defeat of Germany. With the fall of Berlin and the loss of vital areas, Germany lost the opportunity for organized resistance and soon capitulated.

Materials used from the site http://100top.ru/encyclopedia/

The Berlin offensive operation became one of the very last operations of the Great Patriotic War and one of the most famous. During it, the Red Army took the capital of the Third Reich - Berlin, defeated the last, most powerful forces of the enemy and forced him to capitulate.

The operation lasted 23 days, from April 16 to May 8, 1945, during which Soviet troops advanced 100-220 km westward. Within its framework, private offensive operations were carried out: Stettin-Rostok, Seelow-Berlin, Cottbus-Potsdam, Stremberg-Torgau and Brandenburg-Ratenow. Three fronts took part in the operation: 1st Belorussian (G.K. Zhukov), 2nd Belorussian (K.K. Rokossovsky) and 1st Ukrainian (I.S. Konev).

Intent, plans of the parties

The idea of the operation was determined at Headquarters back in November 1944; it was refined during the Vistula-Oder, East Prussian, and Pomeranian operations. They also took into account the actions on the Western Front and the actions of the Allies: at the end of March - beginning of April they reached the Rhine and began to cross it. The Allied High Command planned to capture the Ruhr industrial region, then reach the Elbe and launch an offensive in the Berlin direction. At the same time, in the south, American-French troops planned to capture the areas of Stuttgart and Munich and enter the central parts of Czechoslovakia and Austria.

At the Crimean Conference, the Soviet occupation zone was supposed to go west of Berlin, but the allies planned to launch the Berlin operation themselves, and there was a high probability of a separate conspiracy with Hitler or his military to surrender the city to the United States and England.

Moscow had serious concerns; the Anglo-American troops encountered almost no serious resistance in the West. In mid-April 1945, American radio commentator John Grover reported: “The Western Front virtually no longer exists.” The Germans, having retreated beyond the Rhine, did not create a powerful defense; in addition, the main forces were transferred to the east, and even in the most difficult moments, forces were constantly taken from the Wehrmacht Ruhr group and transferred to the Eastern Front. Therefore, the Rhine was surrendered without serious resistance.

Berlin tried to prolong the war, holding back the onslaught of Soviet armies. At the same time conducting secret negotiations with Westerners. The Wehrmacht built a powerful defense from the Oder to Berlin; the city itself was a huge fortress. Operational reserves were created, in the city and surrounding areas there were militia units (Volkssturm battalions); in April there were 200 Volkssturm battalions in Berlin alone. The basic defense centers of the Wehrmacht were the Oder-Neissen defensive line and the Berlin defensive region. On the Oder and Neisse, the Wehrmacht created three defensive zones 20-40 km deep. The most powerful fortifications of the second zone were on the Seelow Heights. The Wehrmacht engineering units made excellent use of all natural obstacles - lakes, rivers, heights, etc., turned populated areas into strongholds, and paid special attention to anti-tank defense. The enemy created the greatest density of defense in front of the 1st Belorussian Front, where in a 175 km wide zone the defense was occupied by 23 Wehrmacht divisions and a significant number of smaller units.

Offensive: milestones

At 5 o'clock in the morning on April 16, the 1st Belorussian Front, in a sector of 27 km (breakthrough zone), spent 25 minutes using more than 10 thousand artillery barrels, rocket systems, and mortars, destroying the first line, then transferred fire to the second line of enemy defense. After this, 143 anti-aircraft searchlights were turned on to blind the enemy, the first strip was penetrated in one and a half to two hours, and in some places they reached the second. But then the Germans woke up and brought up their reserves. The battle became even more fierce; our rifle units could not overcome the defense of the Seelow Heights. In order not to disrupt the timing of the operation, Zhukov brought into battle the 1st (M. E. Katukov) and 2nd (S. I. Bogdanov) Guards Tank Armies, while the German command at the end of the day threw the operational reserves of the Vistula Army Group into battle " There was a fierce battle all day and night on the 17th; by the morning of the 18th, units of the 1st Belorussian, with the help of aviation from the 16th and 18th Air Armies, were able to take the heights. By the end of April 19, the Soviet armies, breaking through the defenses and repelling the enemy’s fierce counterattacks, broke through the third line of defense and were able to strike at Berlin itself.

On April 16, a smoke screen was placed on the 390-kilometer front of the 1st Ukrainian Front, an artillery attack began at 6.15, and at 6.55 the advanced units crossed the Neisse River and captured bridgeheads. The establishment of crossings for the main forces began; in the first hours alone, 133 crossings were established; by the middle of the day, the troops broke through the first line of defense and reached the second. The Wehrmacht command, understanding the gravity of the situation, already on the first day threw tactical and operational reserves into battle, setting the task of driving our forces across the river. But by the end of the day, Soviet units broke through the second line of defense, and on the morning of the 17th the 3rd (P.S. Rybalko) and 4th (D.D. Lelyushenko) Guards Tank Armies crossed the river. Our armies were supported from the air by the 2nd Air Army, the breakthrough continued to expand all day, and by the end of the day the tank armies reached the Spree River and immediately began crossing it. In the secondary, Dresden direction, our troops also broke through the enemy front.

Considering the fierce resistance of the enemy in the strike zone of the 1st Belorussian Front and its lag behind schedule, the success of its neighbors, the tank armies of the 1st Ukrainian were ordered to turn to Berlin and go without getting involved in battles to destroy enemy strongholds. On April 18 and 19, the 3rd and 4th Panzer Armies marched on Berlin at a pace of 35-50 km. At this time, the combined arms armies were preparing to eliminate enemy groups in the Cottbus and Spremberg area. On the 21st, Rybalko's tank army, suppressing fierce enemy resistance in the area of the cities of Zossen, Luckenwalde, and Jutterbog, reached the outer defensive lines of Berlin. On the 22nd, units of the 3rd Guards Tank Army crossed the Notte Canal and broke through the outer fortifications of Berlin.

On April 17-19, the advanced units of the 2nd Belorussian Front conducted reconnaissance in force and captured the Oder interfluve. On the morning of the 20th, the main forces went on the offensive, covering the crossing of the Oder with artillery fire and a smoke screen. The right-flank 65th Army (Batov P.I.) achieved the greatest success, capturing a bridgehead 6 km wide and 1.5 km deep by the evening. In the center, the 70th Army achieved a more modest result; the left flank 49th Army was unable to gain a foothold. On the 21st, all day and night there was a battle to expand the bridgeheads, K.K. Rokossovsky threw units of the 49th Army to support the 70th Army, then threw the 2nd Shock Army, as well as the 1st and 3rd into battle guards tank corps. The 2nd Belorussian Front was able to pin down units of the 3rd German Army with its actions; it was unable to come to the aid of the defenders of Berlin. On the 26th, front units took Stettin.

On April 21, units of the 1st Belorussian Front broke into the suburbs of Berlin, on 22-23 there were battles, on the 23rd the 9th Rifle Corps under the command of Major General I.P. Rosly captured Karlshorst, part of Kopenick and, reaching the Spree River, with forced it along the way. The Dnieper military flotilla provided great assistance in crossing it, supporting with fire and transferring troops to the other bank. Our units, leading our own and repelling enemy counterattacks, suppressing his resistance, walked towards the center of the German capital.

The 61st Army and the 1st Army of the Polish Army, operating in the auxiliary direction, launched an offensive on the 17th, breaking through the enemy’s defenses, bypassing Berlin from the north and going to the Elbe.

On the 22nd, at Hitler’s Headquarters, it was decided to transfer W. Wenck’s 12th Army from the Western Front, and Keitel was sent to organize its offensive to help the semi-encircled 9th Army. By the end of the 22nd, the troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian had practically created two encirclement rings - around the 9th Army east and southeast of Berlin and west of Berlin, surrounding the city itself.

The troops reached the Teltow Canal, the Germans created a powerful defense on its bank, the entire day of the 23rd was preparing for the assault, artillery was massed, there were up to 650 guns per 1 km. On the morning of the 24th, the assault began, suppressing enemy firing points with artillery fire, the canal was successfully crossed by units of the 6th Guards Tank Corps of Major General Mitrofanov and captured the bridgehead. On the afternoon of the 24th, Wenck's 12th Army attacked but was repulsed. At 12 o'clock on the 25th, west of Berlin, units of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts united; an hour and a half later, our troops met with American units on the Elbe.

On April 20-23, divisions of the German Army Group Center attacked units of the 1st Ukrainian Front on the left flank, trying to get to its rear. From April 25 to May 2, troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front fought in three directions: units of the 28th Army, 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Armies fought in Berlin; The 13th Army, together with units of the 3rd Panzer Army, repelled the attacks of the 12th German Army; The 3rd Guards Army and part of the units of the 28th Army held back and destroyed the encircled 9th German Army. The battles to destroy the German 9th Army (200,000-strong Frankfurt-Guben group) continued until May 2, the Germans tried to break through to the west and skillfully maneuvered. Creating superiority in forces in narrow areas, they attacked, broke through the ring twice, only emergency measures by the Soviet command made it possible to block them again and ultimately destroy them. Only small enemy groups were able to break through.

In the city, our troops met fierce resistance, the enemy did not even think of surrendering. Relying on numerous structures, underground communications, barricades, he not only defended himself, but constantly attacked. Ours operated in assault groups, reinforced by sappers, tanks, and artillery, and by the evening of the 28th, units of the 3rd Shock Army reached the Reichstag area. By the morning of the 30th, after a fierce battle, they captured the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and began storming the Reichstag, but only on the night of May 2nd did the remnants of the German garrison surrender. On May 1, the Wehrmacht had only the government quarter and Tiergarten left. The chief of the general staff of the German ground forces, General Krebs, proposed a truce, but ours insisted on unconditional surrender, the Germans refused, and the fighting continued. On May 2, General Weidling, commander of the city's defense, announced surrender. Those German units that did not accept it and tried to break through to the west were scattered and destroyed. Thus ended the Berlin operation.

Main results

The main forces of the Wehrmacht were destroyed, the German command now had no opportunity to continue the war, the capital of the Reich and its military-political leadership were captured.

After the fall of Berlin, the Wehrmacht practically ceased resistance.

In fact, the Great Patriotic War was over, all that remained was to formalize the country's surrender.

Hundreds of thousands of prisoners of war, driven into slavery by Soviet people, were freed.

The Berlin offensive operation demonstrated to the whole world the high combat skills of the Soviet armies and its commanders and became one of the reasons for the cancellation of Operation Unthinkable. Our “allies” planned to strike Soviet army to push it out to Eastern Europe.

T. Busse
G. Weidling Strengths of the parties Soviet troops:
1.9 million people
6,250 tanks
more than 7,500 aircraft
Polish troops: 155,900 people
1 million people
1,500 tanks
more than 3,300 aircraft Losses Soviet troops:
78,291 killed
274,184 injured
215.9 thousand units. small arms
1,997 tanks and self-propelled guns
2,108 guns and mortars
917 aircraft
Polish troops:
2,825 killed
6,067 injured Soviet data:
OK. 400 thousand killed
OK. 380 thousand captured

The Great Patriotic War
Invasion of the USSR Karelia Arctic Leningrad Rostov Moscow Sevastopol Barvenkovo-Lozovaya Kharkiv Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad Rzhev Stalingrad Caucasus Velikie Luki Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh Voronezh-Kastornoye Kursk Smolensk Donbass Dnieper Right Bank Ukraine Leningrad-Novgorod Crimea (1944) Belarus Lviv-Sandomir Iasi-Chisinau Eastern Carpathians Baltics Courland Romania Bulgaria Debrecen Belgrade Budapest Poland (1944) Western Carpathians East Prussia Lower Silesia Eastern Pomerania Upper Silesia Vein Berlin Prague

Berlin strategic offensive operation- one of the last strategic operations of Soviet troops in the European Theater of Operations, during which the Red Army occupied the capital of Germany and victoriously ended the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War in Europe. The operation lasted 23 days - from April 16 to May 8, 1945, during which Soviet troops advanced westward to a distance of 100 to 220 km. The width of the combat front is 300 km. As part of the operation, the following frontal offensive operations were carried out: Stettin-Rostok, Seelow-Berlin, Cottbus-Potsdam, Stremberg-Torgau and Brandenburg-Ratenow.

The military-political situation in Europe in the spring of 1945

In January-March 1945, troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts, during the Vistula-Oder, East Pomeranian, Upper Silesian and Lower Silesian operations, reached the line of the Oder and Neisse rivers. The shortest distance from the Küstrin bridgehead to Berlin was 60 km. Anglo-American troops completed the liquidation of the Ruhr group of German troops and by mid-April advanced units reached the Elbe. The loss of the most important raw material areas caused a decline in industrial production in Germany. Difficulties in replacing the casualties suffered in the winter of 1944/45 increased. Nevertheless, the German armed forces still represented an impressive force. According to the intelligence department of the General Staff of the Red Army, by mid-April they included 223 divisions and brigades.

Goals of the parties

Germany

USSR

Capture the capital of Germany, Berlin
After 12-15 days of the operation, reach the Elbe River

Deliver a cutting blow south of Berlin, isolate the main forces of Army Group Center from the Berlin group and thereby ensure the main attack of the 1st Belorussian Front from the south
Defeat the enemy group south of Berlin and operational reserves in the Cottbus area
In 10-12 days, no later, reach the Belitz - Wittenberg line and further along the Elbe River to Dresden

Deliver a cutting blow north of Berlin, protecting the right flank of the 1st Belorussian Front from possible enemy counterattacks from the north
Press to the sea and destroy German troops north of Berlin

Two brigades of river ships will assist the troops of the 5th Shock and 8th Guards Armies in crossing the Oder and breaking through enemy defenses on the Küstrin bridgehead
The third brigade will assist the troops of the 33rd Army in the Furstenberg area
Ensure mine defense of water transport routes.

Support the coastal flank of the 2nd Belorussian Front, continuing the blockade of Army Group Courland pressed to the sea in Latvia (Courland Pocket)

Operation plan

When conducting reconnaissance, tank commanders from the battalion commander to the army commander dressed in infantry uniforms and, under the guise of signalmen, examined crossings and areas where their units would be concentrated.

Regrouping of troops

Germany

Nature of defense

In an effort to increase the resilience of their troops in defense, the Nazi leadership tightened repressive measures. So, on April 15, in his address to the soldiers of the eastern front, A. Hitler demanded that everyone who gave the order to withdraw or would withdraw without an order be shot on the spot.

Composition and strengths of the parties

USSR

Total: Soviet troops - 1.9 million people, Polish troops - 155,900 people, 6,250 tanks, 41,600 guns and mortars, more than 7,500 aircraft

Germany

At 12 noon on April 25, west of Berlin, the advanced units of the 4th Guards Tank Army met with units of the 47th Army of the 1st Belorussian Front. On the same day, another significant event occurred. An hour and a half later, General Baklanov's 34th Guards Corps of the 5th Guards Army met with American troops on the Elbe.

2nd Belorussian Front (April 20-May 8)

We had a chance to observe the work of sappers. Working up to their necks in icy water amid exploding shells and mines, they made a crossing. Every second they were threatened with death, but people understood their soldier’s duty and thought about one thing - to help their comrades on the west bank and thereby bring victory closer.

Liquidation of the Frankfurt-Guben group

Assault on Berlin (April 25 - May 2)

A salvo of Soviet Katyusha rocket launchers hits Berlin

By April 26, six armies of the 1st Belorussian Front (47th, 3rd and 5th shock, 8th Guards, 1st and 2nd Guards Tank Armies) and three armies of the 1st Belorussian Front took part in the assault on Berlin. th Ukrainian Front (28th, 3rd and 4th Guards Tank). Taking into account the experience of capturing large cities, assault detachments were created for battles in the city, consisting of rifle battalions or companies, reinforced with tanks, artillery and sappers. The actions of assault troops, as a rule, were preceded by a short but powerful artillery preparation.

Helmut Weidling (left) and his staff officers surrender to Soviet troops. Berlin. May 2, 1945

On May 1, only the Tiergarten and the government quarter remained in German hands. The imperial chancellery was located here, in the courtyard of which there was a bunker at Hitler's headquarters. On the night of May 1, by prior agreement, the Chief of the General Staff of the German Ground Forces, General Krebs, arrived at the headquarters of the 8th Guards Army. He informed the army commander, General V.I. Chuikov, about Hitler’s suicide and the proposal of the new German government to conclude a truce. The message was immediately transmitted to G.K. Zhukov, who himself called Moscow. Stalin confirmed his categorical demand for unconditional surrender. At 18:00 on May 1, the new German government rejected the demand for unconditional surrender, and Soviet troops were forced to continue the assault with renewed vigor.

At one o'clock in the morning on May 2, the radio stations of the 1st Belorussian Front received a message in Russian: “We ask you to cease fire. We are sending envoys to the Potsdam Bridge.” A German officer who arrived at the appointed place, on behalf of the commander of the defense of Berlin, General Weidling, announced the readiness of the Berlin garrison to stop resistance. At 6 a.m. on May 2, Artillery General Weidling, accompanied by three German generals, crossed the front line and surrendered. An hour later, while at the headquarters of the 8th Guards Army, he wrote a surrender order, which was duplicated and, with the help of loudspeaker installations and radio, delivered to enemy units defending in the center of Berlin. As this order was communicated to the defenders, resistance in the city ceased. By the end of the day, the troops of the 8th Guards Army cleared the central part of the city from the enemy. Some units that did not want to surrender tried to break through to the west, but were destroyed or scattered.

Losses of the parties

USSR

From April 16 to May 8, Soviet troops lost 352,475 people, of which 78,291 were irretrievable. The losses of Polish troops during the same period amounted to 8,892 people, of which 2,825 were irretrievable. The losses of military equipment amounted to 1,997 tanks and self-propelled guns, 2,108 guns and mortars, and 917 combat aircraft.

After artillery preparation, the troops of the 5th Guards Army began crossing the river. The smoke masked the movement of troops towards the river, but at the same time made it somewhat difficult for us to observe enemy firing points. The attack began successfully, the crossing on ferries and boats was in full swing, by 12 o'clock. 60-ton bridges were built. At 13.00 our advanced detachments moved forward. The first - from the 10th Guards Tank Corps was the 62nd Guards Tank Brigade by I. I. Proshin, reinforced by heavy tanks, anti-tank artillery and motorized infantry of the 29th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade by A. I. Efimov. Essentially, these were 2 brigades. The second forward detachment - from the 6th Guards Mechanized Corps - the 16th Guards Mechanized Brigade of G. M. Shcherbak with assigned reinforcements. The detachments quickly crossed over the built bridges to the opposite bank and, together with the infantry, entered the battle, completing the breakthrough of the enemy’s tactical defense. The brigades of I. I. Proshin and A. I. Efimov overtook the rifle chains and went forward.
The plan we outlined was followed, although not entirely accurately, but there is nothing surprising in this; in a war where two forces, two wills, two plans opposing one another collide, the planned plan can rarely be carried out in all details. Changes occur, dictated by the current situation, for better or worse, in in this case for the better for us. The advance detachments advanced faster than we expected. Therefore, we decided to develop the offensive as quickly as possible with all the forces of the army on the night of April 17, so that the next day we could cross the river on the move. Spree, get out into the operational space, get ahead of the enemy reserves and defeat them. We already had such experience during the offensive from the Sandomierz bridgehead. Then, in the zone of the 13th Army of General N.P. Pukhov, on the night of January 13, 1945, we brought into action the main forces of the 10th Tank and 6th Mechanized Guards Corps, we managed to get ahead of the Nazi reserves - the 24th Tank Corps - and, in cooperation with neighbors, defeat it.
Having received the order to bring the main forces into action, E. E. Belov energetically launched an offensive with all the forces of the 10th Guards Corps. At approximately 10 p.m. we, together with the artillery commander N.F. Mentyukov, went to I.I. Proshin and A.I. Efimov, where Belov was already there, to inquire how things were going on the spot, and, if necessary, to provide them with assistance, since the fulfillment of the mission not only by the 10th Guards Tank Corps, but also by the entire army as a whole depended on their successful actions. We soon became convinced that Proshin and Efimov were rapidly moving forward, everything was going well for them.
In the second echelon of the corps, increasing the pace of the offensive, were the 63rd brigade of M. G. Fomichev and the 61st brigade of V. I. Zaitsev.
I soon returned to my command post in order to find out how the offensive was developing on the left wing of the army - the silence of the commander of the 6th Guards Corps, Colonel V.I. Koretsky, was somewhat disturbing. General Upman reported that there was a hitch in Koretsky's sector, and the corps was fighting with approaching enemy tanks.
At 11 p.m. 30 min. April 16 Belov reported that Proshin and Efimov met some enemy tank units moving forward. After 1.5 hours, he reported that the corps units defeated up to two enemy regiments (tank and motorized) belonging to the Fuhrer's Guard tank division and the Bohemia tank training division, and captured the headquarters of the Fuhrer's Guard division. A very important enemy combat order No. 676/45 dated April 16, 1945, signed by the division commander General Roemer, was captured at the headquarters, from which it followed that the enemy between the Neisse and Spree rivers had a pre-prepared line called “Matilda” (which we are talking about didn’t know) and put forward his reserve: 2 tank divisions - “Fuhrer’s Guard” and a training division tank division"Bohemia". This is what the order said:

1. Enemy (we are talking about us.- D.L.) 16.4 in the morning hours, after a strong artillery preparation, went on the offensive on a wide front in the Muskau - Triebel sector, formed Neisse at Kebeln, southwest of Gross-Zerchen and Zetz, and after heavy fighting with superior forces, threw back the 545 NGD (infantry division. - D.L.) from the forest in the Erishke area to the west. Enemy attacks were supported by large air forces. (For details, see the intelligence report.) The division expects the continuation of 17.4 enemy attacks with the introduction of reinforced tank formations and in the direction along the Muskau - Spremberg highway.
2. The Fuhrer's Guard division with its subordinate tank training division Bohemia continues 17.4 defensive battles at the Matilda line. The point is to crush the expected 17.4 new strong enemy attacks, especially those supported by tanks, in front of the front line...
12. Reports.
Inform 17.4 by 4.00 that the defense is ready...
Signed: Roemer.

A copy of this order is kept by me to this day as a memory of the last battles of the last war. From the above text it is clear that the enemy did not expect our attack at night, which is convincingly stated in the 12th paragraph of the order: since the unit commanders were ordered to report the readiness of the defense by 4 o'clock. on the morning of April 17, which means that the Nazis did not suspect that Soviet troops would advance at night. This is what destroyed the enemy. We began the offensive not on the morning of April 17, as the enemy believed, but on the night of April 17. With a strong blow from our 10th Guards Tank Corps, in cooperation with Zhadov’s infantry, the enemy in this sector April 17 was broken.
We decide, following Belov’s 10th Guards Corps, to introduce 5th Guards Mechanized Corps Ermakov. I immediately reported to the front commander about the defeat of the enemy at the Matilda line and the decision made. The captured enemy order was sent to front headquarters. Marshal I. S. Konev approved our actions and decision approved.
So, our plan to gain time, get ahead of the enemy and destroy his reserves was crowned with complete success. True, the 6th Guards Mechanized Corps lingered on the left flank of Zhadov’s army, where its infantry was unable to immediately break through the defenses, as fresh enemy reserves arrived there.
Now Belov’s tank and mechanized corps and Ermakova, i.e. main forces of the army. On April 18, the 10th Tank and 5th Mechanized Guards Corps, sweeping away the enemy in their path, broke into operational space and rushed to the west.
About 3 o'clock. on the night of April 18, we received a combat order from the commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, which stated that, in pursuance of the order of the Supreme High Command 4th Guards Tank Army by the end of April 20, capture the area of Beelitz, Treuenbritzen, Luckenwalde, and on the night of April 21, capture Potsdam and the southwestern part of Berlin. The neighbor on the right - the 3rd Guards Tank Army - was tasked with crossing the river during the night of April 18. Spree and quickly develop an offensive in the general direction of Fetschau, Barut, Teltow, the southern outskirts of Berlin, and on the night of April 21, break into Berlin from the south.
This directive set a new task - an attack on Berlin, in contrast to the previous plan, which aimed to attack in the general direction of Dessau. This turn of events did not come as a surprise to us. We at army headquarters thought about it even before the operation began. Therefore, without unnecessary loss of time, new tasks were assigned: the 10th Guards Tank Corps to develop an offensive in the direction of Luckau-Dame-Luckenwalde-Potsdam, cross the Teltow Canal and capture the southwestern part of Berlin on the night of April 21; The 6th Guards Mechanized Corps, after capturing the city of Spremberg, will go to the Nauen area and unite there with the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, completing the complete encirclement of the Berlin enemy group; The 5th Guards Mechanized Corps advance in the direction of Jüterbog, on April 21, capture the Beelitz, Treyenbritzen line and gain a foothold on it, securing the left flank of the army from possible enemy attacks from the west and creating an external front of encirclement of the Berlin group in the southwestern direction.
Having received new tasks, the corps commanders energetically began to carry them out. By the end of April 18, the 10th and 5th corps reached the Drebkau, Neu-Petershain line, this is more than 50 km from the former front line of enemy defense. Their advanced detachments advanced 70 km, and the 63rd Guards Tank Brigade of M. G. Fomichev pulled ahead even 90 km. The offensive progressed at an increasing pace. The 6th Guards Mechanized Corps, fulfilling the directive of the front, assisted the 5th Guards Army in capturing the city of Spremberg in order to quickly begin its main task - the encirclement of Berlin.
20 April a new order was received from the front commander:
“Personally to comrades Rybalko and Lelyushenko. Marshal Zhukov's troops are ten kilometers from the eastern outskirts of Berlin... I order that they must break into Berlin tonight... Deliver the execution. 19-40.20.4.1945. Konev." The distance to Berlin was 50-60 km, but that happens in war.
In accordance with this order, the tasks of the troops were clarified, and primarily of the 10th Guards Corps, which was aimed at the southwestern outskirts of Berlin.
When the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front broke into the eastern outskirts of Berlin on April 21, the right-flank troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front were approaching the southeastern and southern outskirts of the fascist capital. on the same day it captured the cities of Kalau, Luckau, Babelsberg and on April 21 reached the approaches to the southwestern outskirts of Berlin. 63rd Guards Tank Brigade under the command of Colonel M. G. Fomichev, acting as an advance detachment 4th Guards Tank Army, defeated the enemy garrison in Babelsberg (south of the outskirts of Berlin) and freed 7 thousand prisoners of various nationalities from concentration camps.
Continuing to carry out the task, the 63rd Guards Brigade soon encountered fierce enemy resistance in the village of Enikesdorf. It seemed to me that the battle was becoming protracted, and I decided to go to Fomichev to get acquainted with the situation on the spot and clarify the task for the strike in the direction of Berlin.
The brigade was given the task of rapidly advancing on the southwestern part of Berlin in the general direction of the Brandenburg Gate. We were supported from the air by A. I. Pokryshkin’s fighters, V. G. Ryazanov’s attack aircraft and D. T. Nikitin’s bombers. The 81st Guards Bomber Regiment under the command of V. Ya. Gavrilov especially helped us.
April 22 Ermakov Corps, advancing south of Belov’s corps, sweeping away the enemy on his way, he captured the cities of Beelitz, Treyenbritzen, and Jüterbog. From the fascist camp in the Troyenbritzen area, 1,600 French, British, Danes, Belgians, Norwegians and prisoners of other nationalities who had languished in Hitler's dungeons were freed.
There was an airfield not far from the camp in the Jüterbog area. More than 300 aircraft and a lot of other military equipment fell into our hands there. The commander showed particular resourcefulness and skill in leading this operation. 5th Guards Mechanized Corps Major General I.P. Ermakov.
On April 22, having reached the Treyenbritzen line, Beelitz, the 5th Guards Corps began a battle with the advanced units of the 12th German Army of General Wenck, which was trying to break through to Berlin. All enemy attacks were repelled, and its units were thrown back to their original position.
On the same day, E. E. Belov’s 10th Guards Tank Corps continued an intense battle on the southwestern outskirts of Berlin, encountering fierce resistance. The Faustian detachments were especially rampant. Despite this, the tankers continued to move forward, storming house after house, block after block.
The 3rd Guards Tank Army fought on the southern outskirts of Berlin. On the night of April 23, the 10th Guards Tank Corps reached the Teltow Canal and was preparing to cross it.
Having received intelligence data, Belov intensely prepared the corps troops to cross the Teltow Canal. On the same day, Marshal I.S. Konev transferred the 350th Infantry Division from the 13th Army under the command of Major General G.I. Vekhin to our operational subordination. This was very useful, since infantry was urgently needed to create battle groups during the assault on Berlin. On the Teltow Canal, selected SS units fought with fanaticism bordering on madness.
We started forcing the channel on the morning of April 23. The 29th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of Belov's Corps walked ahead. An advance detachment was allocated from its composition. Soon the tankers of I. I. Proshin’s 62nd Guards Brigade arrived and quickly attacked the enemy on the northern bank of the Teltow Canal.

Storm of Berlin

10th Guards Tank Corps by E. E. Belov, reinforced by G. I. Vekhin’s 350th Rifle Division, April 23 continued to storm the southwestern outskirts of Berlin, the 3rd Guards Tank Army of P.S. Rybalko, a neighbor on the right, fought in the southern part of Berlin. The tank brigades of this army, which directly interacted with us, were headed by the formation commander, General V.V. Novikov. Troops of the 1st Belorussian Front from April 21 continued to storm the fascist capital from the east and northeast.
The fighting was exceptionally intense and fierce in all sectors of the front. The Nazis fought for every block, for every house, floor, room. Our 5th Guards Mechanized Corps of I.P. Ermakov continued the stubborn battle on the line of Treuenbritzen, Beelitz, holding back the strongest pressure from the west of the enemy divisions of Wenck's 12th Army - "Scharngorst", "Hutten", "Theodor Kerner" and other formations , striving to break through to Berlin at any cost. Hitler called out to them with a plea for salvation.
The Chief of Staff of the Supreme High Command visited Wenck's troops fascist Germany Field Marshal Keitel. He demanded that the command staff and all troops of the 12th Army “fanaticalize” the fight, arguing that if the army breaks through to Berlin, the entire military-political situation will radically change and that Busse’s 9th Army is coming to meet Wenck. But it did not help. Wenck's army suffered colossal casualties from the attacks of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps.
In order to prevent the enemy's 12th Army from reaching Berlin, we strengthened the defense in this direction and sent 5th Guards Corps to the line of Treyenbritzen, Beelitz, the 70th Guards Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade under Lieutenant Colonel N.F. Kornyushkin and artillery units of army subordination, in particular the 71st Separate Guards Light Artillery Brigade under Colonel I.N. Kozubenko.
As a result of the efforts of the guards 4th Tank Army With the assistance of the troops of the 13th Army, enemy attacks were repelled and the Troyenbritzen, Beelitz line was held. Repeated enemy attacks were broken here by the unparalleled resilience of Soviet soldiers and officers.
The 6th Guards Mechanized Corps, which had delayed to provide assistance to the 5th Guards Army of A.S. Zhadov, after capturing the city of Spremberg, quickly took the lead and rushed to Potsdam. On the morning of April 23 He broke through the enemy’s defenses on the outer perimeter of Berlin in the Fresdorf area, where the Nazis again closed the gap, and defeated units of the enemy Friedrich Ludwig Jahn infantry division there. Here the 35th Guards Mechanized Brigade, Colonel P.N. Turkin, distinguished himself, and the commander of the unit of this brigade, Lieutenant V.V. Kuzovkov, captured the commander of the enemy division, Colonel Klein.
Soon I drove up to the corps to clarify the situation and assist the young corps commander, Colonel V.I. Koretsky, in quickly moving forward to encircle Berlin. A captured colonel was brought to us, he showed that the division was formed in early April from young men 15-16 years old. I couldn’t stand it and told him: “Why are you driving innocent teenage boys to slaughter on the eve of an inevitable catastrophe?” But what could he answer to this? His lips only moved convulsively, the eyelid of his right eye twitched convulsively and his legs trembled. This Nazi warrior looked pitiful and disgusting.
On April 24, the troops of the 1st Belorussian and the right-flank armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front united southeast of Berlin, encircling the 9th German Army.
4th Guards Tank Army quickly moved to link up with the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, closing the encirclement ring around Berlin from the west. The 6th Guards Mechanized Corps of V.I. Koretsky was intended to carry out this task. The 35th Guards Mechanized Brigade of Colonel P.N. Turkin came from him as an advance detachment. Having overcome 6 serious water obstacles, several strips of minefields, scarps, counter-scarps, anti-tank ditches, the brigade destroyed 9 Nazi detachments and individual units covering the obstacles and crossings southwest and west of Berlin. Here she captured many staff officers of the units and units serving Hitler's headquarters. A powerful radio communications center of the fascist high command fell into our hands - more than 300 different radio devices of the latest type. With their help Hitler's command maintained contact with troops in all theaters of military operations.
On the night of April 25 P.N. Turkin captured the city of Ketzin, 22 km west of Berlin, where he united with the 328th Rifle Division of the 77th Rifle Corps of General V.G. Poznyak and the 65th Guards Tank Brigade of the 1st Belorussian Front. Soon the main forces of our 6th Guards Mechanized Corps arrived here. This act ended an important stage of the Berlin operation - the fascist lair with a 200,000-strong garrison led by Hitler was completely surrounded. The sappers, led by the head of the engineering service of the 6th Guards Mechanized Corps, Lieutenant Colonel A.F. Romanenko, acted boldly and energetically. It should be noted the excellent combat work of the soldiers of the 22nd Separate Guards Three-Order Sapper Battalion, Major E. I. Pivovarov. Under enemy fire, they quickly cleared mine routes, established ferry and bridge crossings, and removed obstacles.
The pilots supported the offensive 4th Guards Tank Army throughout her entire battle path. These were the fighters of Colonel A.I. Pokryshkin and Lieutenant Colonel L.I. Goreglyad, attack aircraft of the 1st Guards Air Corps of General V.G. Ryazanov. The neighboring part of I.N. Kozhedub helped us. I would like to mention the brave pilot G.I. Remez, who rammed enemy planes, and the flight commander of the 22nd Guards Fighter Air Division, N.I. Glotov, who became a Hero of the Soviet Union.
In honor of this victory, which announced to the world the imminent end of the war, on April 25, Moscow saluted the valiant soldiers of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts with 20 artillery salvoes from 224 guns.
25th of April a very significant event occurred. In the area of Torgau on the Elbe, the advanced units of the 5th Guards Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front met with patrols of the 1st American Army. Now the front Nazi troops was torn into parts - northern and southern, separated from each other. In honor of this great victory, Moscow again saluted the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front with 24 artillery salvoes from 324 guns.
Hitler's headquarters, having lost control of its troops, was in its death throes. The diary of the Nazi General Staff on April 25, 1945 records: “Fierce fighting is taking place in the eastern and northern parts of the city... The city of Potsdam is completely surrounded. In the area of Torgau on the Elbe, Soviet and American troops unite for the first time.”
Events, meanwhile, developed with cinematic speed. 26 April 6th Guards Mechanized Corps 4th Guards Tank Army captures the center of Potsdam and on its northeastern outskirts again unites with units of the 9th Guards Tank Corps of General N.D. Vedeneev of the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the 1st Belorussian Front. On the connection of the corps, N.D. Vedeneev and V.I. Koretsky drew up and signed an act, sending it to the appropriate headquarters. This closed the circle of encirclement of the Berlin group for the second time. The soldiers of the 6th Guards Mechanized Corps showed high combat skill and heroism.
The capture of Potsdam was a blow to the very heart of reactionary Prussian militarism. After all, this city - a suburb of Berlin - has been the residence of Prussian kings since 1416, the site of countless military parades and reviews. Here in 1933, in the garrison church, the last president of the Weimar Republic, Field Marshal Hindenburg, blessed Hitler as the new ruler of Germany.
But when we were planning an attack on Potsdam, we were interested not so much in these data about it, but in the very advantageous position of the city for the defense of the enemy, which was actually located on an island, washed on one side by the river. The Havel, into which the Spree flows, and on the other - lakes. An assault by tanks on such a resistance center located on a wooded island was not an easy task.
When setting the task for the 6th Guards Corps, the army's military council took into account all this and, most importantly, the importance that the Nazis attached to the defense of the fortress city. The capture of Potsdam, despite stubborn resistance, was carried out with a very skillful maneuver, thanks to which many buildings of historical value were preserved, including the castles of Sanssoucy, Bebelsberg, and Zitzilienhof.
I must say that by April 25-26 9th german army, surrounded in the Cottbus area and southeast of Berlin, was virtually paralyzed, most of it destroyed. She no longer went to the rescue of Berlin and Hitler himself, but sought at all costs to go to the West in order to surrender to the Americans. The troops of the 1st Belorussian Front fought fiercely against the breaking through group from the north and northeast, and the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front fought from the southeast, south and southwest.
Here the 3rd Guards Army of General V.N. Gordov, formations of the 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Army, parts of the 28th Army of A. A. Luchinsky and the 13th Army of General Pukhov.
The battles were bloody. Attacks and counterattacks, as a rule, ended in hand-to-hand combat. The doomed enemy was rushing to the west. His groups were cut into separate parts by our troops, blocked and destroyed in the Barut area, in the forest to the north and at other points.
A small group of Nazis managed to break through in the city of Luckenwalde, just to the rear of the 4th Guards Tank Army and, above all, the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps of I.P. Ermakov, which repelled the fierce attacks of Wenck’s 12th Army at the line of Treuenbritzen, Beelitz, front to the west.
Now Ermakov had to fight with an inverted front, still directing his main forces to the west against Wenck’s army and part of his forces to the east against Busse’s breaking through group of the 9th Army. To help Ermakov, I urgently sent the 63rd Guards Tank Brigade of M. G. Fomichev with the 72nd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment of Major A. A. Dementyev and a separate self-propelled artillery regiment to the Luckenwalde area. The 68th Guards Tank Brigade under the army subordination of Colonel K. T. Khmylov was also deployed there.
In the last days of April The battle for Berlin reached its climax. The soldiers of the Red Army, with utmost effort, sparing neither blood nor life itself, went into the last and decisive battle. Tankers V.I. Zaitsev, I.I. Proshina, P.N. Turkin and N.Ya. Selivanchik, motorized riflemen A.I. Efimov, infantrymen of General G.I. Vekhin under the leadership of E.E. Belov and V.I. Koretsky in a fierce, bloody battle, storming Berlin, in cooperation with its neighbors, captured the southwestern part of the city and advanced in the direction of the Brandenburg Gate. Ermakov's warriors reliably held the outer front at the Treyenbritzen-Beelitz line, repelling the onslaught of the 12th enemy army.
April 27 The diary of Hitler’s general staff records: “Fierce fighting is taking place in Berlin. Despite all the orders and measures to assist Berlin, this day clearly indicates that the end of the battle for the German capital is approaching...”
On this day, our troops were approaching the lair of the fascist beast like an unstoppable avalanche. The enemy sought to break through to the west, to the Americans. His pressure was especially strong in the sector of our 10th Guards Tank Corps, reinforced by the 350th Rifle Division of General G.I. Vekhin. 18 enemy attacks were repelled here on April 26 and 27, but the enemy was not released from Berlin.
5th Guards Mechanized Corps I. P. Ermakov, in which there were many sailors of the Pacific Fleet, stood indestructibly on the line between Treyenbritzen and Beelitz, continuously repelling the attacks of Wenck's army. The soldiers of this corps showed exceptional resilience - 10th Guards Mechanized Brigade by V. N. Buslaev, 11th Guards Mechanized Brigade by I. T. Noskov and 12th Guards Mechanized Brigade by G. Ya. Borisenko. Day and night on April 29, a bloody battle continued in all areas.
The army command and all the soldiers understood that the troops 4th Guards Tank Army these days they were performing a responsible task: firstly, it was necessary to reliably close the enemy’s exit routes from Berlin to the southwest, and secondly, prevent Wenck's 12th Army from reaching Berlin, which had main task to release Berlin with a 200,000-strong garrison, and, thirdly, not to release the remnants of the enemy’s 9th Army, which were breaking through the rear of our army in the Luckenwalde area to the west, into the American zone. Troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts stormed Berlin.
But the Nazis still continued to resist, although there was already panic and confusion at the top of the Wehrmacht. Hitler and Goebbels committed suicide, other fascist thugs fled in all directions. On the morning of May 1 A scarlet banner was already flying over the Reichstag, installed by the soldiers of the 756th Infantry Regiment of the 150th Division of General V.M. Shatilov, Sergeant M.A. Egorov and Private M.V. Kantaria.
On May 1, we received a report from the commander of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps, I.P. Ermakov, that the enemy was exerting strong pressure from the west and east. It was Wenck's 12th Army, which received reinforcements, that strained its last strength to save the Nazis remaining in Berlin. At the same time, the remnants of the enemy's 9th Army sought to break through to the Americans. We urgently send to the aid of Ermakov the 71st separate Guards light artillery brigade I. N. Kozubenko, the 3rd Guards motorized engineering brigade A. F. Sharuda, the 379th Guards heavy self-propelled artillery regiment with 100 mm guns under the command of Major P. F. Sidorenko, 312th Guards Katyusha Mortar Regiment, 61st Guards Tank Brigade by V.I. Zaitsev and 434th Anti-Aircraft Regiment by Lieutenant Colonel V.P. Ashkerov.
In order to completely defeat the enemy in the area of operations of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps, i.e. near Treuenbritzen, Beelitz and Luckenwalde, I ordered at 15 o'clock. On May 1, the 6th Guards Mechanized Corps, which had already captured Brandenburg, turned east and struck in the rear of Wenck’s army, defeated it and prevented the remnants of the enemy’s 9th Army from breaking through into the American zone.
The results were immediate. The decisive blow of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps to the west and the 6th Guards Mechanized Corps to the east and southeast, in cooperation with units of the 13th Army of General Pukhov, completely destroyed the formations of the 12th and the remnants of the 9th enemy armies.
In those same May days, when we were fighting with superior enemy forces on two fronts, Belov’s 10th Guards Tank Corps, together with the 350th Rifle Division of Vekhin attached to it and other army formations, continued to persistently storm the southwestern part of Berlin, pressing the enemy to Brandenburg Gate.
We were reliably provided from the air by the fearless pilots of the fighter division, led by three times Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin.
The ring around Berlin was shrinking. Hitler's leaders faced an inevitably approaching catastrophe.
On May 2, Berlin fell. The 200,000-strong Nazi group surrounded in it capitulated. The long-awaited victory came, in the name of which millions of Soviet people gave their lives.
During the Berlin operation, the troops of our 4th Guards Tank Army destroyed 42,850 enemy soldiers and officers, 31,350 were captured, 556 tanks and armored personnel carriers, 1,178 guns and mortars were burned and captured.