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True or false? Germany successfully halted the Allied advance in Western Europe during the Ardennes Offensive.
January, 1945. Germany fails to halt the Allied advance in Western Europe; the Ardennes Offensive has failed. In the East, Soviet troops reach Küstrin on the Oder River, 80 km east of Berlin. Hitler is moving the majority of his troops to the Eastern Front for one final attempt to win the war. However, Stalin's armies assemble soldiers, artillery, tanks, airplanes, and supplies for a decisive offensive.
Over two million soldiers gather along a 300-kilometre-long frontline, ready to take on Germany. On the Western Front, the Allied forces under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower strive to reach the Rhine River. They face strong resistance from the remaining German forces in the area, who stubbornly defend themselves. In March 1945, the Allies breach German defences along the Rhine.
On March 7th, American troops cross at Remagen, seizing the Ludendorff Bridge. This is a significant success, and soon more Allied forces follow, with increasing numbers of troops crossing the Rhine. American and British aircraft heavily bomb major cities, including Dresden and Essen, reducing them to rubble. In April, the Allies occupy significant portions of Western Germany. During this advance, they uncover and liberate numerous concentration camps, exposing the terrible crimes against humanity that the Nazis committed.
On the Eastern Front, ferocious battles rage, resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Germany and the Soviet Union's Red Army. On March 6th, Germany goes on the offensive against the Red Army in western Hungary. The Red Army counterattacks, capturing Vienna, the capital of Austria. On April 16th, the Red Army launches an attack on Germany's capital, Berlin. The city had endured relentless British and American aerial bombings for weeks.
On Hitler's birthday, April 20th, the Red Army begins heavy artillery bombardment of the city, lasting nearly two weeks. By April 25th, Berlin is surrounded by Soviet forces. That same day, American and Soviet forces converge near Torgau on the Elbe River. The Americans and the Allies have now conquered Western Germany, while the Soviet Union controls the eastern part, effectively dividing Germany in half. In Berlin, several high-ranking Nazis flee upon realising that the city and the war are lost.
However, Hitler does not. He spends his last days in a bunker complex and has no plans to leave Berlin. On April 21st, he orders a counterattack against the Russians. He shouts at a general that he is personally responsible for ensuring that all available soldiers participate in this attack. When Hitler finally realises that a counterattack is not possible, he has an outburst.
Eventually, Hitler understands that the war is lost. On April 30th, Hitler and his wife, Eva Braun, kill themselves. On May 2nd, Soviet soldiers storm the Reichstag building in Berlin. Battles rage for hours, but in the end, the Germans surrender. Meanwhile in Italy, German forces capitulate, while those on the Eastern Front attempt to move westward, surrendering to British, American, or other forces under Eisenhower's command.
Just one week after Hitler's death, General Alfred Jodl signs the final German surrender on May 7th. The next day, celebrations erupt around the world. May 8th becomes known as Victory in Europe Day or V-E Day. This day marks the end of World War II in Europe. It is a joyous occasion, but also a sombre one.
The most devastating conflict in European history is over. Approximately 55 million lives have been lost, primarily civilians from Germany, Poland, the Soviet Union, and other parts of Eastern Europe.