THE BATTLE OF BERLIN By Michael Powers and Elaine Qin

SOVIET UNION NAZIS GERMANY POLAND War parties

BACKGROUND Soviet planing an offensive attack against Germany ---supported by U.S. And Britain's aircraft

ARMIES AND COMMANDERS Soviet Union Marshal Georgy Zhukov Marshal Konstantin Rokossovky Marshal Ivan Konev General Vasily Chuikov apprx. 2,500,000 men

Germany General Gotthard Heinrici General Kurt von Tippelskirch Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner Lieutenant General Hellmuth Reymann General Helmuth Weidling Major General Erich Bärenfänger approx. 766,750 men

THE BATTLE OF BERLIN- OBJECTIVE Stalin intended to crush German resistant and capture Berlin Destroyed Hitler's Third Reich

ATTACK BEGINS Zhukov's men assaulted the Seelow Heights In four days of heavy fighting, the Soviets captured the position, but sustained over 30,000 killed To the south, Konev's command captured Forst and broke into open country south of Berlin. While part of his forces swung north towards Berlin, another pressed west to unite with advancing American troops.

ENCYCLICAL THE CITY 1st Ukrainian Front continued to make gains to the south Konev compelled that command to retreat towards Czechoslovakia supported by Rokossovky to the north who was advancing against the northern part of Army Group Vistula. Adolph hitter was depaired but still wanted to rescue the situation

Unhappy with Reymann's performance, Hitler replaced him with General Helmuth Weidling. On April 24, elements of Zhukov and Konev's fronts met west of Berlin completing the encirclement of the city.

OUTSIDE OF THE CITY Konev faced two separate German forces 9th Army attempted to breakout and was partially successful Wenck retreated towards the Elbe and US forces.

THE FINAL BATTLE Initial Soviet assaults on Berlin Hitler and Eva Braun, who were married on April 29, remained in the Führerbunker and then committed suicide later in the day With Hitler's death, Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz became president while Joseph Goebbels, who was in Berlin, became chancellor.

MAY 2, WEIDLING SURRENDERED WITH HIS STAFF GERMANY UNCONDITIONAL LY SURRENDERED ON MAY 7.

WORK CITED Battle-Of-Berlin.htm battle-of-berlin