The end of the Battle of Berlin marked the end of World War II in Europe. The battle took many lives, including civilians.
The battle was fought between the Soviet army and Nazi Germany and lasted 16 days. The Soviet soldiers were more in number than the German soldiers.
The Soviets had 7,500 aircraft and 6,250 tanks along with 2,500,000 soldiers, while the Germans had only 2,200 aircraft, 1,500 tanks, and around 1,000,000 soldiers. The Battle of Berlin was one of the major battles of World War II and marked its end in Europe.
If you enjoyed reading this article about the Soviet Union and the Battle of Berlin, then do read some other interesting facts about the Battle of Gallipoli and the Battle of France.
Battle Of Berlin Timeline
The Battle of Berlin occurred from April 16, 1945, to May 1, 1945.
On April 16, 1945, the Soviet army attacked the German suburbs near Berlin and the Oder River with heavy artillery and surrounded the city center. On April 23, 1945, the Soviets captured the suburbs towards Berlin Street, and Soviet troops were successful in the fall of the Berlin suburbs.
On April 24, 1945, the British Army helped the Soviet forces when the German forces attacked the Soviet soldiers. Heavy bombing among infantry soldiers took place. German soldiers were ready for the main battle. On April 26, 1945, the Soviet soldiers managed to cross Unter den Linden toward the Spree river.
On April 27, 1945, Marshal Zhukov, of the Soviet Army, was stopped by German units at a distance of 10 mi (16 km) from Berlin, and the city surrendered on April 30, 1945, when Adolf Hitler died. The Berlin operation is one of the most historic events that ever took place in the German capital and against Nazi Germany.
Germans were liberated from Nazi rule on May 1, 1945, and celebrated Soviet victory. The Third Reich was captured, and Sergeant Shcherbina, an infantry soldier, raised the red flag on the Reichstag, signaling the end of World War II in Europe.
Who won the Battle of Berlin?
The Battle of Berlin was won by the Red Army of Soviet forces, and the operation to capture Berlin in Germany was successful.
The end of the Battle of Berlin also marked the end of World War II in Europe. The Polish army also helped the Red Army.
They also hoisted the Polish flag in Berlin and marked the end of the rule of Hitler over the Germans. Many soldiers died, and more than 1,000 were wounded. This was extreme in the case of the Germans.
The northern flank was protected by Montgomery's 21st Army, while the southern flank was protected by Jacob Devers' Sixth Army Group. On April 25, 1945, the US Army met to end World War II, which is known as Elbe Day.
Prior to this, in January 1945, the Soviet forces, along with eastern allies, tried to attack the Germans to end the war but were not successful. Second Lieutenant William Robertson met the lieutenant of the Soviet forces.
Battle Of Berlin Weapons
The weapons used in the Battle of Berlin were 263 heavy machine guns, 1953 light machine guns, 773 sub-machine guns, and 42,095 rifles.
Apart from SP guns and mortars, field guns and Panzerfausts were used by the troops. Most of the soldiers in the battle were adults and elderly men. The battle brought devastation to the city, and people were left without food and water.
Many civilians were also killed in the battle, and many became homeless. Almost 150,000 Polish soldiers fought in the war with Nazi Germany. Poland celebrates May 2 as their flag day because that is when they hoisted the Polish flag in Berlin.
Although the war had already ended, on May 7, 1945, the Nazi German leaders officially surrendered to the Soviet forces. The supreme commander of the Soviet forces was General Georgy Zhukov, and under him were two commanders, Ivan Konev and Vasily Chuikov.
What happened in the Battle of Berlin?
In the Battle of Berlin, Nazi Germany had to surrender to the Soviet forces and this marked the end of World War II in Europe.
The Soviet forces, with help from many other countries, were able to succeed in their plan to end the war. American allies, the British army, the Polish army, and many others helped the Soviet forces to win the Battle of Berlin.
Almost 280,000 soldiers from the Soviet Union were injured and 81,000 were killed. 220,000 German soldiers were injured and over 92,000 German soldiers were killed.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for the Battle of Berlin facts, then why not take a look at the Battle of Jutland, or the Battle of Chancellorsville.
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