Laura Speerin

Battle of Berlin

Event: Battle of BerlinWhen: 20 April – 2 May 1945

What: Red Army breached the German front and surrounded the city of Berlin.Where: Berlin, Germany

Why: To take over Berlin.

Outcome: Decisive Soviet victory; Allied victory in World War II, dissolution of Nazi Germany

Significance•Brought the end of Nazi reign in Europe

•Signified the end of WWII

Basic InfoBefore the battle, the

American Air Force bombed Berlin for 36 successive nights.

As a result German forces were heavily depleted.

Soviets eventually surrounded Berlin.

City defenders surrendered on May 2

Some Germans continued to fight westward until May 8

Berlin, July 3, 1945

Stalin racing America to reach Berlin(Gen. Eisenhower did not participate)

During the last three weeks of WWII a quarter of a million people died

2.5 Mil Red Army troops 6000 tanks 40 000 artillery pieces vs. 300 000 German defenders

Maps

Front Lines by the first of May.

Lead the 1st Belorussian Front and started shelling Berlin on the 20 April.

Russian LeadersMarshal Georgy Zukhov

Lead the 1st Ukrainian front and raced Zukhov to Berlin.

Marshal Ivan Konev

General Gotthard Heinrici Commander-in-Chief of Army Group

Vistula replacing Himmler.

An excellent defensive tactician because he assumed correctly that the soviets would attack over the Oder River and along east-west Autobahn. He placed the seelow heights overlooking the Oder.

Axis Leaders

Weapons

RAF, Mosquitoes were used by the US Air Force prior to the battle of Berlin. For 36 Successive nights Berlin was bombed by use of this aircraft.

12.8 cm FlaK 40 was a German anti-aircraft design.

What You Need To Know About the Battle of Berlin

Youtube