This article briefly describes the battle for Berlin - the decisive and final operation of the Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War. It consisted in the final destruction of the fascist army and the capture of the capital of Germany. The successful completion of the operation marked the victory of the Soviet Union and the whole world over fascism.

Plans of the parties before the operation
By April 1945, as a result of a successful offensive, Soviet troops were in close proximity to the capital of Germany. The battle for Berlin was important not only militarily, but also ideologically. The Soviet Union sought, ahead of the allies, to capture the capital of Germany in a short time. The Soviet troops were to valiantly end the bloody war by hoisting their banner over the Reichstag. The desired date for the end of the war was April 22 (Lenin's birthday).
Hitler, realizing that the war was lost anyway, wanted to resist to the end. It is not known in what mental state Hitler was at the end of the war, but his actions and statements look crazy. Berlin, according to him, becomes the last bastion, the citadel of the German nation. It must be defended by every German capable of bearing arms. The battle for Berlin should be the triumph of fascism, at this point the offensive of the Soviet Union would be stopped. On the other hand, the Fuhrer argued that the best Germans died in previous battles, and the German people never fulfilled their world mission. One way or another, fascist propaganda bore fruit until the very end of the war. The Germans showed exceptional perseverance and courage in the final battles. An important role was played by the fear of the expected revenge of the Soviet soldiers for the atrocities of the Nazis. Even realizing that victory was no longer possible, the Germans resisted, hoping for surrender to Western troops.

balance of power
Soviet troops, approaching Berlin at a distance of about 50 km, were an impressive offensive grouping. The total number was about 2.5 million people. The operation involved: 1st Belorussian (Zhukov), 2nd Belorussian (Rokossovsky) and 1st Ukrainian (Konev) fronts. A 3-4-fold superiority in military equipment was concentrated against the defenders of Berlin. The Soviet army has accumulated extensive experience in conducting military operations, including assaults on fortified cities. Among the soldiers there was a huge motivation in the victorious end of the war
German troops (army groups "Vistula" and "Center") numbered about 1 million people. Berlin was surrounded by three well-fortified defense rings. The most protected was the site in the area of ​​the Seelow Heights. The Berlin garrison itself (commander - General Weidling) consisted of 50 thousand people. The city was divided into eight defense sectors (along the circumference), plus a central fortified sector. After the encirclement of Berlin by Soviet troops, the number of defenders, according to various estimates, ranged from 100 to 300 thousand people. In their composition, the most combat-ready were the remnants of the defeated troops defending the suburbs of Berlin, as well as the bloodless garrison of the city. The rest of the defenders were hastily recruited from the inhabitants of Berlin, making up detachments of the people's militia (Volkssturm), mostly old people and children from 14 years old, who simply did not have time to undergo any military training. The situation was complicated by the fact that there was an acute shortage of weapons and ammunition. Information is provided that by the beginning of the direct battle for Berlin, there was one rifle for every three defenders. Only faustpatrons were sufficient enough, which really became a serious problem for Soviet tanks.
The construction of the city's defensive structures began late and was not fully completed. However, the assault on a large city always presents great difficulties, as it does not make it possible to fully use heavy equipment. Houses turned into a kind of fortress, many bridges, an extensive metro network - these are the factors that helped to keep the onslaught of the Soviet troops.

Stage I (beginning of operation)
The main role in the operation was entrusted to the commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, Marshal Zhukov, whose task was to storm the most fortified Seelow Heights and enter the German capital. The battle for Berlin began on April 16 with a powerful artillery preparation. The Soviet command was the first to use powerful searchlights to blind and disorganize the enemy. This, however, did not bring the desired results and had only a certain psychological factor. German troops offered stubborn resistance, and the pace of the offensive was lower than expected. The opposing sides suffered huge losses. However, the superiority of the Soviet forces began to tell, and by April 19, in the main strike direction, the troops broke the resistance of the third ring of defense. Conditions were formed for the encirclement of Berlin from the north.
Troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front were operating in the southern direction. The offensive also began on April 16 and immediately made it possible to advance far deep into the German defenses. On April 18, tank armies crossed the river. Spree and launched an attack on Berlin from the south.
The troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front were supposed to force the river. Oder and through their actions to provide support to Marshal Zhukov to cover Berlin from the north. On April 18-19, the front launched an offensive and achieved significant success.
By April 19, by the combined efforts of the three fronts, the main resistance of the enemy was broken, an opportunity arose for the complete encirclement of Berlin and the defeat of the remaining groupings.

Stage II (environment of Berlin)
Since April 19, the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belorussian fronts have been developing the offensive. Already on April 20, artillery strikes the first blows on Berlin. The next day, the troops enter the northern and southeastern regions of the city. On April 25, the tank armies of the two fronts unite, thereby completing the encirclement of Berlin. On the same day, a meeting of Soviet troops with allies takes place on the river. Elbe. This meeting was of great importance as a symbol of the joint struggle against the fascist threat. The garrison of the capital is completely cut off from the rest of the German groups. The remnants of the Army Groups "Center" and "Vistula", which constituted the outer lines of defense, are in the boilers and are partially destroyed, surrender or attempt to break through to the west.
Troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front pin down the 3rd Panzer Army and thereby deprive it of the possibility of launching a counterattack.

Stage III (completion of the operation)
The Soviet troops were faced with the task of encircling and destroying the remaining German forces. The victory over the largest - the Frankfurt-Guben grouping was decisive. The operation took place from April 26 to May 1 and ended with the almost complete destruction of the group.
About 460 thousand Soviet soldiers took part directly in the battle for Berlin. By April 30, the defending forces were cut into four parts. The defense of the Reichstag was fierce, the battles were fought literally for every room. Finally, on the morning of May 2, the commander of the garrison, General Weidling, signed the act of unconditional surrender. This was announced through loudspeakers throughout the city.
Soviet troops on a broad front reached the river. Elbe, as well as to the coast of the Baltic Sea. A regrouping of forces began for the final liberation of Czechoslovakia.
On the night of May 9, 1945, representatives of Germany, the USSR and the Allies signed an act of complete and unconditional surrender of Germany. Mankind celebrated the victory over the greatest threat to the whole world - fascism.

Evaluation and significance of the Battle of Berlin
The capture of Berlin is ambiguously assessed in historical science. Soviet historians talked about the genius of the Berlin operation, its careful development. In the post-perestroika period, they pointed to unjustified losses, to the senselessness of the assault, to the fact that there were practically no defenders left. The truth is contained in both statements. The last defenders of Berlin were significantly inferior in strength to the attackers, but do not forget about the power of the impact of Hitler's propaganda, forcing people to give their lives for the Fuhrer. This explains the exceptional tenacity in defense. The Soviet troops really suffered heavy losses, but the people needed the battle for Berlin and the hoisting of the flag on the Reichstag, as a natural result of their incredible suffering during the war years.
The Berlin operation was the final stage in the struggle of the leading world powers against the fascist regime in Germany. The main culprit of unleashing a bloody war was defeated. The main ideologist - Hitler committed suicide, the top leaders of the Nazi state were captured or killed. Victory in World War II was not far off. For some time (before the start of the Cold War), humanity felt its unity and the possibility of joint action in the face of serious danger.

Berlin strategic offensive operation (Berlin operation, Capture of Berlin)- offensive operation of the Soviet troops during Great Patriotic War, which ended with the capture of Berlin and victory in the war.

The military operation was conducted on the territory of Europe from April 16 to May 9, 1945, during which the territories occupied by the Germans were liberated and Berlin was taken under control. Berlin operation was the last in Great Patriotic And World War II.

As part of Berlin operation the following smaller operations were carried out:

• Stettin-Rostock;
• Zelovsko-Berlinskaya;
• Cottbus-Potsdam;
• Stremberg-Torgauskaya;
• Brandenburg-Rathenow.

The purpose of the operation was the capture of Berlin, which would allow the Soviet troops to open the way to connect with the Allies on the Elbe River and thus prevent Hitler from dragging out Second World War for a longer period.

The course of the Berlin operation

In November 1944, the General Staff of the Soviet troops began planning an offensive operation on the outskirts of the German capital. During the operation, it was supposed to defeat the German Army Group "A" and finally liberate the occupied territories of Poland.

At the end of the same month, the German army launched a counteroffensive in the Ardennes and was able to push back the Allied troops, thereby putting them almost on the brink of defeat. To continue the war, the allies needed the support of the USSR - for this, the leadership of the United States and Great Britain turned to the Soviet Union with a request to send their troops and conduct offensive operations in order to distract Hitler and give the allies the opportunity to recover.

The Soviet command agreed, and the USSR army launched an offensive, but the operation began almost a week earlier, due to which there was insufficient preparation and, as a result, heavy losses.

By mid-February, Soviet troops were able to cross the Oder, the last obstacle on the way to Berlin. A little more than seventy kilometers remained to the capital of Germany. From that moment on, the fighting took on a more protracted and fierce character - Germany did not want to give up and tried with all its might to restrain the Soviet offensive, but it was quite difficult to stop the Red Army.

At the same time, preparations began on the territory of East Prussia for the assault on the fortress of Koenigsberg, which was extremely well fortified and seemed almost impregnable. For the assault, the Soviet troops carried out a thorough artillery preparation, which as a result bore fruit - the fortress was taken unusually quickly.

In April 1945, the Soviet army began preparations for the long-awaited assault on Berlin. The leadership of the USSR was of the opinion that in order to achieve the success of the entire operation, it was necessary to urgently carry out an assault without delay, since the prolongation of the war itself could lead to the Germans being able to open another front in the West and conclude a separate peace. In addition, the leadership of the USSR did not want to give Berlin to the Allied forces.

Berlin offensive operation prepared very carefully. Huge stocks of military equipment and ammunition were transferred to the outskirts of the city, and the forces of three fronts were pulled together. The operation was commanded by marshals G.K. Zhukov, K.K. Rokossovsky and I.S. Konev. In total, more than 3 million people participated in the battle on both sides.

Storming Berlin

Berlin operation characterized by the highest density of artillery shells in the history of all world wars. The defense of Berlin was thought out to the smallest detail, and it was not so easy to break through the system of fortifications and tricks, by the way, the loss of armored vehicles amounted to 1800 units. That is why the command decided to bring up all the nearby artillery to suppress the defense of the city. The result was a truly hellish fire that literally wiped out the enemy's front line of defense.

The assault on the city began on April 16 at 3 am. In the light of searchlights, one and a half hundred tanks and infantry attacked the defensive positions of the Germans. A fierce battle was fought for four days, after which the forces of three Soviet fronts and the troops of the Polish army managed to encircle the city. On the same day, Soviet troops met with the allies on the Elbe. As a result of four days of fighting, several hundred thousand people were captured, dozens of armored vehicles were destroyed.

However, despite the offensive, Hitler was not going to surrender Berlin, he insisted that the city must be held at all costs. Hitler refused to surrender even after the Soviet troops came close to the city, he threw all available human resources, including children and the elderly, onto the field of operations.

On April 21, the Soviet army was able to reach the outskirts of Berlin and start street fighting there - German soldiers fought to the last, following Hitler's order not to surrender.

On April 30, the Soviet flag was hoisted on the building - the war ended, Germany was defeated.

The results of the Berlin operation

Berlin operation put an end to the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War. As a result of the rapid offensive of the Soviet troops, Germany was forced to surrender, all chances for opening a second front and making peace with the allies were cut off. Hitler, having learned about the defeat of his army and the entire fascist regime, committed suicide. More awards were given for the storming of Berlin than for the rest of the military operations of the Second World War. 180 units were awarded honorary "Berlin" distinctions, which in terms of personnel - 1 million 100 thousand people.

Berlin strategic offensive operation - one of the last strategic operations of the Soviet troops, during which the Red Army occupied the capital of Germany and victoriously ended the Great Patriotic War. The operation lasted 23 days - from April 16 to May 8, 1945, during which the Soviet troops advanced westward at a distance of 100 to 220 km. The width of the combat front is 300 km. As part of the operation, the Stettin-Rostock, Zelow-Berlin, Cottbus-Potsdam, Stremberg-Torgau and Brandenburg-Rathen front-line offensive operations were carried out.
MILITARY AND POLITICAL SITUATION IN EUROPE IN THE SPRING OF 1945 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. According to the shortest distance from the Kustrinsky bridgehead to Berlin, 60 km remained. Anglo-American troops completed the liquidation of the Ruhr grouping of German troops and by mid-April advanced units reached the Elbe. The loss of the most important raw material areas led to a decline in industrial production in Germany. Difficulties increased in replenishing the casualties suffered in the winter of 1944/45. Nevertheless, the German armed forces were still an impressive force. According to the intelligence department of the General Staff of the Red Army, by mid-April they numbered 223 divisions and brigades.
According to the agreements reached by the heads of the USSR, the USA and Great Britain in the autumn of 1944, the border of the Soviet zone of occupation was to be 150 km west of Berlin. Despite this, Churchill put forward the idea of ​​getting ahead of the Red Army and capturing Berlin.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PARTIES Germany
The Nazi leadership tried to drag out 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 the Soviet Union acquired decisive importance.

the USSR
The military-political situation that had developed by April 1945 required the Soviet command to prepare and conduct an operation to defeat the group of German troops in the Berlin direction, capture Berlin and reach the Elbe River to join the Allied forces as soon as possible. The successful fulfillment of this strategic task made it possible to thwart the plans of the Nazi leadership to prolong the war.
The forces of three fronts were involved in the operation: the 1st and 2nd Belorussian, and the 1st Ukrainian, as well as the 18th Air Army of long-range aviation, the Dnieper military flotilla and part of the forces of the Baltic Fleet.
The tasks of the Soviet fronts
1st Belorussian Front Capture the capital of Germany, the city of Berlin. After 12-15 days of operation, reach the Elbe River 1st Ukrainian Front Deliver a cutting blow south of Berlin, isolate the main forces of Army Group Center from the Berlin grouping and thereby ensure the main attack of the 1st Belorussian Front from the south. Defeat the enemy grouping south of Berlin and operational reserves in the Cottbus area. In 10-12 days, not later, reach the Belitz-Wittenberg line and further along the Elbe River to Dresden. 2nd Belorussian Front Deliver a cutting blow north of Berlin, securing the right flank of the 1st Belorussian Front from possible enemy counterattacks from the north. Press to the sea and destroy the German troops north of Berlin. Dnieper military flotilla With two brigades of river ships, to assist the troops of the 5th shock and 8th guards armies in crossing the Oder and breaking through the enemy defenses at the Kustra bridgehead. The third brigade to assist the troops of the 33rd Army in the Furstenberg area. Provide anti-mine defense of water transport routes. Red Banner Baltic Fleet Support the coastal flank of the 2nd Belorussian Front, continuing the blockade of the Kurland Army Group pressed to the sea in Latvia (Kurland Cauldron).
PLAN OF OPERATION The plan of operation included simultaneous transition to the offensive of the troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts on the morning of April 16, 1945. The 2nd Belorussian Front, in connection with the upcoming major regrouping of its forces, was to launch an offensive on April 20, that is, 4 days later.

1st Belorussian Front was to deliver the main blow with the forces of five combined arms (47th, 3rd shock, 5th shock, 8th guards and 3rd armies) and two tank armies from the Kustrinsky bridgehead in the direction of Berlin. It was planned to bring tank armies into battle after the combined arms armies had broken through the second line of defense on the Seelow Heights. In the main strike area, an artillery density of up to 270 guns (with a caliber of 76 mm and above) was created per one kilometer of the breakthrough front. In addition, the front commander G.K. Zhukov decided to deliver two auxiliary strikes: on the right - by the forces of the 61st Soviet and 1st Army of the Polish Army, bypassing Berlin from the north in the direction of Eberswalde, Zandau; and on the left - by the forces of the 69th and 33rd armies to Bonsdorf with the main task of preventing the withdrawal of the enemy's 9th army to Berlin.

1st Ukrainian Front was supposed to deliver the main blow with the forces of five armies: three combined arms (13th, 5th guards and 3rd guards) and two tank ones from the area of ​​​​the city of Trimbel in the direction of Spremberg. The auxiliary blow was to be delivered in the general direction to Dresden by the forces of the 2nd Army of the Polish Army and part of the forces of the 52nd Army.
The dividing line between the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belorussian fronts broke off 50 km southeast of Berlin in the area of ​​​​the city of Lübben, which allowed, if necessary, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front to strike at Berlin from the south.
Commander of the 2nd Belorussian Front K.K. Rokossovsky decided to deliver the main blow with the forces of the 65th, 70th and 49th armies in the direction of Neustrelitz. To build on success after the breakthrough of the German defenses were separate tank, mechanized and cavalry corps of front-line subordination.
PREPARATION FOR OPERATION the USSR
Intelligence support
Reconnaissance aviation made 6 aerial photographs of Berlin, all the approaches to it and defensive zones. In total, about 15,000 aerial photographs were taken. According to the results of filming, captured documents and interviews of prisoners, detailed schemes, plans, maps were drawn up, which were supplied to all command and staff authorities. The military topographic service of the 1st Belorussian Front made an accurate model of the city with suburbs, which was used in studying issues related to the organization of the offensive, the general assault on Berlin and the battles in the city center. Two days before the start of the operation in the entire strip of the 1st Belorussian front was reconnaissance in force. 32 reconnaissance detachments, up to a reinforced rifle battalion each, for two days on April 14 and 15, clarified the deployment of enemy fire weapons, the deployment of his groupings, and determined the strongest and most vulnerable places of the defensive zone.
Engineering support
During the preparation of the offensive, the engineering troops of the 1st Belorussian Front under the command of Lieutenant General Antipenko performed a large amount of sapper-engineering work. By the beginning of the operation, often under enemy fire, 25 road bridges with a total length of 15,017 linear meters were built across the Oder and 40 ferry crossings were prepared. In order to organize a continuous and complete supply of the advancing units with ammunition and fuel, the railway track in the occupied territory was changed to the Russian gauge almost to the very Oder. In addition, the military engineers of the front made heroic efforts to strengthen the railway bridges across the Vistula, which were in danger of being demolished by the spring ice drift.
On the 1st Ukrainian Front 2440 sapper wooden boats, 750 linear meters of assault bridges and over 1000 linear meters of wooden bridges for loads of 16 and 60 tons were prepared to force the Neisse River.
2nd Belorussian Front at the beginning of the offensive, it was necessary to force the Oder, whose width in some places reached six kilometers, so special attention was also paid to the engineering preparation of the operation. The engineering troops of the front, under the leadership of Lieutenant General Blagoslavov, in the shortest possible time pulled up and securely sheltered dozens of pontoons, hundreds of boats in the coastal zone, brought timber for the construction of berths and bridges, made rafts, laid gati through the swampy areas of the coast.

Disguise and disinformation
Preparing an offensive, - recalled G.K. Zhukov, - we were fully aware that the Germans were expecting our attack on Berlin. Therefore, the front command thought in every detail how to organize this strike most suddenly for the enemy. In preparing the operation, special attention was paid to the issues of camouflage and achieving operational and tactical surprise. The headquarters of the fronts developed detailed action plans for disinformation and misleading the enemy, according to which the preparations for the 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 on the central sector of the 1st Belorussian Front, where in reality the main attack was planned. They were carried out especially intensively in sectors that were clearly visible to the enemy. It was explained to all the personnel of the armies that the main task was stubborn defense. In addition, documents characterizing the activities of troops in various sectors of the front were thrown into the enemy’s location.
The arrival of reserves and reinforcements was carefully camouflaged. Military echelons with artillery, mortar, tank units on the territory of Poland disguised themselves as trains carrying timber and hay on platforms.
When carrying out 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.
The circle of knowledgeable persons was extremely limited. In addition to the army commanders, only the chiefs of staff of the armies, the chiefs of the operational departments of the headquarters of the armies and the commanders of artillery were allowed to familiarize themselves with the directive of the Stavka. Regimental commanders received tasks orally three days before the offensive. Junior commanders and Red Army soldiers were allowed to announce the offensive task two hours before the attack.

Troop regrouping
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, was to transfer 4 combined arms armies at 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 change the armies of the 1st Belorussian Front there. The poor condition of the railways and the acute shortage of rolling stock did not allow the full use of the possibilities of railway transport, so the main burden of transportation fell on motor vehicles. The front was allocated 1900 vehicles. The troops had to overcome part of the way on foot. It was a difficult maneuver for the troops of the whole front, recalled Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky, - the like of which was not throughout the Great Patriotic War.

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


The nature of the defense
The basis of the defense was the Oder-Neissen defensive line and the Berlin defensive area. The Oder-Neissen 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 forward edge ran along the left bank of the Oder and Neisse rivers. A second line of defense was created 10-20 km from it. It was the most equipped in engineering terms at the Zelov Heights - in front of the Kyustrinsky bridgehead. The third strip was located at a distance of 20-40 km from the front line. 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.

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

In an effort to improve resilience of their troops on the defensive, the Nazi leadership tightened its 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.
FORCES OF THE PARTIES the USSR
In total: Soviet troops - 1.9 million people, Polish troops - 155,900 people, 6250 tanks, 41,600 guns and mortars, more than 7500 aircraft.
In addition, the 1st Belorussian Front included German formations consisting of former captured Wehrmacht soldiers and officers who agreed to participate in the fight against the Nazi regime (Seidlitz troops).

Germany
Total: 48 infantry, 6 tank and 9 motorized divisions; 37 separate infantry regiments, 98 separate infantry battalions, as well as a large number of separate artillery and special units and formations (1 million people, 10,400 guns and mortars, 1,500 tanks and assault guns, and 3,300 combat aircraft).
On April 24, the 12th Army under the command of General of the Infantry V. Venk, which previously occupied the defense on the Western Front, entered the battle.

GENERAL PROGRESS OF BATTLE ACTIONS 1st Belorussian Front (April 16-25)
At 5 o'clock in the morning Moscow time (2 hours before dawn) on April 16, artillery preparation began in the zone of the 1st Belorussian Front. 9,000 guns and mortars, as well as more than 1,500 installations of the RS BM-13 and BM-31, for 25 minutes, grinded the first line of German defense in the 27-kilometer breakthrough section. With the start of the attack, artillery fire was moved deep into the defense, and 143 anti-aircraft searchlights were turned on in the breakthrough areas. Their dazzling light stunned the enemy and at the same time illuminated the path for the advancing units. For the first one and a half to two hours, the offensive of the Soviet troops developed successfully, individual formations reached the second line of defense. However, soon the Nazis, relying on a strong and well-prepared second line of defense, began to offer fierce resistance. Intense fighting broke out along the entire front. Although in some sectors of the front the troops managed to capture individual strongholds, they did not succeed in achieving decisive success. The powerful knot of resistance, equipped on the Zelov heights, turned out to be insurmountable for rifle formations. This jeopardized the success of the entire operation.
In such an environment, the front commander, Marshal Zhukov, took the decision to bring the 1st and 2nd Guards Tank Armies into battle. This was not envisaged by the offensive plan, however, the stubborn resistance of the German troops required to increase the penetration ability of the attackers by bringing tank armies into battle. The course of the battle on the first day showed that the German command attaches decisive importance to the retention of the Zelov Heights. To strengthen the defense in this sector, by the end of April 16, the operational reserves of the Vistula Army Group were thrown. All day and all night on April 17, the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front fought fierce battles with the enemy. By the morning of April 18, tank and rifle formations, with the support of aviation of the 16th and 18th air armies, took the Zelov Heights. Overcoming the stubborn defense of the German troops and repulsing fierce counterattacks, by the end of April 19, the troops of the front had broken through the third defensive zone and were able to develop the offensive against Berlin.

The real threat of the environment forced the commander of the 9th German Army T. Busse to come up with a proposal to withdraw the army to the suburbs of Berlin and take up a strong defense there. Such a plan was supported by the commander of the Vistula Army Group, Colonel General Heinrici, but Hitler rejected this proposal and ordered to hold the occupied lines at any cost.

April 20 was marked by an artillery strike on Berlin, inflicted by long-range artillery of the 79th rifle corps of the 3rd shock army. It was a kind of gift to Hitler for his birthday. On April 21, units of the 3rd shock, 2nd guards tank, 47th and 5th shock armies broke through the third line of defense, broke into the outskirts of Berlin and started fighting there. The first to break into Berlin from the east were the troops that were part of the 26th Guards Corps of General P.A. Firsov and the 32nd Corps of General D.S. Zherebin of the 5th Shock Army. On the evening of April 21, advanced units of the 3rd Guards Tank Army P.S. approached the city from the south. Rybalko. On April 23 and 24, hostilities in all directions took on a particularly fierce character. On April 23, the 9th Rifle Corps under the command of Major General I.P. achieved the greatest success in the assault on Berlin. Tall. The soldiers of this corps captured Karlshorst, part of Kopenick, by a decisive assault and, having reached the Spree, crossed it on the move. Great assistance in forcing the Spree was provided by the ships of the Dnieper military flotilla, transferring rifle units to the opposite bank under enemy fire. Although by April 24 the pace of advance of the Soviet troops had decreased, the Nazis failed to stop them. On April 24, the 5th shock army, fighting fierce battles, continued to successfully advance towards the center of Berlin.
Operating in the auxiliary direction, the 61st Army and the 1st Army of the Polish Army, having launched an offensive on April 17, overcoming the German defenses with stubborn battles, bypassed Berlin from the north and moved towards the Elbe.
1st Ukrainian Front (April 16-25)
The offensive of the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front developed more successfully. On April 16, early in the morning, a smoke screen was placed along the entire 390-kilometer front, blinding the advanced observation posts of the enemy. At 0655, after a 40-minute artillery strike on the front line of the German defense, the reinforced battalions of the divisions of the first echelon began to cross the Neisse. Having quickly captured bridgeheads on the left bank of the river, they provided conditions for building bridges and crossing the main forces. During the first hours of the operation, 133 crossings were equipped by the engineering troops of the front in the main direction of attack. With every hour, the number of forces and means transferred to the bridgehead increased. In the middle of the day, the attackers reached the second lane of the German defense. Feeling the threat of a major breakthrough, the German command already on the first day of the operation threw into battle not only its tactical, but also operational reserves, setting them the task of throwing the advancing Soviet troops into the river. Nevertheless, by the end of the day, the troops of the front broke through the main line of defense on the 26 km front and advanced to a depth of 13 km.

By the morning of April 17 The 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Armies crossed the Neisse in full force. All day long, the troops of the front, overcoming the stubborn resistance of the enemy, continued to widen and deepen the gap in the German defenses. Air support for the advancing troops was provided by pilots of the 2nd Air Army. Assault aviation, acting at the request of ground commanders, destroyed the firepower and manpower of the enemy at the forefront. Bomber aircraft smashed suitable reserves. By the middle of April 17, the following situation had developed in the zone of the 1st Ukrainian Front: the tank armies of Rybalko and Lelyushenko were moving west along a narrow corridor pierced by the troops of the 13th, 3rd and 5th guards armies. By the end of the day, they approached the Spree and began crossing it. Meanwhile, on the secondary, Dresden, direction of the troops of the 52nd Army, General K.A. Koroteev and the 2nd Army of the Polish General K.K. Sverchevsky broke through the tactical defense of the enemy and in two days of hostilities advanced to a depth of 20 km.

Given the slow advance of the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, as well as the success achieved in the zone of the 1st Ukrainian Front, on the night of April 18, the Headquarters decided to turn the 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front to Berlin. In his order to the army commanders Rybalko and Lelyushenko on the offensive, the front commander wrote: In the main direction with a tank fist, it is bolder and more decisive to break forward. Bypass cities and large settlements and not get involved in protracted frontal battles. I demand a firm understanding that the success of tank armies depends on bold maneuver and swiftness in action.
Carrying out the order of the commander On April 18 and 19, the tank armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front marched uncontrollably towards Berlin. The pace of their offensive reached 35-50 km per day. At the same time, the combined-arms armies were preparing to liquidate large enemy groupings in the area of ​​Cottbus and Spremberg.
By the end of the day on April 20 The main strike force of the 1st Ukrainian Front penetrated deeply into the enemy's location, and completely cut off the German Army Group "Vistula" from the Army Group "Center". Feeling 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 in the area of ​​​​the cities of Zossen, Luckenwalde, Jutterbog, infantry and tank units were urgently sent. Overcoming their stubborn resistance, on the night of April 21, Rybalko's tankers reached the outer Berlin defensive bypass.
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 reached the southern bank of the Teltovkanal at the end of the day. There, meeting strong and well-organized enemy resistance, they were stopped.

On the afternoon of April 22 at Hitler's headquarters a meeting of the top military leadership was held, at which a decision was made to remove the 12th army of V. Wenck from the western front and send it to join with the semi-encircled 9th army of T. Busse. To organize the offensive of the 12th Army, Field Marshal Keitel was sent to its headquarters. This was the last serious attempt to influence the course of the battle, since by the end of the day on April 22, the troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts formed and almost closed two encirclement rings. One - around the 9th Army of the enemy east and southeast of Berlin; the other - west of Berlin, around the units that were directly defending in the city.
The Teltow Canal was a rather serious obstacle: a moat filled with water with high concrete banks forty to fifty meters wide. In addition, its northern coast was very well prepared for defense: trenches, reinforced concrete pillboxes, tanks and self-propelled guns dug into the ground. Above the canal is an almost solid wall of houses, bristling with fire, with walls a meter or more thick. Having assessed the situation, the Soviet command decided to conduct thorough preparations for forcing the Teltow Canal. All day on April 23, the 3rd Guards Tank Army was preparing for the assault. By the morning of April 24, a powerful artillery grouping, with a density of up to 650 barrels per kilometer of front, was concentrated on the southern bank of the Teltow Canal, designed to destroy German fortifications on the opposite bank. Having suppressed the enemy defenses with a powerful artillery strike, the troops of the 6th Guards Tank Corps of Major General Mitrofanov successfully crossed the Teltow Canal and captured a bridgehead on its northern bank. On the afternoon of April 24, the 12th Army of Wenck launched the first tank attacks on the positions of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps of General Ermakov (4th Guards Tank Army) and units of the 13th Army. All attacks were successfully repulsed with the support of Lieutenant General Ryazanov's 1st Assault Aviation Corps.

April 25 at 12 noon 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 took place. An hour and a half later, on the Elbe, the 34th Guards Corps of General Baklanov of the 5th Guards Army met with American troops.
From April 25 to May 2, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front fought fierce battles in three directions: units of the 28th Army, 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Armies participated in the storming of Berlin; part of the forces of the 4th Guards Tank Army, together with the 13th Army, repulsed 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 since the beginning of the operation, the command of Army Group Center sought to thwart the offensive of the Soviet troops. On April 20, German troops delivered 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 the 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 April 19, the troops of the 65th Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front, under the command of Colonel-General Batov P.I., conducted reconnaissance in force and advanced detachments captured the Oder interfluve, thereby facilitating the subsequent forcing 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, in which the engineering troops of the army had a considerable merit. Having built two 16-ton pontoon crossings by 13 o'clock, by the evening of April 20, the troops of this army captured a bridgehead 6 kilometers wide and 1.5 kilometers deep.
We had a chance to observe the work of sappers. Working up to their necks in icy water among explosions of shells and mines, they made a crossing. Every second they were threatened with death, but people understood their soldier's duty and thought of one thing - to help their comrades on the western coast and thereby bring victory closer.
More modest success has been achieved on the central sector of the front in the strip of the 70th army. The left-flank 49th Army met stubborn resistance and was not successful. All day and all night on April 21, the troops of the front, repulsing numerous attacks by German troops, stubbornly expanded their bridgeheads on the western bank of the Oder. In the current situation, the 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, the troops of the front 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 transferred to the western bank of the Oder. At the first stage of the operation, the 2nd Belorussian Front, by its actions, fettered 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 stormed Stettin. In the future, the armies of the 2nd Belorussian Front, breaking the resistance of the enemy and destroying suitable reserves, stubbornly moved 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 surrounding the 9th Army of General Busse southeast of Berlin and cutting it off from the city. The encircled grouping of German troops became known as the Frankfurt-Gubenskaya. Now the Soviet command was faced with the task of eliminating the 200,000th enemy grouping and preventing its breakthrough to Berlin or to the west. To accomplish the latter 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 by 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 offered stubborn resistance, but also repeatedly made attempts to break out of the encirclement. Skillfully maneuvering and skillfully creating superiority in forces in narrow sections of the front, the 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 General Wenck's 12th Army. Only separate small groups managed to seep through the forests and go west.

Storming of Berlin (April 25 - May 2)
At 12 noon on April 25, the ring around Berlin was closed, when the 6th Guards Mechanized Corps of the 4th Guards Tank Army crossed the Havel River and connected 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 defense of the city was carefully thought out and well prepared. It was based on a system of strong fire, strongholds and centers of resistance. The closer to the city center, the tighter the defense became. Massive stone buildings with thick walls gave it special strength. The windows and doors of many buildings were closed up and turned into loopholes 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 conditions of street fighting 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 for maneuvering troops, as well as for sheltering them from artillery and bomb attacks.

By April 26 in the storming of Berlin 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 Ukrainian Front (28th I, 3rd and 4th Guards Tank). Taking into account the experience of capturing large cities, assault detachments were created for battles in the city as part of rifle battalions or companies, reinforced with tanks, artillery and sappers. The actions of the assault detachments, 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 advanced deeply towards 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 by block, Soviet troops "gnawed through" the enemy's defenses. So, by the evening of April 28, units of the 3rd shock army went to the Reichstag area. On the night of April 29, the actions of advanced 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 the Interior, adjacent to the parliament building, was stormed at the cost of considerable losses. The way to the Reichstag was open.
April 30, 1945 at 21.30 parts of the 150th Infantry Division under the command of Major General V

In the Berlin direction, the troops of the Vistula Army Group under the command of Colonel General G. Heinrici, and the Center Army Group under the command of Field Marshal F. Scherner took up the defense. In total, Berlin was defended by 48 infantry, 6 tank and 9 motorized divisions, 37 separate infantry regiments, 98 separate infantry battalions, as well as a large number of separate artillery and special units and formations, numbering about 1 million people, 10,400 guns and mortars, 1,500 tanks and assault guns and 3,300 combat aircraft. The High Command of the Wehrmacht wanted to keep the defense in the east at all costs, to hold back the offensive of the Red Army, at the same time to try to conclude a separate peace with Great Britain and the USA.

To carry out the Berlin operation, the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front under the command of Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky, troops of the 1st Belorussian Front under the command of Marshal G.K. Zhukov and the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front under the command of Marshal I.S. Konev. The Dnieper military flotilla, part of the forces of the Baltic Fleet, the 1st and 2nd armies of the Polish Army took part in the operation. In total, the Red Army troops advancing on Berlin numbered 2.5 million people, 41,600 guns and mortars, 6,250 tanks and self-propelled artillery mounts, and 7,500 aircraft.

On April 16, the troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts went on the offensive. To speed up the advance of the troops, the command of the 1st Belorussian Front on the very first day brought tank and mechanized corps into battle. However, they were drawn into stubborn battles and could not break away from the infantry. The Soviet troops had to successively break through several lines of defense. In the main areas near the Seelow Heights, it was possible to break through the defenses only on April 17th. The troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front crossed the Neisse River and on the first day of the offensive broke through the enemy's main line of defense.

On April 20, long-range artillery of the Red Army opened fire on Berlin. On April 21, tankers of the 3rd Guards Army of the 1st Belorussian Front were the first to break into the northeastern outskirts of Berlin. The troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front carried out a swift maneuver to reach Berlin from the south and west. On April 25, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belorussian fronts joined up west of Berlin, completing the encirclement of the entire enemy Berlin grouping. On April 25, 1945, in the Torgau area on the Elbe River, the troops of the 5th Guards Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front met with units of the 1st American Army advancing from the west.

The liquidation of the Berlin enemy grouping directly in the city continued until May 2. The assault had to take every street and house. On April 29, fighting began for the Reichstag, the possession of which was entrusted to the 79th Rifle Corps of the 3rd Shock Army of the 1st Belorussian Front. Before the assault on the Reichstag, the Military Council of the 3rd Shock Army handed over to its divisions nine Red Banners, specially made according to the type of the State Flag of the USSR. One of these Red Banners, known under No. 5 as the Banner of Victory, was transferred to the 150th Infantry Division. Similar self-made red banners, flags and flags were in all advanced units, formations and subunits. They, as a rule, were handed over to assault groups, which were recruited from among volunteers and went into battle with the main task - to break into the Reichstag and install the Banner of Victory on it. The first - at 10:30 pm Moscow time on April 30, 1945, hoisted an assault red banner on the roof of the Reichstag on the sculptural figure "Goddess of Victory" reconnaissance artillerymen of the 136th Army Cannon Artillery Brigade, senior sergeants G.K. Zagitov, A.F. Lisimenko, A.P. Bobrov and Sergeant A.P. Minin from the assault group of the 79th Rifle Corps, commanded by Captain V.N. Makov, the assault group of artillerymen acted jointly with the battalion of captain S.A. Neustroeva. Two or three hours later, also on the roof of the Reichstag, on the sculpture of an equestrian knight - Kaiser Wilhelm - by order of the commander of the 756th Infantry Regiment of the 150th Infantry Division, Colonel F.M. Zinchenko, the Red Banner No. 5 was installed, which then became famous as the Banner of Victory. Red Banner No. 5 was hoisted by scouts Sergeant M.A. Egorov and junior sergeant M.V. Kantaria, who were accompanied by Lieutenant A.P. Berest and machine gunners from the company of senior sergeant I.Ya. Syanov. On May 2, this banner was transferred to the dome of the Reichstag as the Banner of Victory. In total, during the assault and up to the transfer of the Reichstag to the Allied forces, up to 40 red banners, flags and flags were installed on it in different places. On May 9, the Victory Banner was removed from the Reichstag and another red banner was put in its place.

The fighting for the Reichstag continued until the morning of May 1. At 6:30 am on May 2, the head of the defense of Berlin, General of Artillery G. Weidling, surrendered and ordered the remnants of the troops of the Berlin garrison to cease resistance. In the middle of the day, the resistance of the Nazis in the city ceased. On the same day, the encircled groupings of German troops southeast of Berlin were liquidated.

On May 2, 1945, Moscow twice saluted the victors: at 21:00 with volleys from 222 guns, and at 23:00 - from 324 guns.

During the Berlin strategic offensive operation, 70 German infantry divisions, 23 tank and motorized divisions, and most of the Wehrmacht aviation were defeated. About 500,000 soldiers and officers were taken prisoner, more than 11,000 guns and mortars, over 1,500 tanks and assault guns, 4,500 aircraft were captured.

During the 23 days of continuous offensive battles, the Red Army and the Polish Army during the Berlin operation lost 81,116 people killed, 280,000 people wounded and sick. The losses of military equipment and weapons amounted to: 1,997 tanks and self-propelled artillery installations, 2,108 guns and mortars, 917 combat aircraft, 216,000 small arms.

The government of the USSR and the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR established the medal "For the Capture of Berlin", which was awarded to more than 1 million 82 thousand soldiers and officers. 187 units and formations of the Red Army, which distinguished themselves most during the assault on the enemy capital, were given the honorary name "Berlin". More than 600 participants in the Berlin operation were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. 13 people were awarded the second Gold Star medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

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Battle for Berlin. Complete chronicle - 23 days and nights Andrey Suldin

April 16, 1945

The victorious Berlin strategic offensive operation of the Soviet troops began. The fulfillment of this task was assigned to three fronts: the 1st Belorussian (commander Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov), the 1st Ukrainian (commander Marshal of the Soviet Union I.S. Konev) and the 2nd Belorussian (commander Marshal of the Soviet Union K .K. Rokossovsky) with the participation of part of the forces of the Baltic Fleet (Admiral V.F. Tributs), the Dnieper military flotilla, the 1st and 2nd armies of the Polish Army.

The operation was to develop as follows. A blow in the general direction to Berlin is delivered by the 1st Belorussian Front, at the same time part of the forces bypassing the city from the north; The 1st Ukrainian Front delivers a cutting blow south of Berlin, bypassing the city from the south. The 2nd Belorussian strikes a cutting blow north of Berlin, securing the right flank of the 1st Belorussian Front from possible enemy counterattacks from the north, and eliminates all enemy troops north of Berlin, pressing them to the sea. The beginning of the operation was set by the Headquarters for the troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts on April 16, for the 2nd Belorussian - on April 20 (this period was determined taking into account the regrouping of troops from east to west).

Berlin was not only the political stronghold of fascism, but also one of the largest centers of the country's military industry. The main forces of the Wehrmacht were concentrated in the Berlin direction. That is why their defeat and the capture of the capital of Germany should have led to a victorious conclusion to the war in Europe.

The grouping of Soviet troops consisted of 2.5 million people, 6250 tanks and self-propelled guns, 7500 combat aircraft. For the first time in the history of the war, before the start of the offensive, our troops simultaneously turned on 140 powerful anti-aircraft searchlights that illuminated the battlefield.

In the Berlin direction, the troops of the Vistula Army Group under the command of Colonel General G. Heinrici, and the Center Army Group under the command of Field Marshal F. Scherner took up the defense. In total, Berlin was defended by 48 infantry, 6 tank and 9 motorized divisions, 37 separate infantry regiments, 98 separate infantry battalions, as well as a large number of separate artillery and special units and formations, numbering about 1 million people, 10,400 guns and mortars, 1,500 tanks and assault guns and 3,300 combat aircraft. The operational density of the German forces was one division per 3 km of the front. In Berlin itself, more than 200 Volkssturm battalions were formed, and the total number of the garrison exceeded 200 thousand people.

Soviet fighters are advancing along one of the Berlin streets.

The essence of the strategic plan of the Wehrmacht's supreme command was to keep the defense in the east at any cost, to contain the offensive of the Soviet Army, and in the meantime try to conclude a separate peace with the United States and England. The Nazi leadership put forward the slogan: "It is better to surrender Berlin to the Anglo-Saxons than to let the Russians into it." The special instructions of the National Socialist Party of April 3 stated: “The war is not decided in the West, but in the East ... Our eyes must be turned only to the East, regardless of what happens in the West. Holding the Eastern Front is a prerequisite for a turning point in the course of the war.

In the Berlin direction, a defense in depth was prepared, the construction of which began as early as January 1945. Prisoners of war and foreign workers were driven to the construction of defensive structures, the local population was involved - in total over four hundred thousand people. Selected police and SS units were concentrated in the city. For the defense of a special sector, many SS regiments and separate battalions located in the nearest areas were pulled together. These SS troops were led by the head of Hitler's personal guard Monke. Settlements were turned into strong strongholds. Using locks on the Oder River and numerous canals, the Nazis prepared a number of areas for flooding. The most equipped defense in terms of engineering was on the Zelov (Zeelovsky) heights - in front of the Kyustrinsky bridgehead. During the construction of the defensive line, the German command paid special attention to the organization of anti-tank defense, which was based on a combination of artillery fire, assault guns and tanks with engineering barriers, dense mining of tank-accessible areas and the mandatory use of such natural obstacles as rivers, canals and lakes. Numerous minefields were created. The average density of mining in the most important directions reached 2 thousand mines per 1 km. By the beginning of the offensive of the Soviet troops, the enemy comprehensively prepared the Berlin defensive area. Numerous anti-tank obstacles and barbed wire were erected on the streets.

On April 16, the troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts went on the offensive. At 5 o'clock in the morning the earth behind the Oder shuddered and groaned. All artillery opened fire at the same time strictly according to the planned plan. He was fired at previously shot targets. For example, the 47th Army broke through the enemy defenses on a front of 4.3 kilometers. 20 artillery regiments, 3 artillery brigades, 7 mortar regiments, 2 regiments and a brigade of guards mortars, 5 self-propelled artillery regiments participated in the artillery preparation. Only about three hundred barrels per one kilometer of the front. Each gun had three sets of ammunition, each mortar - four. This has never happened in the entire war! The enemy positions were drowned in a sea of ​​fire, the air was filled with a continuous rumble.

A barrage of fire raged over the positions of the Nazis for twenty-five minutes. Five minutes before the end of the last artillery raid, the infantry began advancing to the front line of the enemy's defense. In the area of ​​the 175th Infantry Division, the infantry came close to the explosions of their shells and, two minutes before the end of the last fire raid, demanded that the fire be transferred to the first line of the firing shaft. At 5.25, at the signal of green rockets, the infantrymen made a throw. The soldiers attacked in unison, in an organized manner, confidently controlled by the heroes of close combat - the commanders of platoons, companies and battalions.

“At a signal,” as G.K. Zhukov, - 140 searchlights flashed, located every 200 meters. More than 100 billion candles illuminated the battlefield, blinding the enemy and snatching objects of attack from the darkness for our tanks and infantry. It was a picture of great impressive power, and perhaps in all my life I do not remember an equal sensation. The artillery intensified the fire even more, the infantry and tanks rushed forward together, their attack was accompanied by a powerful double barrage of fire. By dawn, our troops had overcome the first position and launched an attack on the second position.

The enemy, who had a large number of aircraft in the Berlin area, was unable to use his aircraft effectively at night, and in the morning our attacking echelons were so close to the enemy troops that their pilots were not able to bomb our advanced units without risking hitting their own.

Hitler's troops were literally crushed by a sea of ​​fire and metal. An impenetrable wall of dust and smoke hung in the air, and in places even the powerful beams of anti-aircraft searchlights could not penetrate it, but this did not bother anyone.

Our aircraft flew over the battlefield in waves. At night, several hundred bombers hit distant targets where artillery did not reach. Other bombers interacted with the troops in the morning and afternoon. During the first day of the battle, more than 6550 sorties were carried out.

On the first day, 1,197,000 shots were planned for only one artillery, in fact, 1,236,000 shots were fired. Think about these numbers! 2450 wagons of shells, that is, almost 98 thousand tons of metal, fell on the head of the enemy. The enemy defenses were destroyed and suppressed to a depth of 8 kilometers, and individual nodes of resistance - to a depth of 10-12 kilometers.

On the morning of April 16, Soviet troops were successfully moving forward in all sectors of the front. However, the enemy, having come to his senses, began to resist from the Seelow Heights with his artillery, mortars, and groups of bombers appeared from the direction of Berlin. And the further our troops advanced to the Seelow Heights, the stronger the resistance of the enemy grew.

The Seelow Heights dominated the surrounding area, had steep slopes and were in every respect a serious obstacle on the way to Berlin. They stood like a solid wall in front of our troops, covering the plateau on which the battle was to unfold on the near approaches to Berlin.

It was here, at the foot of these heights, that the Germans expected to stop our troops. Here they concentrated the greatest number of forces and means.

Seelow heights limited not only the actions of our tanks, but were also a serious obstacle to artillery. They closed the depth of the enemy's defense, making it impossible to observe it from the ground from our side. Artillerymen had to overcome these difficulties by intensifying their fire and often shooting at squares.

For the enemy, the retention of this most important line was also of moral importance. After all, behind him lay Berlin! Hitler's propaganda in every possible way emphasized the decisive importance and insurmountability of the Seelow Heights, calling them either "Berlin's castle" or "an insurmountable fortress."

G.K. Zhukov: “In order to strengthen the blow of the attacking troops and certainly break through the defenses, we decided, after consulting with the commanders, to introduce both tank armies of Generals M.E. Katukov and S.I. Bogdanov. At 2:30 p.m., I already saw from my observation post the movement of the first echelons of the 1st Guards Tank Army.

However, the tank and mechanized corps were drawn into stubborn battles and could not break away from the infantry. The Soviet troops had to successively break through several lines of defense. In the main areas near the Seelow Heights, it was possible to break through the defenses only on April 17th. The troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front crossed the Neisse River and on the first day of the offensive broke through the enemy's main line of defense.

The commander of the 334th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Upper Dnieper Red Banner Guard Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Fyodor Alexandrovich Gorashchenko, deployed his batteries almost at the edge of the Stadt-Graben canal and, in cooperation with artillerymen and mortarmen, began to shoot at close range the enemy defending the opposite bank. The infantry of the assault battalions, under the cover of artillery and mortar fire on boats and swimming on improvised means found here near the canal, crossed to the opposite bank of the canal and captured the fourth (main) trench of the first position of the enemy's main line of defense. As always, the communists were in the forefront of the attackers.

With frequent counterattacks, the enemy tried to stop the advance of our troops. But, as the commander of the 125th Rifle Corps, Major General Andrei Matveyevich Andreev, recalled, in the reports of the division commanders received by the headquarters of the corps, with a sober assessment of the current situation, one felt confident that the assigned tasks would be completed. This confidence came from an absolute conviction in the high combat capabilities of the troops. In the final battle for Berlin, it was difficult to find a detachment, crew, platoon, company, battery, whose soldiers would not show in battles, in addition to courage and courage, mature military skill, ingenuity, and military cunning. Thanks to these qualities, like no one else, modest war workers - sappers - always succeed.

On the eve of the offensive, the commander of a sapper platoon from the 277th Infantry Regiment, Junior Lieutenant Mikhail Chupakhin, under enemy fire, personally made a passage through the enemy's wire fence and minefields, removing more than a hundred mines. The next day, Chupakhin, together with his subordinates, again built a bridge across the Stadt-Graben canal under fire, and only after a second wound was evacuated to the hospital.

The sappers of the 696th separate sapper battalion also distinguished themselves. They always worked with high quality, with a display of initiative, which contributed to their achievement of combat results with a minimum expenditure of forces and means, while preserving the lives of fighters and large material values ​​for the Motherland. During the fighting on April 16, 1945, sappers removed 289 anti-tank, 132 anti-personnel mines, 48 ​​high-explosive explosives and neutralized 43 shells. Hero of the Soviet Union Junior Sergeant Ivliev cleared 120 anti-tank mines, Sergeant Chernyshev with his squad removed 160 anti-tank mines. And this is during the day, under enemy fire!

Soviet troops are fighting on the streets of Berlin

In the battles on the outskirts of Berlin, the 24-year-old commander of the battery control platoon of the 142nd cannon artillery brigade (1st Belorussian Front) Kudaibergen Magzumovich Suraganov, correcting the fire of the battery, helped the rifle units in the exit to the Oder-Spree canal. For this feat he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on May 15, 1946.

The Red Army soldier of the 1st machine-gun company of the 1285th rifle regiment Yushchenko said before the battle: “Now we have read the Appeal of the Military Council of the 1st Belorussian Front - the hour has come for the last retribution against the Nazi barbarians for the atrocities and crimes they committed. Great and mighty is the power of the Red Army, and this power that we bear, we will mercilessly bring down on the head of the enemy. We will fulfill the order of the Motherland - in two hours we will go forward to victory.

Red Army soldier Kuznetsov from the 5th company of the 2nd rifle battalion of the 216th rifle regiment of the 76th rifle division said: “I am glad that I have lived to see this historic day when we begin the decisive assault on Berlin. I will not spare my strength and life and will carry out the combat order.”

Severely wounded in the first battles of the battle, the foreman of the machine-gun company of the 277th rifle Karelian Red Banner, the Order of the Suvorov regiment of the 175th rifle division, a member of the CPSU (b) A. Rakhimbaev said: “It’s not a pity that he was wounded, but it’s a pity that he didn’t reach Berlin !" He was echoed by the Red Army soldier of the 6th company of the 278th rifle Revdinsky orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov regiment of the 175th rifle division Ivan Zakharovich Zheldin:

“I am very sorry that I was injured. I would also like to take revenge on the Germans, because they killed my two sons.”

You can continue to quote the statements of the heroes of the battle for Berlin. All of them in those memorable hours before our decisive attack on the lair of the fascist beast thought about the Motherland, about fulfilling their sacred duty to it. And it is no coincidence that on the historic night of April 16, 1945, the party organizations of the 1st Belorussian Front received more than 2 thousand applications from soldiers and commanders who decided to go into battle as communists.

Experienced front-line soldiers who distinguished themselves in battles with the Nazi invaders were accepted into the party and the Komsomol. Before the start of the Berlin operation, at a meeting of the primary party organization of the 3rd division of the 969th artillery Prague Order of Alexander Nevsky Regiment, the gun commander of this division, Kazakh sergeant Mussamim Bekzhegitov, was admitted to membership in the CPSU (b), as having particularly distinguished himself in battles with the Germans in the cities of Schneidemuhl and Altdamm. During the liquidation of the enemy bridgehead on the right bank of the Oder, his gun was on direct fire and shot the Nazis point-blank. On March 15, 1945, Bekzhegitov's crew, together with the shooters, repulsed three enemy counterattacks and at the same time knocked out two self-propelled guns and destroyed more than 15 Nazis.

In his statement, Bekzhegitov wrote: “I ask the primary party organization of the 3rd division to accept me as a member of the CPSU (b), since I want to be a member of the party that leads us to complete victory over the enemy. In the final battles, I will spare no effort, and if necessary, even my life, in order to fulfill any combat order of the command. I will justify the title of a member of the party in battles with honor.

On the night of April 16, 1945, the gunner of the 120-mm mortar battery of the 1281st Infantry Regiment, Hero of the Soviet Union, Junior Sergeant Petr Petrovich Shlyakhturov was accepted as a candidate member of the CPSU (b) on the night of April 16, 1945.

On the same night, Captain I. Grab, assistant chief of the political department of the 60th Infantry Division for Komsomol, handed Komsomol tickets to the Red Army soldier of the 1285th Infantry Regiment Sukharsky, Sergeant Mishagin, Junior Lieutenant Chepkasov and others. Receiving a ticket, the commander of the rifle squad Fedor Mishagin said: “I am glad that I receive a Komsomol ticket in such decisive battles with the Nazis. I will fight in such a way that, together with my comrades, I will be the first to come to Berlin and hoist the Banner of Victory in it.

Komsomol member Mishagin kept his word. After artillery preparation on April 16, 1945, he was the first to attack and boldly went forward, leading the squad. In this battle, he killed three Nazis from a machine gun. When the enemy launched a counterattack, Mishagin told his fighters: “Not a step back! We'd rather die than give up our occupied frontier. We will keep him." And they survived.

As the commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, Marshal of the Soviet Union I.S. Konev: “I had to deal with incorrect statements in the Western press that on the first day of the Berlin operation on both fronts - the 1st Belorussian and the 1st Ukrainian - the attack was carried out according to a single plan. This is not true. The coordination of the actions of both fronts was carried out by the Headquarters, and the fronts, as usual, mutually exchanged information and operational intelligence reports. Naturally, on the first day of the operation, each of the fronts chose its own method of attack, based on its assessment of the situation. On the 1st Belorussian Front, it was decided to carry out a powerful artillery preparation at night and an attack by the light of searchlights. At 1st Ukrainian, a completely different method was chosen. We planned a longer artillery preparation than our neighbor's, designed to ensure the crossing of the Neisse River and the breakthrough of the enemy's main line of defense on the opposite western bank. In order for the crossing to take place more discreetly, it was completely unprofitable for us to cover the breakthrough zone. On the contrary, it was much more profitable to lengthen the night. In total, the artillery preparation was to last two hours and thirty-five minutes, of which an hour and forty was given to ensure the crossing and another forty-five minutes to prepare an attack already on the west bank of the Neisse. During this time, we expected to suppress the entire control and surveillance system of the Germans, their artillery and mortar positions. Aviation, acting to an even greater depth, had to complete the defeat of the enemy, concentrating blows on his reserves.

The Red Army soldier Ladeyshchik was the first to burst into the enemy's trench and destroyed four Nazis with machine gun fire. The rest of the German soldiers, leaving the machine gun, fled. The squad leader, Sergeant Kolyakin, destroyed a German machine gun along with the calculation with grenades. The fighters of Sergeant Kolyakin's department exterminated 30 German soldiers and officers in a day. Red Army machine gunner Kochmuratov, repelling an enemy counterattack, destroyed more than 40 enemy submachine gunners with well-aimed fire.

As the commander of the 2nd Belorussian Front, Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. Rokossovsky: “On April 16, a cannonade came from the south. It was the troops of the neighbor of the 1st Belorussian Front that moved forward. Our turn was drawing near. On the initiative of the army commanders, separate units crossed the eastern branch of the river into the floodplain at night and seized the dams there. The subordinates of P.I. Batov. The advanced battalions of the division P.A. Teremov, for example, occupied the surviving supports of the highway, knocking out the Nazis who had settled there. Thus, original bridgeheads were created among the flooded floodplain, where the troops were gradually transported. Subsequently, this greatly facilitated the crossing of the river. One could talk a lot about the heroic sorties of our scouts, who searched at night on the western bank of the West Oder. They got there by swimming, sometimes seized important objects under the very noses of the Nazis and held them, fighting with the enemy many times superior.

Berlin radio that day broadcast the following message: "In the Furstenfeld area, the German troops again achieved complete success in defense." At the time when this message was transmitted, the Germans had already been driven out of the city of Furstenfeld and, under the blows of the Soviet troops, were retreating to the west.

On April 16, 86 German tanks and self-propelled guns were knocked out and destroyed on all fronts. In air battles and anti-aircraft artillery fire, 50 enemy aircraft were shot down.

The newspaper "Pravda" reported: - Leading "Increase the output of consumer goods":

It should be firmly understood that when planning the production of consumer goods, those products that consumers especially need should be taken into account. The 1st Mechanical Plant of the Moskvoretsky Trust of Moscow received an order for beds, spoons, locks, bowls and flints for lighters, but the director took the easy path: he fulfills 75 percent of the plan through the least troublesome and labor-intensive production - flints. There are also cases of marriage at individual enterprises: the Tula artel, for example, produced black dresses sewn with white threads, and the artel in Saratov produced shoes, one pair of which was yellow and the other brown.

- Yesterday, a solemn meeting of party and Soviet activists took place in Kyiv, dedicated to the opening of the Kiev branch of the Central Museum of V.I. Lenin. Fraternal republics took an active part in the restoration of the branch in 17 halls. A copy of the office of Vladimir Ilyich was made in Moscow, the Tbilisi Museum of V.I. Lenin sent the most valuable material about the life and work of I.V. Stalin, a model of a house in Gori, where Comrade Stalin was born, a model of the Avlabari printing house.

This text is an introductory piece. From the book Battle for Berlin. Complete Chronicle - 23 days and nights author Suldin Andrey Vasilievich

April 5, 1945 In the course of the war, Soviet troops have not yet had to take such large, heavily fortified cities as Berlin. Its total area was almost 900 square kilometers. Metro and widely developed underground facilities made it possible for enemy troops

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April 6, 1945 On April 6, 28 German tanks and self-propelled guns were knocked out and destroyed on all fronts. In air battles and anti-aircraft artillery fire, 14 enemy aircraft were shot down. * * * Twice Hero of the Soviet Union became the Soviet commander Joseph Iraklievich Gusakovsky

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April 7, 1945 The work of commanders, political workers, aimed at revealing the bestial nature of fascism, contributed to the upbringing of a feeling of hatred for the enemy. Even near Warsaw, employees of the political departments of divisions paid much attention to stories about the atrocities of the Nazis in From the author's book

April 11, 1945 The road to Berlin was not easy. Preparing for the offensive, the commander of the 125th Rifle Corps, Major General A.M. Andreev conducted a reconnaissance of the areas of crossings and terrain in the zone of upcoming hostilities with the commanders of rifle divisions,

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April 12, 1945 On April 12, 40 German tanks and self-propelled guns were knocked out and destroyed on all fronts. 37 enemy planes were shot down in air battles and anti-aircraft artillery fire. * * * * American troops are stationed near Magdeburg, 60 kilometers from Berlin. In the area of ​​the Ruhr

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April 13, 1945 Taking into account the experience of previous battles, for the personnel of the units preparing to storm Berlin, leaflets-memos were issued with a summary of what every soldier needed to know, participating in the breakthrough of a heavily fortified, deeply echeloned defense

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April 14, 1945 By order of Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, reconnaissance in force was carried out on the entire line of contact between the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front and the enemy on April 14-15.

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On April 15, 1945, Hitler made a special appeal to the soldiers of the Eastern Front. He urged at all costs to repel the offensive of the Soviet army. Hitler demanded that anyone who dared to retreat or give the order to withdraw be shot on the spot. Appeals

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April 16, 1945 The victorious Berlin strategic offensive operation of the Soviet troops began. The fulfillment of this task was assigned to three fronts: 1st Belorussian (commander Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov), 1st Ukrainian (commander Marshal of the Soviet Union

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On April 17, 1945, the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, advancing in the Berlin direction, broke through the enemy defenses on the Seelow Heights. From the early morning of April 17, fierce battles broke out in all sectors of the front. The enemy resisted fiercely. However, by the evening,

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April 19, 1945 The second stage of the Berlin operation began. The troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front crossed the Ost-Oder River and cleared the area between the Ost-Oder and the West-Oder from German troops. The troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts broke through the enemy defenses on

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On April 21, 1945, the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front cut the Berlin ring road and entered the northern outskirts of Berlin. there are fights. 61st Army, 1st Army

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April 29, 1945 The most fierce battles unfolded in the center of Berlin. The German troops, squeezed in the central regions of the German capital, offered desperate resistance. Soviet units of the 1st Belorussian Front (Commander Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K.