Battle of Oder-Neisse (the Battle of Seelow Heights)
The first operational phase of the attack on Berlin came on April 16 at Seelow Heights, the last main line of defense outside the Berlin border. Seelow Heights served as the “Gates to Berlin” and was defended by 100,000 German soldiers in the German 9th Army Division. The Battle of Seelow Heights lasted from the 16th to the 19th, and after suffering severe losses (20,000 casualties) Zhukov’s 1st Belorussian Front broke through the German line on the morning of April 19th.
Battle in Berlin
Encirclement
Beginning on April 20, 1945, which happened to be Adolf Hitler’s 56th birthday, the 1st Belorussian Front’s artillery began bombing Berlin and did not cease fire until the Germans surrendered.
The first operational phase of the attack on Berlin came on April 16 at Seelow Heights, the last main line of defense outside the Berlin border. Seelow Heights served as the “Gates to Berlin” and was defended by 100,000 German soldiers in the German 9th Army Division. The Battle of Seelow Heights lasted from the 16th to the 19th, and after suffering severe losses (20,000 casualties) Zhukov’s 1st Belorussian Front broke through the German line on the morning of April 19th.
Battle in Berlin
Encirclement
Beginning on April 20, 1945, which happened to be Adolf Hitler’s 56th birthday, the 1st Belorussian Front’s artillery began bombing Berlin and did not cease fire until the Germans surrendered.