Important Meetings in the Battle of Berlin
Before reading this entire Important Meetings in the Battle of Berlin, I suggest read some of my related post and article here:
The Book Of Yesterday | May 2 | THE SOVIETS CAPTURED THE ENTIRE CITY OF BERLIN, GERMANY
The historic photograph of the raising of the Soviet Union flag on the roof of the Reichstag
April 16
The battle began for the city of Berlin, Germany. Soviet forces led by Marshal Georgy Zhukov attacked the last line of German defense at Seelow Heights, the “gate of Berlin”.
April 19
The Soviets and several Polish army units successfully broke through the defense at Seelow Heights. Large Soviet forces began to flood into Berlin.
April 20
Adolf Hitler's 56th birthday, which was his last birthday. Large barrages of artillery and Katyusha rockets began to rain down the entire city, which they did not stop until after the battle. The entry of the 1st Belorussian Front under the leadership of Marshal Zhukov began.
April 21
Reinforcements from General Felix Steiner did not arrive in Berlin, as it could not prevent the influx of the 1st Belorussian Front inside Berlin. This was the first time that Hitler had declared defeat in the war, and then he had rebuked his generals for their cowardice.
April 22
Joseph Stalin ordered the last Soviet attack on Berlin, led by Marshal Ivan Konev of the 1st Ukrainian Front. The fighting spread to almost the entire city.
April 23
Luftwaffe (air force) chief Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering sent a telegram to Hitler asking for his position as leader of Germany. He considered it treason and he removed Goering from his post, in exchange for his life.
April 24
General Walther Wenck launched his almost unopposed 12th Army as a counter-offensive against the Soviets, but they were ambushed by an air attack by the British air force.
April 25
Soldiers of the 1st Ukrainian Front and 1st Belorussian Front permanently surrounded the whole of Berlin, when they met on the left side of the city. It completely cut off all passage of German reinforcements entering the city.
April 28
Hitler discovered the secret negotiations of his most loyal disciple and Reichsführer of the SS Heinrich Himmler with the Americans and British in northern Germany. Hitler angrily ordered the arrest of Himmler and he also removed him from his posts. He also arrested Himmler's adjutant Hermann Fegelein and executed him on charges of treason and desertion. Soviet forces were crossing the river Spree, entering the central district of Berlin.
April 29-30
Adolf Hitler and his girlfriend Eva Braun married inside his Fuhrerbunker, after dictating his last will and testament. The Soviets were just a few blocks away from the Reich Chancellery being bombarded by artillery, and they had entered the Reichstag. Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide, and then their bodies were burned.
May 1
Soviet soldiers Meliton Kantaria and Mikhail Yegorov hoisted the red Victory Banner at the top of the Reichstag, signaling that they had captured the building. Admiral Karl Doenitz was appointed President of Germany, announcing Hitler's death. Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels became Chancellor, demanding a ceasefire with the Soviets, but insisting on surrender in Berlin. Goebbels declared that he would not surrender Berlin as long as he lived, then committed suicide with his wife.
May 2
The remaining German soldiers tried to flee to Berlin in the middle of the enemy line, but only a few of them crossed. The whole city fell to the Soviets after Berlin's chief defense officer, General Helmuth Weidling, surrendered. The Reich Chancellery and the Führerbunker fell into the hands of the Soviets. But fighting continued around Berlin until Germany finally surrendered to the Allies on 8 May.
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